Booking AirTran through SW?

[MushyMushy]

If this has been covered, I'm sorry. I booked my flight through the Southwest website and both legs are AirTran flights. Now I did see that I don't have baggage fees, but how does seating work? There was nowhere on the site to choose seating, so how will that work during boarding? Will us poor Southwest schmucks just have to sit wherever there's an open seat?

 

[Disneylover99]

I think they will assign you a seat when you check in online and you will have an option to change your seating at the airport if you wish.

 

[MushyMushy]

I think they will assign you a seat when you check in online and you will have an option to change your seating at the airport if you wish.

Well, it'll be interesting. We have five people traveling, one of which is a 4-year old. Not necessary for all of us to sit together, but for the sanity of all the other passengers, I hope she can sit with her mom.

 

[Disneylover99]

Well, it'll be interesting. We have five people traveling, one of which is a 4-year old. Not necessary for all of us to sit together, but for the sanity of all the other passengers, I hope she can sit with her mom.

I know what you mean.

We had the option of booking through SW or AT for our October flights (these flights were AT flights) for the same price. We ended up booking through AirTran so that we could pay for our seats since we have younger children.

At least you get free bags (we have to pay) and you can change your flights without an extra fee (no such luck with AT).

 

[MushyMushy]

I know what you mean.

We had the option of booking through SW or AT for our October flights (these flights were AT flights) for the same price. We ended up booking through AirTran so that we could pay for our seats since we have younger children.

At least you get free bags (we have to pay) and you can change your flights without an extra fee (no such luck with AT).

Yes! I'm not a light packer, so that was a nice bonus for booking this way.

If I would have read through my confirmation email before posting, I would have found the answer.

"AirTran has assigned seating. Advanced seat assignments are not available. Customers who purchase an AirTran segment on Southwest channels will be assigned a seat at the time of check in.
Once you check in, you will not be able to change your seat until arrival at the airport."

 

[tabby1881]

Yes! I'm not a light packer, so that was a nice bonus for booking this way.

If I would have read through my confirmation email before posting, I would have found the answer.

"AirTran has assigned seating. Advanced seat assignments are not available. Customers who purchase an AirTran segment on Southwest channels will be assigned a seat at the time of check in.
Once you check in, you will not be able to change your seat until arrival at the airport."

I've just been researching this topic, too. First time flying SW since the merger. I'm accustomed to checking in at 24 hours, getting a decent boarding group. I'm not sure if I like this "new" way of doing things. I feel like I've always had some sort of choice in seating before. I wonder how easy it will be to chose a different seat at the airport. I'm not too fussy. I'm traveling with my SiL, so if we don't sit right next to each other, we'll be ok. We're not traveling with little ones. I just really don't like middle seats. I'm concerned that's were we SW customers will be placed ?

 

[pooh4evr]

nevermnd

 

[wdwfan]

Just noticed this thread. I'm looking for a Southwest flight in August, but have been shying away from the Airtran flights through Soughwest because I just assumed that Airtran would still be charging those bogus bag fees since that was their previous practice. Is this not true anymore? Since Southwest has taken over, Airtran does not charge bag fees when flying Southwest? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[kaytieeldr]

When you book an AirTran flight through the southwest.com website, you don't pay (pretty much industry-standard) baggage fees; BUT you don't get to select your seat/s in advance. Your seating gets assigned when you check in for your flight and may be changeable at the airport - depending on availability.

So if it's important to the passengers to be seated together, probably the best option is to book through AirTran.com.

 

[wdwfan]

Ok, good to know. Thank you!

 

[drinkme]

OK, I'm going to keep this thread going with my redundant questions!

If I'm reading all of this correctly:

if I book a flight through SWA's site, and it happens to be an AirTran flight, then I don't have to pay for the first 2 bags. Also, there will be no charge if I want to change/cancel flights (I would get the credit to use within 1 year). And I would be able to use my SWA RR points to book it?

I'm not too concerned about sitting together. It will be me and 4 teenagers.

Part of me thinks I should just go an hour later and book the SWA flight...lol

 

[Disneylover99]

OK, I'm going to keep this thread going with my redundant questions!

If I'm reading all of this correctly:

if I book a flight through SWA's site, and it happens to be an AirTran flight, then I don't have to pay for the first 2 bags. Also, there will be no charge if I want to change/cancel flights (I would get the credit to use within 1 year). And I would be able to use my SWA RR points to book it?

I'm not too concerned about sitting together. It will be me and 4 teenagers.

Part of me thinks I should just go an hour later and book the SWA flight...lol

If the prices and flights for both Airlines are the same, and you don't have young children, then I would definitely book through SW. You get free bags and can change your flight without paying a penalty.

We booked our flight through AT, just because of our children and paid for our seats, and of course we will have to pay for our bags too.

 

[drinkme]

But I'm talking about booking the AirTran flights THROUGH the SWA site. So, now I'm confused...

 

[msjprincess]

But I'm talking about booking the AirTran flights THROUGH the SWA site. So, now I'm confused...

And that's what the previous poster was referring to. If you book an AirTran flight through SWA. You don't have to pay for bags and there is no change fee. But you don't get to pick your seats wither.

 

[NHBelle]

YES....unless things have changed SW has never had assigned seats....you print a boarding pass 24 hours before your flight and get A, B, or C. If you are lucky you'll get an A and can board 1st and have your pick of seats...if you get stuck with C you may have slim pickings.

 

[Disneylover99]

YES....unless things have changed SW has never had assigned seats....you print a boarding pass 24 hours before your flight and get A, B, or C. If you are lucky you'll get an A and can board 1st and have your pick of seats...if you get stuck with C you may have slim pickings.

Wait....now I'm getting confused.

If you book an AT flight through SW there is no option to purchase early bird boarding. AT will actually assign you a seat when you check in at 24 hours. If you aren't happy with their seat selection, you can try and change it at the airport.

 

[kaytieeldr]

No, you're not confused at all, DisneyLover99.

 

[msjprincess]

YES....unless things have changed SW has never had assigned seats....you print a boarding pass 24 hours before your flight and get A, B, or C. If you are lucky you'll get an A and can board 1st and have your pick of seats...if you get stuck with C you may have slim pickings.

The OP is asking about booking an AirTran flight through SWA. When you check in at 24 hours you are assigned a seat. Which you may be able to change at the airport. You don't get your pick of seats like on SWA.

 

[Disneylover99]

No, you're not confused at all, DisneyLover99.

Thanks!

 

[drinkme]

OK, I get what everyone is saying. thanks!

I ended up just booking the flight that left an hour later and it was an SWA flight anyway.

In case anyone wants to know, it seems you can indeed book those Air Tran flights with your SWA RR points (on the SWA site). I didn't actually do it, but it seems you can. I think if you book on the Air Tran site, you have to convert your RR points over to Air Tran points.