Airtran Seating ? - Not the Usual

[Lewisc]

O We are a family of 5 and I really don't want to spend the money on buying seats. As long as we are together in a set of 2 and 3 I will be fine!

And as far as children not sitting with their parent, I'm sure there are people out there who wouldn't move for a family, but I would think that MOST people would be kind enough to move for a parent and their child. .... Maybe that is just my midwest mentallity....

I think it's interesting that most people on disboards assume that parents chose not to pay for the assigned seats. That the parents have some great entitlement attitude going and that they expect something for nothing. .......
To the PP who mentioned that they had a Midwest thought process: I DO, TOO. I'M THANKFUL FOR IT! I would move (unless it separates DD and myself) to let a mother or father sit with their young child.

I quoted and bolded quotes from a poster in this thread. She feels it's important for her family to sit together, doesn't want to pay for assigned seats and thinks passengers should move so her family can sit together.

This sure sounds like entitlement mentality to me. It sounds like someone who wants something for nothing and expects others to inconvenience themselves so she can get something without paying for it. It's insulting to a section of the country to call this Midwest thought process.

I don't care how many seats show as being available. At 24 hours passengers will want to sit next to a family member. Some people will get the seats they want and some won't. The minute you don't pay for an assigned seat you're saying you don't care where you sit or who you sit next to.

These threads always have some people who think others should move so they can sit next to their family but not pay. These threads always seem to have a poster who sites a law that only exists in Fantasyland.

You want practical advice. Try to make a reservation for 9 passengers. If there are less the 9 seats available for sale (at any price) the flight will be full and many passengers who check in at T-24 will be split. 9 seats are available at low fares? There are probably more then 9 seats available for sale. You might get lucky at T-24.

 

[Aristocath]

My friend is going to Disney the week before us. She has 6 people in her party. Her flights are 1 stop. It was going to be an additional $144 for their "regular" assigned seats. When you see all of those open seats, it really does become a little frustrating to pay that much more.

This is incorrect. When you have to book a connecting flight on Airtran they don't charge you $6 per segment, it is $6 to your destination. So a family of 6 pays $36 to choose seats to their destination and another $36 for the return flights. So the 4 flights will be an additional $72 to choose seats, not $144.

 

[Lewisc]

Something to think about--Maybe Airtran should require families with a child under a certain age purchase assigned seats.

 

[Inkmahm]

To the PP who mentioned that they had a Midwest thought process: I DO, TOO. I'M THANKFUL FOR IT! I would move (unless it separates DD and myself) to let a mother or father sit with their young child.

Actually, I also have a Midwest thought process and I'm thankful for it. My parents taught me to not expect handouts and to pay for what I want. I don't expect anyone to give me anything for free, not even their seat on an airplane.

 

[kaytieeldr]

As for young children: I believe the FAA mandates that a child under a certain age can not sit by themselves, so if there are no seats together, they have to move someone, even if the someone paid for that seat.

Respectfully, even if this is so, the FAA and you likely have a different definition of the word "alone". As long as you and your child are in the same cabin, your child is not alone.

 

[kaytieeldr]

She has 6 people in her party. Her flights are 1 stop. It was going to be an additional $144 for their "regular" assigned seats.

No, it wasn't (and yes, I know someone else already responded to this; I'm merely reinforcing that response ).

She looked at it wrong from the beginning - the additional cost is $6 per passenger per direction, NOT a bulk sum.

 

[wed100105]

No, it wasn't (and yes, I know someone else already responded to this; I'm merely reinforcing that response ).

She looked at it wrong from the beginning - the additional cost is $6 per passenger per direction, NOT a bulk sum.

I'm sorry. That's what the Airtran agent told her. Perhaps she was given wrong information. I will pass this info along to her and suggest she buy seats together.

The earlier poster did sound as though she was looking for people to move when she was too cheap (for lack of a better word) to buy her seats. I understand that. I don't think every family that goes through the situation of trying to find seats together is that way though. Maybe I just wear rose colored glasses though.

 

[princess81499]

This is incorrect. When you have to book a connecting flight on Airtran they don't charge you $6 per segment, it is $6 to your destination. So a family of 6 pays $36 to choose seats to their destination and another $36 for the return flights. So the 4 flights will be an additional $72 to choose seats, not $144.

We were definitely charged $6 per segement on our last flight to MCO through Atlanta. In fact I only paid for 3 out of the 4 seats ahead of time to keep me together with the kids, and figured my husband could sit wherever. Bad choice - flight was overbooked and anyone who did not pay ahead of time was bumped - including hubby. I will always pay for all seats upfront from now on!

 

[wed100105]

Something to think about--Maybe Airtran should require families with a child under a certain age purchase assigned seats.

I do think that they should have a bolded area by the seat selection and in the FAQ that states something to the effect of "Parents with young children are not guaranteed seats together unless preassigned seats are purchased."

I ONLY know that we would be split up because of the people on this board. My entire family and several friends are shocked that they would split a toddler and a mother who didn't preselect seats. It's not that people can't understand it and it's not that we would expect someone who did preselect their seat to give it up. If you haven't flown since the new seat arrangements/preselecting seats had started or had never flown with children, you may assume that you would be seated next to your toddler.

 

[maxiesmom]

Hey, I'm in the Midwest too, but I still think choosing to not pay for seats because there appears to be enough empty for your whole family to be together, is a bad idea. You are taking a risk, basically saying that saving the money is what is most important, not being seated together. You shouldn't then get on the plane and go "Hey, who is going to move so we can be together?"

You can't have it both ways.

Money is a factor for most everyone. I don't know anyone who just buys whatever they want without thought. Now when buying airline tickets I factor in things like what seat assignments cost, and what checked luggage costs. If I can't afford those things, I don't travel. I would never dream of getting on a plane and going "I want an aisle seat, but I didn't pay for it. Who is gonna move?"

 

[wed100105]

We were definitely charged $6 per segement on our last flight to MCO through Atlanta. In fact I only paid for 3 out of the 4 seats ahead of time to keep me together with the kids, and figured my husband could sit wherever. Bad choice - flight was overbooked and anyone who did not pay ahead of time was bumped - including hubby. I will always pay for all seats upfront from now on!

I thought when my friend put her seats in during booking, that it charged $6 per segment and that's why she wouldn't pay the additional $144. I hate to tell her though that she's flying during peak season and does connect in Atlanta. Yikes.

 

[wed100105]

Actually, I also have a Midwest thought process and I'm thankful for it. My parents taught me to not expect handouts and to pay for what I want. I don't expect anyone to give me anything for free, not even their seat on an airplane.

I totally agree with this. I have the same mentality and would not expect someone to give me their seat. I don't understand the type of people that think their six dollars was worth more than mine. We are the type of people who don't take what's not ours or what we haven't earned. However, I would also help out a neighbor in need. ---That's the part that I was referring to earlier. I would move for someone else in need.

 

[Inkmahm]

I totally agree with this. I have the same mentality and would not expect someone to give me their seat. I don't understand the type of people that think their six dollars was worth more than mine. We are the type of people who don't take what's not ours or what we haven't earned. However, I would also help out a neighbor in need. ---That's the part that I was referring to earlier. I would move for someone else in need.

Someone who did not pay their $6 in advance is not "in need" in my book. They are "in want" of something for free that they did not pay for. Sorry, I am not here to supply their wants at my cost.

 

[Lewisc]

Spirit Airlines (no surprise) charges per flight segment for advance seat assignment. It sounds like Airtran at least currently doesn't have this policy.