I rarely fly, what do I need to know aboutDFW and Airtran?

[Tigger1]

We just got a good rate I think, about $215 from DFW to Mco. I have only flown once in the last 12 years, any hints, suggestains ...? Flying Air Tran out of Dallas Fortworth. We have a 7 am flight and a 3 1/2 drive to airport, what time should we arrive? If we got to airport really early, could we cat nap in the waiting area in our seats? Any good hotels nearby? What about parking?

Thanks tigger

 

[S'sMom]

We just got a good rate I think, about $215 from DFW to Mco. I have only flown once in the last 12 years, any hints, suggestains ...? Flying Air Tran out of Dallas Fortworth. We have a 7 am flight and a 3 1/2 drive to airport, what time should we arrive? If we got to airport really early, could we cat nap in the waiting area in our seats? Any good hotels nearby? What about parking?

Thanks tigger

Hi!! I can answer some of your questions . The last few trips we have left from DFW on AirTran. We have reserved the early flights before (and this time).

For instance, our flight leaves at 7:40 AM (first flight out that day to MCO). We live in the Dallas area and the shuttle is due to pick us up at 4:30 AM. This is because we hate being late. I have some friends that have arrived a bit later but once you check bags and get through security, one actually missed the flight by 1 minute or so.

If you have a 7AM flight, I would arrive the day before if you can. Check online, there are several near by hotels that have good rates. A good thing to do would be to find a hotel in Grapevine (IMHO will have the better safer hotels). That is about as close as you can get next to staying AT the airport at the Hyatt. Get up early and then head to the airport and park in the Remote, Express or Terminal Parking (depending on how much you want to spend). We normally park in Remote Parking but this time had to opt for the shuttle. We normally choose Remote because they pick you up at your car... I think that we are lazy

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions at all.

 

[azdizzymom]

If you have children or it is important to sit next to who you are traveling with PAY FOR YOUR SEATS AHEAD OF TIME!!! Can't stress that enough...if you have children PAY THE FEE AND BUY THE SEATS. Don't risk the 24 hour mark and hope that there are seats together. If there are not...THEY WILL NOT MAKE PEOPLE MOVE SO YOU CAN SIT TOGETHER EVEN IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN.

Sorry for the caps...but some people don't get it...not saying you don't but just pay the fee if you fly Airtran. We flew them from IND to MCO a few years ago and loved them! Have a good trip!!!

 

[aubriee]

We just got a good rate I think, about $215 from DFW to Mco. I have only flown once in the last 12 years, any hints, suggestains ...? Flying Air Tran out of Dallas Fortworth. We have a 7 am flight and a 3 1/2 drive to airport, what time should we arrive? If we got to airport really early, could we cat nap in the waiting area in our seats? Any good hotels nearby? What about parking?

Thanks tigger

I live about an hour away from DFW and always take the earliest flight out possible (usually flight # 1601). I'm always afraid of being late or getting tied up in security, so always arrive really, really early. Air Tran flies out of Terminal E. They open the desks and start letting people go through security about 4:30am. Once through security I always find my gate and get settled in. Over by the windows and walls they have some seats that are like loungers with slightly elevated foot rests. I always get one of those, close to the desk and window and take a cat nap. Air Tran recommends that for DFW you arrive at least two hours prior to your flight. That time of morning I've seen it crowded a few times, but normally it's not. Since we are just about an hour away, we always use Park n Fly over on Royal Lane in Coppell. They're only about maybe 10 minutes away and their fees are very reasonable ($8.50 per day). Even that early in the morning their vans are constantly circling and by the time we find a space, get parked, and start to get out of our car, the van is there waiting to grab our bags and get us on the van and off to the airport. I'm not familiar with the local hotels.

Be sure to check your flights often as Air Tran does change their times frequently and you may or may not get an Email. Also be sure to check your gate assignment once you get past security. They also change gates sometimes. An announcement is usually made if they do that though.

As a previous poster said, if you want to sit together please prepurchase your seats. Most flights going DFW to MCO are fully booked. It seems like every flight I hear some family arguing with the AT desk rep that, no they didn't prepurchase their seats, because they had kids and didn't dream Air Tran would seperate them. They just assumed that since they had kids that they'd be seated together. Every time the response is the same: "We didn't seperate you from your kids. You had a chance to purchase seats together and chose not to. We will not make others move to accommodate you, but you can ask when you get on the plane." Then you get to see a temper tantrum with mom or dad demanding that AirTran force others to give up their seats to accomadate them.

 

[prncess674]

I would look into park sleep fly rates. You leave your car at the hotel and take the hotel courtesy setting to the airport.

http://dallas.parksleepfly.com/

 

[Tigger1]

We already paid for seats when we made reservation.
If anyone with children wants our seats they can have them for the fee we paid +.

prncess674

Can you leave your car at these hotels for the entire trip that you are gone? If so do they charge for parking? A freind used to leave his car at airport to go to Houstan and I dont think he had to pay to park.

Thanks For the link.

Anna

 

[Tigger1]

prncess674

Just checked out the link you sent. I think this is for us. Any Hotels you recommend?

Thanks Tigger

 

[ChloroFiend]

Clearing TSA Security at DFW is pretty painless compared to many airports, MCO included.

I'd concur with previous posters that getting into the Metroplex the night before is probably a good idea, though you'll find plenty of decent spots to catch a few Z's, both before and after security.

I personally go with the Express parking since they pick you up and drop you right at your car; Remote makes you hike to a central bus pickup location. Express also has some covered parking...I really wish we'd opted for that last weekend as DW's car got pretty smoked by hail.

