flying airtran... what to expect???

[CleveRocks]

Since AirTran is not participating in ME check in, how do we check in the day before we leave Orlando to go home?????

Disney needs to do a better job to end this sort of confusion. Luckily, the DIS is here to help!

On the day you leave WDW, SOME people can use a service called Resort Airline Check-in (RAC), where they can check their bags for their return flight and also actually check-in for the flight and get their actual boarding passes. Only people flying so-called "participating airlines" can use this service.

The little-understood truth is that RAC and DME are two completely separate services -- one has nothing to do with the other.

For the trip back home, all that DME does is give people bus rides. The luggage check-in stuff is RAC, not DME.

You need reservations to use DME. If you have reservations, on the morning prior to your departure day you will get written notice of your assigned DME bus time -- it will hang from your resort room's doorknob. If you are not using a participating airline, you simply show up at the bus pick-up area with your luggage about 10-15 minutes prior to the scheduled time.

 

[mickeymousefan]

Disney needs to do a better job to end this sort of confusion. Luckily, the DIS is here to help!

On the day you leave WDW, SOME people can use a service called Resort Airline Check-in (RAC), where they can check their bags for their return flight and also actually check-in for the flight and get their actual boarding passes. Only people flying so-called "participating airlines" can use this service.

The little-understood truth is that RAC and DME are two completely separate services -- one has nothing to do with the other.

For the trip back home, all that DME does is give people bus rides. The luggage check-in stuff is RAC, not DME.

You need reservations to use DME. If you have reservations, on the morning prior to your departure day you will get written notice of your assigned DME bus time -- it will hang from your resort room's doorknob. If you are not using a participating airline, you simply show up at the bus pick-up area with your luggage about 10-15 minutes prior to the scheduled time.

I'm sorry.... let me clarify... how do I check in with AirTran for the flight home??

 

[mickeymousefan]

Disney needs to do a better job to end this sort of confusion. Luckily, the DIS is here to help!

On the day you leave WDW, SOME people can use a service called Resort Airline Check-in (RAC), where they can check their bags for their return flight and also actually check-in for the flight and get their actual boarding passes. Only people flying so-called "participating airlines" can use this service.

The little-understood truth is that RAC and DME are two completely separate services -- one has nothing to do with the other.

For the trip back home, all that DME does is give people bus rides. The luggage check-in stuff is RAC, not DME.

You need reservations to use DME. If you have reservations, on the morning prior to your departure day you will get written notice of your assigned DME bus time -- it will hang from your resort room's doorknob. If you are not using a participating airline, you simply show up at the bus pick-up area with your luggage about 10-15 minutes prior to the scheduled time.

Sorry... off my own topic..... what photo software are you using for your pictures??

 

[DebbieB]

I'm sorry.... let me clarify... how do I check in with AirTran for the flight home??

Go to guest services at your hotel or a park to check-in 24 hours before. You can also have someone at home do it and ask for your boarding passes to be printed at the airport. I've done that before.

 

[CleveRocks]

Sorry... off my own topic..... what photo software are you using for your pictures??

Corel Paint Shop Pro X. The directions aren't great -- it's been a lot of trial and error.

Debbie (above) has good advice about checking in with AirTran.

You can also get lucky, like I did. I booked AirTran through WDTC, and got paper tickets. About one month before our trip, I'd read here on the DIS that if you have AirTran paper tickets you can't check in online and get seat assignments 24 hours in advance, that you have to wait for seat assignments until you check in AT THE AIRPORT. Well, I was very unhappy to read that, so I called AirTran to find out if this was true. It is true.

HOWEVER, I lucked into having a very kind and understanding customer service rep on the phone. After I was on hold for a few minutes, she came back to tell me that she "somehow" gave me seat assignments for both flights, coming and going. She immediately e-mailed me the confirmation of our seat assignments, as well as our AirTran confirmation number (which we were never given through WDTC). I'll bet she was not allowed to do what she did, and that's why I never wrote a letter to AirTran thanking her for being SOOOOO helpful to me.

Maybe if you call a few times, you might luck into another kind and understanding person who'd be willing to do the same for you?

 

[CarolMN]

I'm sorry.... let me clarify... how do I check in with AirTran for the flight home??

We just waited until we got to the airport and checked in there. It wasn't a problem.

I really didn't care where we sat on the plane. If I did, I would have gone to the conceirge desk and asked them to print out my boarding pass. But since the desk was so busy during our stay, I really didn't want to take the time away from people trying to buy tickets or make dining reservations. Also, to me, the point of checking in ahead of time is to have the option of changing seats - didn't think the CM would be too excited about going through that process with me.

Could also have gone to one of the business centers and paid for 15 minutes of internet use to do it myself, but I didn't think it was worth it as I didn't care where I sat and ME would get us to the airport with plenty of time to check in. Worked out just fine - my DH & I were still together. Suspect AirTran already had our seats assigned and that is what we would have gotten anyway - the plane was full.

We got our return trip info under our door on Thursday - our return was on the following Saturday. As already mentioned, we just took our luggage to the ME bus stop in front of our resort at the appointed time. It went in the "under bus" compartments on the same bus that took us to the airport.. The driver loaded and unloaded it for us so no problem. We tipped according.

I thought the ME experience (both ways) was very good and we will do it again in the future. Just wish we could have checked our luggage at the resort and been able to go right to security instead of standing in the line for the AirTran counter. The line did move quickly, though.

 

[horseshowmom]

BF is booked on AirTran on Dec 5th. Went online today to reconfirm ressie, only to find entire intinerary "updated"--really meaning all messed up! Now layover in Atlanta is extended to five hours, and departure from Orlando is 6am, instead of 11:30! Worse yet, we weren't even informed of these changes...called Customer service and said not to worry too much, changes happen all the time. In fact, with this reservation, flight times had been changes 8 times already (!!!). All without notifying the passenger. Was told that all changes will be finalized by next week, seven days before we're to fly out. When complained about, was told that there is a disclaimer that the airlines is permitted to change flight reservations. Too bad that the customer is serviced $50 for any changes to the same reservation!

Can't get a refund at this point, but the handling by AirTran of our reservation definitely has lost this customer!

I have had AirTran change it's schedule on me, but it's also happened with Delta and Northwest. NW actually did an automated call to my house at 10 p.m the night before I was scheduled to be at the airport for a 7 a.m. flight the next morning. If I hadn't been home, wonder what would have happened?

I just flew AirTran to Dallas with a connecting flight through Atlanta last month. I was very pleased. I had no delays at ATL (coming or going). Of course, that doesn't mean there won't be any, but that can be any airline. The last time I flew Delta through ATL, I had a very bad experience. It's just the nature of the beast sometimes.

Their jets are all almost new, and I liked the XM radio. I did the upgrade at the airport to Business class (first class) and am now spoiled for life.

 

[DeadHead]

Mickeymousefan, I was a long time USAIRWAYS customer with many, many frequent flyer miles. I have been flying from PHL to MCO via AirTran for the last year. The experience has been so good and efficient that I will NEVER fly USAIRWAYS to MCO again. Luggage check-in was very swift and no hassle. The concourse at PHL is clean and wide open, boarding is quick and efficient. At MCO the concourse is beautiful. The only suggestion I have is to check-in online 24 hours in advance, other than that relax have a good flight and have a great vacation.