AirTran's Nov & Dec flights have been released...BUT

[bas71873]

HOLY COW they are expensive ($425 each way. Um, no. I have to wonder if that's a typo or a glitch. I checked random dates in Nov & Dec too, not jsut the ones I need and they are all the same ). AND, worse yet, they no longer offer a NONstop flight from Richmond, VA to Orlando. Guess we'll be flying Jetblue instead!

 

[jennyjinx3]

Hmmm....I thought May 6 was the release date? Hopefully prices will come down, I see what you mean. Flights we need are $425 one way too. That cannot be right. It happened when our May flights were first released, and then prices settled down after that.

As far as no non stops, there are none for us either. I agree about Jetblue.

 

[bas71873]

Hmmm....I thought May 6 was the release date? Hopefully prices will come down, I see what you mean. Flights we need are $425 one way too. That cannot be right. It happened when our May flights were first released, and then prices settled down after that.

As far as no non stops, there are none for us either. I agree about Jetblue.

I'm thinking it HAS to be a glitch. I can get flights this summer for around $116 each way and that's NONstop. I priced out dates all over Nov & Dec and they are all the same, $425. Maybe I will wait to see what they look like tomorrow morning and then decide. If they've stopped the NONstop service, then I'm definately flying Jetblue. Sad, since DH has enough AirTran points for all of us to fly free .

 

[jennyjinx3]

I'm thinking it HAS to be a glitch. I can get flights this summer for around $116 each way and that's NONstop. I priced out dates all over Nov & Dec and they are all the same, $425. Maybe I will wait to see what they look like tomorrow morning and then decide. If they've stopped the NONstop service, then I'm definately flying Jetblue. Sad, since DH has enough AirTran points for all of us to fly free .

I will wait a few days too, but I am like you. If there is no non stop service I will only book one way with them. I too have some credits to burn!! I lied too, our flights are $456 one way!

 

[mousestruck]

I was surprised to see the flights out too, and shocked to see the prices! However, if you look up the same flights on Expedia or Travelocity they are like $119!!! How can they be hundreds of dollars less on a third party sight? I would snatch them up in a second, but I'm hoping SWA will have a later flight when their schedule opens tomorrow. Hope this info helps someone!

 

[pigletto]

Yes, it has to be a glitch. For my dates in December is it $456 each way so $912 per person plus bag fees. Not happening.
Also, there is only 2 flights to choose from departing and one for the return. There's no way that's the entire schedule. I believe Southwest is supposed to open up today too and there is nothing there yet.

 

[Stephanie711]

HOLY COW they are expensive ($425 each way. Um, no. I have to wonder if that's a typo or a glitch. I checked random dates in Nov & Dec too, not jsut the ones I need and they are all the same ). AND, worse yet, they no longer offer a NONstop flight from Richmond, VA to Orlando. Guess we'll be flying Jetblue instead!

Last year when we were booking flights for our December, 2012 trip, they were astronomical when they first came out. They came down dramatically in a few days. Good luck with your flight planning. I have a healthy credit with Air Tran that is burning a hole in my pocket but I sadly cannot use

 

[pigletto]

I just checked. Southwest site is saying flights open up tomorrow.
When I checked for the trip we are taking in August, I got my Airtran flight for $99 on the way down. That was the day it opened as well. But it stayed that low for weeks before it started to creep up.

It's interesting because the 3 flights I can choose from right now for December all say they are operated by Southwest..but Southwest doesn't open the schedule until tomorrow.

On a related note I have been wondering for quite some time what Southwest and Airtran are going to do in Buffalo because they were offering something like 15 flights a day between the two of them at one point and surely there isn't the need for that many flights to Orlando. I wonder if one of them will be pulled out.

 

[Traveliz]

In my experience that pretty much always happens when the flights first go into the system. Then they redo each flight and the sales start. I would not at all be concerned.

Liz

 

[bas71873]

In my experience that pretty much always happens when the flights first go into the system. Then they redo each flight and the sales start. I would not at all be concerned.

Liz

My biggest concern and gripe is that there appear to no longer be a nonstop service. That makes me sad. Even if the fares do drop and are better than JetBlue, if I can fly nonstop, JB will get my business. We like both airlines and the competition has been good for our airport.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It sounds like the "glitch" is that the fares aren't officially released yet. Has anyone tried purchasing one of these fares - either on AirTran or one of the third party sites? Or are you all just looking at the listings? If the flights/fares are scheduled to be extended May 6, and today's not yet May 5, it looks as if somebody flipped a switch too soon (before the programming was complete).

