AitTran baggage fees and seating ?s

[jana616]

Sorry, this is such a basic question that I am sure I am missing the answer somewhere, but on AirTran, is the $15 for first bag charged for both halves of the trip ($30 roundtrip) or just once? Also, every passenger would get one bag at $15, even kids with tickets, right? And each person would get one carry-on? Trying to figure out how many bags it would really take!

We haven't flown since airlines started really nickel and diming for everything, so this is all new to me. I know about the seat assignment charge as well, but if we are two adults traveling with a 4 and 2 year old, will they help us stay together at all if we don't pay for advance seating?

Thanks!

 

[NancyIL]

The $15 charge for the first checked bag is each way - or $30 roundtrip. Yes, each ticketed passenger gets one carry-on and one personal item (purse/briefcase/backpack, etc.).

If you don't pay for seat assignments, you can check-in online 24 hours in advance. The computer will automatically assign seats, and won't necesarily keep the family together. That would require talking to a reservation agent at the airport - who may or may not be able to find seats that are together.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Sorry, this is such a basic question that I am sure I am missing the answer somewhere, but on AirTran, is the $15 for first bag charged for both halves of the trip ($30 roundtrip) or just once? Also, every passenger would get one bag at $15, even kids with tickets, right? And each person would get one carry-on? Trying to figure out how many bags it would really take!

We haven't flown since airlines started really nickel and diming for everything, so this is all new to me. I know about the seat assignment charge as well, but if we are two adults traveling with a 4 and 2 year old, will they help us stay together at all if we don't pay for advance seating?

Thanks!

You are correct with the baggage fees. Each ticketed passenger can check 1 bag at $15 so for your family, the 1st 4 bags are $15. Each person can carry on 1 bag too, even if your children aren't actually the ones doing the carrying. All prices are one way so you pay again going home.

As far as seating fees go, I too have 2 children, 12 and almost 9, who've flown probably 20 times. I am still not comfortable with them not sitting with us therefore I do pay the $6 to choose seats in advance. Yes, it sucks but it's the way it is.
Problems occur when some don't want to pay for seats but then expect lots of help from the FA's to find a way to keep their kids with them. Others who did pay extra for seats don't want to move for someone who chose to NOT pay and why should they?
Put another way, picture yourself on the plane. If your children couldn't sit with you and you're upset, they're crying, etc. would you then pay the $6 pp to make it all better?
Of course. There's your answer.

 

[NancyIL]

You are correct with the baggage fees. Each ticketed passenger can check 1 bag at $15 so for your family, the 1st 4 bags are $15.

Just to clarify - that's $15/pp each way - not $15 total each way.

 

[kevgraub]

If you have not booked yet, there is a very simply way to avoid having to pay for the $6 seat assignments. Go to kayak.com and do a search for your trip. Kayak is not like travelocity or orbitz, it is simply a search engine. If you click on AirTran, it will take you directly to AirTran's website to actually book your flight. The only difference is that if you select your seats, you will not be charged. The website says that you have to pay $6 per seat, but when you actually select them the fee is not charged.

I just did this earlier this week, I just wish I had known about it when I booked the other leg of my trip about a month ago.

 

[absmom2]

Yes. The fee is $15 per bag per person each way. With your family of 4, if each member checks one bag it will cost you $60 on the flight there and another $60 on the flight home. Hope that helps! I also agree with the pp that $6 is a small price to pay to be guaranteed to sit with your family. We are a family of 5 and always pay the extra.

 

[mousey]

I booked Airtran thru Priceline (not name your own price) and it let me pick seat assignments, but when I called airtran a few days later to see if the seats were assigned, they weren't. I ended up paying $6 for advance seat thru airtran.

 

[kevgraub]

I booked Airtran thru Priceline (not name your own price) and it let me pick seat assignments, but when I called airtran a few days later to see if the seats were assigned, they weren't. I ended up paying $6 for advance seat thru airtran.

Hmmm, maybe I better double check then.

We do have our confirmation from AirTran with the seat numbers, and I looked at the available seats for our flights and our 7 are the only ones blacked out, but I think I will call just to make sure. I also just pulled up our itinerary on AirTran and it shows the seat numbers confirmed for our trip.

