Any concerns booking AirTran vs SW?

[Tara619]

I will be booking flights for June on Monday when the schedule is released. I know SW bought AT and am not sure if we book AT now if there will be changes/issues come June since SW is slowly making AT disappear (replace AT resources with SW) based on what I've read.

My main choices seem to be SW/CLE or AT/CAK. There are no nonstop flights from SW.

It seems we can get nonstop flights from CAK with AT for cheaper than SW (including all fees). Plus CAK is closer to home. Does AT typically change flight times as the date gets closer? Are there any concerns or things I need to be weary of booking AT?

 

[Pembo]

I booked AT out of CAK in August for a trip in March. I check the site daily for price changes and/or flight time changes. The price keeps going up, never below what I paid and the time is holding steady.

FYI - SW opened up nonstops on Saturdays from CLE to MCO during spring break. The day AFTER I booked they opened those flights. grrr Would much rather have flown home on a Saturday to Cleveland. Prices were about the same.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would not be afraid to take AT.. The only thing is that you will have to pay luggage fee's with AT. If you want to sit together you will have to pay a fee for assigned seats.

If the price of your AT ticket drops you will have to pay the change fee to get the lower price. Or if you decided to change your flight you will have to pay the change fee.

As far as flight times changing. Before they were bought out by SW I had a flight time change by 10 minutes. Not a big issue.

 

[karly05]

I was concerned about the AT-SW transition, too, since I'm flying AT in Feb from an airport slated to transition to SW. There was an article in October, I think, announcing the newest round of cities moving from AT to SW (Rochester NY was one of them, I know), and the transition date was about six months out from the announcement. I get the impression that SW is announcing the transitions far enough out that they're avoiding getting into a situation where people have bought AT tix that then have to be switched to SW.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I would fly either airline. AT used to be notorius for changing times, connecting after booking as non stop etc. but haven't seen that lately with SW in their business.

Just wanted to mention if this airfare is for your Fantasy cruise, I would highly recommend flying the day before your cruise (or earlier if possible). It only takes something like fog in Denver or Tstorms in NC to screw things up and delay your flight, even if weather is great at your airport.

Also, we prefer AT for the return flight when cruising and here's why:
They are a participating airline with DCL's Onboard Check In and SWA is not. This means if you fly home on AT and use DCL bus transfers back to MCO, they will deliver your boarding passes and luggage tags to your cabin the last full day of the cruise. Once you put your luggage outside your door the last night on the ship, you don't have to touch/deal with it until you arrive at your home airport the next day. No retrieving them at the port terminal, lugging them to the bus/car/limo, no waiting in line to check them at MCO.
It's so convenient and great way to end a cruise, we always fly home on a participating airline just to use this service.

Who knows how long AT will be considered a participating airline. I have emailed/begged SWA to participate with DCL since they do participate at Disney resorts but still no one is listening. I'd even pay a fee for it since we pay baggage fees with participating airlines anyway. Maybe someday they'll get it.

 

[Nancy F]

We use Airtran all the time. I refuse to fly SW (unless there is no other airline) and will be going over to US Air after SW takes Artran over completely. I don't like that SW doesn't have coach. I like to upgrade 24 hours before I fly. And I like direct flights.
Nancy

 

[DebbieB]

We use Airtran all the time. I refuse to fly SW (unless there is no other airline) and will be going over to US Air after SW takes Artran over completely. I don't like that SW doesn't have coach. I like to upgrade 24 hours before I fly. And I like direct flights.
Nancy

SW doesn't have coach? You mean doesn't have first class? I don't know about the Orlando route but my experience on USAirways is that there are rarely paid upgrades available. I used to be gold with them and rarely got upgraded.

 

[keishashadow]

I would not be afraid to take AT.. The only thing is that you will have to pay luggage fee's with AT. If you want to sit together you will have to pay a fee for assigned seats.

If the price of your AT ticket drops you will have to pay the change fee to get the lower price. Or if you decided to change your flight you will have to pay the change fee.

As far as flight times changing. Before they were bought out by SW I had a flight time change by 10 minutes. Not a big issue.

I monitor the prices of my active AT flights. When they do drop, I call them and they are happy to credit my account for the difference and waive the $15 telephone fee. Note that any such credit can be used to pay for seat selections or luggage fees.

AT used to change/cancel flights often but we never were delayed more than a few hours. For years i'd book the lowest priced flight and watch for a time change, then call and get placed on a pricer flight. I've been watching an upcoming January flight for over months without such luck lol.

 

[Tara619]

Thanks for the insight. I think we probably will use AT if they still have nonstop when the schedule is released Monday. We are flying in the day before and staying near port.

 

[Nancy F]

SW doesn't have coach? You mean doesn't have first class? I don't know about the Orlando route but my experience on USAirways is that there are rarely paid upgrades available. I used to be gold with them and rarely got upgraded.

Oops! I meant Business. And I expect to just book business class when I go over to US Air. I was thrilled to be able to book my Dec. 2012 and April 2013 trips on Airtran. I'm going to miss them.
Nancy