Frankly, it offends me that jetBlue is so many posters' backup - instead of first - choice.

 

[Disneylover99]

From my experience, AT usually opens up their flight dates a day or so before SW. Prices are always crazy high on the first date. I predict prices will drop tomorrow morning when SW opens up.

 

[DebbieB]

I tried Orbitz, my November dates did not come up for AirTran.

 

[pigletto]

I tried Orbitz, my November dates did not come up for AirTran.

I tried Expedia. The Canadian site shows nothing. The American site brought up Airtran and it was cheaper, but still no non-stops and very slim pickings. In fact Delta and United were cheaper. I'm still holding out hope for Southwest releasing non-stops for my dates but if they are too high we may try Delta or United for the first time. I am not concerned about Airtrans prices staying that high..just curious why there is practically nothing to choose from.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I just checked. Southwest site is saying flights open up tomorrow.
When I checked for the trip we are taking in August, I got my Airtran flight for $99 on the way down. That was the day it opened as well. But it stayed that low for weeks before it started to creep up.

It's interesting because the 3 flights I can choose from right now for December all say they are operated by Southwest..but Southwest doesn't open the schedule until tomorrow.

On a related note I have been wondering for quite some time what Southwest and Airtran are going to do in Buffalo because they were offering something like 15 flights a day between the two of them at one point and surely there isn't the need for that many flights to Orlando. I wonder if one of them will be pulled out.

AirTran will probably disappear.

AirTran is going to eventually cease to exist so it makes sense that in a lot of cases if SW already has the planes and capacity to an airport the AirTran options will be the one's that get pulled.

 

[bas71873]

AirTran will probably disappear.

AirTran is going to eventually cease to exist so it makes sense that in a lot of cases if SW already has the planes and capacity to an airport the AirTran options will be the one's that get pulled.

I wonder what's going to happen to AT here in Richmond. We don't and never have had SW flying in/out of here so AT & JB have been the big competitors for discount flights (United, Delta, Continental and USAir are just rediculously priced here). I'm sad to see an option go. Will all of our AT flights eventually become SW flights or will we lose the airline all together?

 

[bas71873]

It sounds like the "glitch" is that the fares aren't officially released yet. Has anyone tried purchasing one of these fares - either on AirTran or one of the third party sites? Or are you all just looking at the listings? If the flights/fares are scheduled to be extended May 6, and today's not yet May 5, it looks as if somebody flipped a switch too soon (before the programming was complete).

Frankly, it offends me that jetBlue is so many posters' backup - instead of first - choice.

Jetblue is often my first choice, BUT, I always compare prices and often times end up flying one leg of the flight with JB and the other with AT, depending on the fares. I like that the nonstop JB outbound from here gets me to WDW earlier, but that the nonstop AT flight lets me leave WDW later.
Baggage fees aren't an issue because the first is free with JB and since DH is a AT member or whatever, we get our bags free with them too.

I've been waiting on AT's flights because we have credits I was hoping to use for this trip, but if there are no nonstop flights, I'll be booking JB.

Guess we'll see what happens tomorrow.

ETA: I was looking at AT's flights and of course, did not try to book cause there is no way in heck I'd ever pay that much, but the lingo at the top has changed that says more flights will be release in June for after 1/5/14 (that's different from what's it's been saying about releasing flights in May).

 

[pigletto]

Frankly, it offends me that jetBlue is so many posters' backup - instead of first - choice

Jetblue would ALWAYS be my first choice but at $935 more for the four of us for non-stop flights it is just not where I want to allocate my vacation dollars.

By using Airtran to fly to MCO and Southwest on the way home we're paying $1150 with bag fees for the one leg, and EBCI.

 

[DebbieB]

I wonder what's going to happen to AT here in Richmond. We don't and never have had SW flying in/out of here so AT & JB have been the big competitors for discount flights (United, Delta, Continental and USAir are just rediculously priced here). I'm sad to see an option go. Will all of our AT flights eventually become SW flights or will we lose the airline all together?

Richmond will be converting to SW but that doesn't mean a non-stop to Orlando is guaranteed.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/busine...cle_35bc6059-7a56-5d76-aa00-bf7ff2eea2e0.html

 

[bas71873]

Richmond will be converting to SW but that doesn't mean a non-stop to Orlando is guaranteed.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/business/economy/merged-southwest-airtran-bookings-will-benefit-ric-passengers/article_35bc6059-7a56-5d76-aa00-bf7ff2eea2e0.html

Right. Which means they will lose a customer so long as JB offers a nonstop flight. Oh well, business is business I guess.