We'll probably be flying Airtran for the first time next summer, June 2012. When can I expect flights to be released for that time period? How much do they charge for luggage? Do they have anything like EBCI or can I pick our seats when I book our flights? Can I get a credit if the ticket price drops? As you can tell by some of my questions, we usually fly Southwest, but Airtran flies out of our local airport and I just can't see driving over 90 minutes to fly Southwest if I can get decent airfare prices through Airtran.
TIA!
I love Air Tran and fly them several times a year to MCO. Unfortunately the Southwest merger is already affecting them here in Dallas. Due to the Wright ammendment Southwest can't fly out of DFW, so they are pulling Air Tran completely out of Dallas as of this Nov 23rd.
Luggage fees are $20.00 for the first bag and $25.00 for the second. You can either purchase your seats when you purchase your ticket, go online anytime thereafter and purchase your seat, or wait until the 24 hour mark and go online and pick seats for free. If you must sit together I'd recommend purchasing your seats at the time of purchase. Usually the first two rows in coach are blocked out until 24 hours out. Seats in rows 12-16 are either $15.00 or $13.00 and guarantee you Boarding zone 1 if you purchase them. (If they happen to be empty at the 24 hour mark, you can pick them for free, but will be in the last boarding zone--usually zone 7). Exit rows seats are $20.00. All other coach seats are $6.00. Also at the 24 hour mark you have the opportunity to upgrade to business class. I think it's usually around $50.00 to do so. Those seats also guarantee you Boarding zone 1 and also allow you two free checked bags. If you happen to have enough A+ rewards points you can upgrade to business class for free--it costs 4 Reward Points each way and if using Reward Points you can upgrade by calling at midnight of the day before.
If ticket prices drop, call and they will credit your account. You can use that credit for bag fees or to purchase another flight. Two things to be careful of though: #1. check your flights at least weekly. Air Tran is pretty bad about changing flight times and/or plane sizes. If they change/cancel flights and put you on a different flight, you will probably lose your seat assignments. Just call and they'll reassign your seats. Their customer service is great to work with. If they change your flight times, by just a few minutes and there is another flight with better times, they will switch you to that flight for free, even if it's a more expensive flight or even if it's on a different day or at a different airport. If they change the time and you don't like it, they'll even let you cancel and refund your money without any penalties. #2. they have a bigger allowance as far as carry on size, but their checked bag size is just a tad smaller than most airlines. They do sometimes measure those checked bags, so make sure you are under the maximum size. It's like an inch or two smaller than the industry standard. A carry on can be 24"x18"x13" as long as it is no bigger than 55". A personal item can be 17"x12"x8.5" but must fit underneath the seat. A checked bag must be 61" or smaller (L+W+H), including all wheels, handles and buldges.
As far as prices Air Tran has always easily beaten Southwest prices flying out of Dallas. Of course Southwest flies out of Dallas Lovefield, whereas Air Tran flies out of DFW. We are sooo going to miss Air Tran's cheap flights.
We paid $148.00 r/t for our flights this past May. I'm having to fly American for my Nov/Dec trip and am paying $277.00. I go to WDW several times a year and I've never had to pay that much for airfare. My airfare this past Dec was $185.00. I can't complain too much though. That $277.00 airfare I snagged on American has been running over $300.00, until American had a sale for a few days a couple of weeks ago. On Southwest, airfare for the same times is $460.00.
Southwest has always been alot higher than other airlines out of Dallas though.
I have used them many many times
