I love Airtran!

[Inkmahm]

Yesterday I discovered our flight in December to MCO would arrive 4 minutes later than it was scheduled to arrive when I booked the tickets earlier this year. In the meantime, we added a day to the beginning of the trip for 4 of my inlaws so they were getting in on Friday and we weren't arriving until Sat.

I called Airtran and very politely asked if I could change my flight to the same flight a day earlier due to the time change. The Airtran rep asked if I wanted to change to the day before for a 4 minute time change to my schedule and I politely said "yes, please." She put me on hold. When she came back, she said "I'm sorry but I'm not going to be able to accomodate your request." I remained polite and said "but you've done this for me many times before." Then she said "I'm just joking with you. Yes, I can make the change and your revised confirmation is on its way." I told her she scared me there for a second because one of the reasons I try to fly AirTran exclusively is because of the great service and flexibility with flight changes. We were both laughing.

So, Airtran made the change for me and they did it with humor. Yay!

 

[PSUGuy]

Many here complain that AT make too many changes. I haven't noticed any more of this than with other carriers, and when it happens, I usually make out. Last year, either in March or Oct., we had a return flight changed from a direct to a connecting, I called and said the time change didn't work for me so we got put on another direct return flight, one I would have chosen in the first place but it was a lot more expensive at the time. We got it at the price we paid for the cheaper, cancelled leg.

Bill From PA

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't get it. AirTran goes way, way, way beyond what any reasonable person would or should expect an airline to do to accommodate passengers who purchase NONrefundable tickets... yet, repeatedly, there are outraged threads from passengers who think AirTran is scum or is ripping them off or cheating them or out to get them or just entirely unreasonable . And I'm saying this as someone who has no intention of ever needing to fly AirTran!!!!!

 

[jerseygirl81]

We've flown Airtran twice to orlando from 2 different airports and had a good experience both times at a great fare. I would definetly fly them again. Linda

 

[NancyIL]

I don't get it. AirTran goes way, way, way beyond what any reasonable person would or should expect an airline to do to accommodate passengers who purchase NONrefundable tickets... yet, repeatedly, there are outraged threads from passengers who think AirTran is scum or is ripping them off or cheating them or out to get them or just entirely unreasonable . And I'm saying this as someone who has no intention of ever needing to fly AirTran!!!!!

I love the posts that accuse AirTran of luring people to book by offering non-stops, then changing to connecting flights because they (AirTran) never intended to fly non-stop in the first place! Dropping non-stop flights does happen, and it has happened to me a few times. However, I have flown to Orlando on a lot more AirTran non-stops than on connecting flights.

P.S. I just checked my AirTran flight from Orlando in December - hoping the time had changed so I could ask to be moved to the same flight a day later. Wouldn't you know it - my flight time hasn't changed by even 1 minute since I booked it on May 8th!

 

[dres40]

I also had a great experience with Airtran a few years ago.
We had our flight changed from a direct to a connecting. We wanted to change our plans anyway and wanted to fly out 4 days earlier. They did it with no charge and were very pleasant about it.

 

[Hoopfamily]

I've said time and time again that Airtran, while known for changing flight times is all about customer service. I've done the same as the OP many times with them. Once they bent the wheel on my daughters stroller, and comped us 3 RT tickets. Those 3 tickets made a 3rd trip in 1 year a dream come true.

 

[book_junkie]

I have to say, the customer service was great, but changing my flights was not. We booked in March non-stop from DFW to MCO and back on AirTran for our trip in late October and got a great deal. Then just recently we got an email from them stating that they had made changes to our itinerary. I looked thinking it was one of the 5-10 minute deals that I had seen mentioned on the DIS. Nope, we got switched from non-stop to a connecting set of flights, adding over 2 hours to our travel time with only a 30 minute layover, and getting us back to DFW at midnight when hubby has to work the next day. We checked and there were NO non-stop flights on the way back now for the day we're leaving. GRRRRR.