When you booked yours through priceline, did you get a confirmation from AirTran that showed your specific seat assignments? Or were you able to go on AirTran's website and pull up your itinerary and see the seats?

I trust what you are saying, I'm just wondering if I should be doing some more looking into my reservation that I did through the kayak website.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Just to clarify - that's $15/pp each way - not $15 total each way.

Yes, that's what I meant!

 

[ancestry]

I know about the seat assignment charge as well, but if we are two adults traveling with a 4 and 2 year old, will they help us stay together at all if we don't pay for advance seating?

To answer this portion of your question - No. There is no guarantee that you will end up together. If other people on the plane pay for their seat assignments and only leave empty middle seats all four of you could end up in a separate row and even at opposites ends of the airplane. There is no guarantee that they will keep you together and there is a chance that your two your old could end up sitting by themselves or with strangers.

While I don't normally pay for seat assignments when traveling on business I definitely pay for seat assignments when I am traveling with my children to ensure that we don't get separated. Don't bank on others trading seats with you to be kind either, especially if they paid to reserve their seat they aren't going to be willing to move.

 

[jana616]

Thanks for the replies! I will definitely try and assign our seats ahead of time if we fly (still trying to decide between driving and flying). One other question to ask: we would be bringing two single strollers. I've gate checked them on other airlines at no charge. Is it the same on Airtran?

And to be sure I understand baggage...each of us could bring a small backpack as our personal item, and a small suitcase (smaller than their max. dimensions) to carry-on? If we have the strollers, will they count as a carry-on?

Sorry for the silly questions, but I am really trying to figure out cost to the penny to try to persuade DH to fly (and save the 30+ hours rt in the car with two small kids, lol!)

 

[mousey]

I only had the priceline confirmation number. When I called Airtran, they gave me my Airtran confirmation number and told me no seats were assigned. I just feel these Easter week flights are going to be so full, I don't want to chance getting stuck in a middle seat. Yesterday, I got a reminder email from priceline about my flight and it showed the seats I had selected when I booked thru priceline. That seat assignment never happened. Maybe its a glitch in the system for Kayek to transfer to the website and not pay for seats. I think the seats should be included in the purchase price anyways along with the luggage!

 

[kevgraub]

I think the seats should be included in the purchase price anyways along with the luggage!

Yeah, but if they did that they would probably just add those fees to the purchase price anyway - meaning my $59 fare (plus $6 for seat and $15 for suitcase) would have been an $80 fare to begin with.

 

[kevgraub]

Hmmm, maybe I better double check then.

We do have our confirmation from AirTran with the seat numbers, and I looked at the available seats for our flights and our 7 are the only ones blacked out, but I think I will call just to make sure. I also just pulled up our itinerary on AirTran and it shows the seat numbers confirmed for our trip.

When you booked yours through priceline, did you get a confirmation from AirTran that showed your specific seat assignments? Or were you able to go on AirTran's website and pull up your itinerary and see the seats?

I trust what you are saying, I'm just wondering if I should be doing some more looking into my reservation that I did through the kayak website.

Ok, I just called to double check with AirTran, and they do have our seats confirmed, she read them back to me. So it looks like the kayak thing works.

Now remember the cardinal rule about great internet deals like this. Don't go asking AirTran a bunch of questions about why this works, or it may not work for long.

 

[jana616]

Ok, I just called to double check with AirTran, and they do have our seats confirmed, she read them back to me. So it looks like the kayak thing works.

Now remember the cardinal rule about great internet deals like this. Don't go asking AirTran a bunch of questions about why this works, or it may not work for long.

Gotcha! That is awesome!

 

[mousey]

That's nice to know about Kayak assigning the seats for free. My comment before about the seat and luggage fees--I want the low prices and no charge for luggage or seats!!!

 

[kevgraub]

That's nice to know about Kayak assigning the seats for free. My comment before about the seat and luggage fees--I want the low prices and no charge for luggage or seats!!!

I hear you! I just don't see that ever happening again.

 

[mousey]

Well if Southwest can do it--I think the others should follow suit. I guess thats why Southwest is making a profit--not a lot--but a profit!