We called customer service, and they were very understanding and refunded the ticket price (still have to call the travel insurance to get that refunded), but the fact that they shifted everything around is what gave me a sour feeling. We've never had that happen on any other carrier before, so I don't know if we'll give AirTran another try...

 

[Tink9295]

I wish Airtran flew out of Providence or even Hartford. I would love to fly an airline that provides the kind of customer service described above.

Providence doesn't have enough competitively priced airlines.

 

[boltfan]

I don't know if anyone saw this on the news but Airtran is joining many other airlines in charging for checked baggage. Don't know if this effects anyone, but thought I'd let you know.

 

[Inkmahm]

I don't know if anyone saw this on the news but Airtran is joining many other airlines in charging for checked baggage. Don't know if this effects anyone, but thought I'd let you know.

They've been just like other airlines in charging for bags for several years now. Of course, if you upgrade to business class on check in day your luggage flies for free. That's part of why I think upgrading to business is a great deal.

 

[boltfan]

Weird..wonder why they made a big deal out of it on MSN.com? I just hope Jetblue keeps to their policy of not charging for first checked bag. Already paying enough to go to Disney!

 

[NancyIL]

Weird..wonder why they made a big deal out of it on MSN.com? I just hope Jetblue keeps to their policy of not charging for first checked bag. Already paying enough to go to Disney!

AirTran is raising the first checked bag fee from $15 to $20 for flights purchased after Aug. 16 that depart on or after Sept. 1st.

 

[Mary T in PA]

We flew Airtran for the first time last month and was so impressed. Our DD8 gets motion sickness, and the crew was so kind and caring. The flight time never changed, nor did the nonstop status of the flight.

Plus I loved listening to Sirius and using wifi while in flight, really cool!

 

[Minnie J]

I love Airtran for cheap flights!! I got my DD flight from miami to Atlanta for 69 bucks

 

[NJOGRE]

My flight time changed, is there anyway of using this to get free baggage?

 

[PSUGuy]

My flight time changed, is there anyway of using this to get free baggage?

Yes, if the change doesn't work for you, AT will refund your fee, you won't fly with them so there will be no baggage fee. Seriously though, they'll go out of their way to get you on a more acceptable flight which may have cost more when first offered and it may suit your needs better. Last year we made out this way, but we did pay $15 each for one bag and $6 per leg to reserve our seats. When we were switched to the better flight, we got the exact same seats we reserved on the first flight.

Bill From PA

 

[Missytara]

I have always found the Airtran flight attendants to be so cheerful and upbeat. Love flying them out of Baltimore.

A few years ago, we had a flight attendant that appeared to be about six months pregnant.

A male flight attendant got on the loudspeaker and said in a very serious voice, "We are asking for volunteers." A hushed silence fell over the plane, as if they were going to ask a few people to deboard because they were overbooked. You could hear a pindrop.

He came back on and said, "We are asking for anyone who has a baby on board, to come forward and allow our expectant flight attendant to change, feed and burp your baby - she could REALLY use the practice."

And I mean, he emphasized the word "REALLY." It was hilarious.

Thanks, Airtran - you are my favorite airline.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Love Airtran!!! Fly them exclusively. I am Elite and often upgraded. Before I even get to the gate! I fly out of DFW at least 6 times a year and mainly nonstop. Next week I am connecting because I need the extra leg to count towards my elite status. Never had a nonstop changed on me in 5 years. I even know the nonstop fly numbers to/from dfw-mco. 916/917

 

[Lucky4me]

We love Airtran.
We purposely book a non stop flight, hoping to get bumped for free round trip tickets. We've been lucky a few times. They are very generous when they put you out like that.
This year we're going in November, not sure it will happen, but the flight appears to be sold out already, so fingers crossed. I don't mind getting to Orlando 8 hours later for three free round trip flights anywhere in the country that could be worth several hundred dollars each.