Enjoy AirTran out of DFW while you can; with their purchase by Southwest and the Wright Amendment still in effect, those flights are going to be lost once the merger finalizes and won't be able to be flown out of Love Field until 2014. I expect we'll see DFW-MCO and DAL-MCO fares go up in the near future as the total amount of planes heading that way decreases.

 

[aubriee]

Enjoy AirTran out of DFW while you can; with their purchase by Southwest and the Wright Amendment still in effect, those flights are going to be lost once the merger finalizes and won't be able to be flown out of Love Field until 2014. I expect we'll see DFW-MCO and DAL-MCO fares go up in the near future as the total amount of planes heading that way decreases.

They are already making changes in Dallas. The last Air Tran flight into or out of DFW is Monday Nov 21st. You can choose any other departure city on Air Tran's site and it gives you the rates. After Nov 22nd there are none for DFW. There are usually 16 Air Tran flights/day out of DFW and the same number coming in. There are now none after Nov 21st. You can fly out on Nov 21st, but then can't get back home on Nov 22nd.

I need Nov 26th-Dec 4th.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I will tell you what we learned the HARD way last year:

Terminal E has NO CURBSIDE baggage check for AirTran. Early in the morning there are NO PORTERS and NO LUGGAGE CARTS!! The parking shuttle dumped us on the sidewalk and we had more luggage than we could carry. With American there is ALWAYS curbside or someone to help you!

We got upstairs and there were NO SIGNS to show where the AirTran desk is.

We checked the bags and there were at least 200 people in the security line in front of us. They were operating ONE, yes ONE, archway to screen people.

I am one of the meanest girls you will ever meet and I never cry about anything, but that experience had me in tears. I KNEW we were going to miss that plane.

We sprinted to the gate barefoot and made it with about 3 seconds to spare before they shut the door and pushed back from the gate.

Having said that, we are flying them again on Friday. We are leaving the house about 3.5 hours ahead because it was such a nightmare last year. This year we know what to expect so we will be prepared.

I have nothing ugly to say about AirTran, it is the way DFW has chosen to handle AirTran's customers. Get there EARLY and don't bring more luggage than you can take to the desk by yourself.

 

[aubriee]

I will tell you what we learned the HARD way last year:

Terminal E has NO CURBSIDE baggage check for AirTran. Early in the morning there are NO PORTERS and NO LUGGAGE CARTS!! The parking shuttle dumped us on the sidewalk and we had more luggage than we could carry. With American there is ALWAYS curbside or someone to help you!

We got upstairs and there were NO SIGNS to show where the AirTran desk is.

We checked the bags and there were at least 200 people in the security line in front of us. They were operating ONE, yes ONE, archway to screen people.

I am one of the meanest girls you will ever meet and I never cry about anything, but that experience had me in tears. I KNEW we were going to miss that plane.

We sprinted to the gate barefoot and made it with about 3 seconds to spare before they shut the door and pushed back from the gate.

Having said that, we are flying them again on Friday. We are leaving the house about 3.5 hours ahead because it was such a nightmare last year. This year we know what to expect so we will be prepared.

I have nothing ugly to say about AirTran, it is the way DFW has chosen to handle AirTran's customers. Get there EARLY and don't bring more luggage than you can take to the desk by yourself.

Wow, considering I always like to be early and am always one of the first in the gate area, I'd be in a panic. I fly Air Tran out of DFW several times a year and it's always taken me less than 5-10 minutes to get through security (depending on if someone if front of me is having trouble). But then again I always take the first early morning flight out (usually 7:00am). I've never been there mid day or evening. I also never take more bags than I can easily carry. I usually have a rolling duffel that I check, a small soft duffel that easily fits under the seat, and a rolling carry on (either a Vera Bradley rolling duffel or a Hey's four wheel spinner). My personal item easily fits over the handle of my carryon, so I can carry both of those with one hand and my check bag in the other. If I had kids who were unable to handle their carry on I'd have to pack differently of course.

 

[JB2K]

It needs to be mentioned since AirTran is now part of Southwest Airlines, as soon as the FAA issues a Single Operating Certificate (SOC) combining the two carriers as one (this is expected to occur in early 2012), AirTran will imediately cease flight operations at DFW, largely due to provisions in the Wright Amendment that keeps Southwest at Dallas Love Field.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Wow, considering I always like to be early and am always one of the first in the gate area, I'd be in a panic. I fly Air Tran out of DFW several times a year and it's always taken me less than 5-10 minutes to get through security (depending on if someone if front of me is having trouble). But then again I always take the first early morning flight out (usually 7:00am). I've never been there mid day or evening. I also never take more bags than I can easily carry. I usually have a rolling duffel that I check, a small soft duffel that easily fits under the seat, and a rolling carry on (either a Vera Bradley rolling duffel or a Hey's four wheel spinner). My personal item easily fits over the handle of my carryon, so I can carry both of those with one hand and my check bag in the other. If I had kids who were unable to handle their carry on I'd have to pack differently of course.

I am still trying to figure out where we lost so much time. We have NEVER cut it that close for a flight before. This WAS the 7 AM flight. We figured it was a Terminal E thing. But after reading that it isn't always like that, maybe there was some situation that caused the line to be so horrid. I could NOT understand why they were only screening ONE person at a time when the line was snaking all the way through the terminal. It was INSANE.

We were going for 2 weeks, so we had 4 big checked bags and 3 carry-ons. It never entered my mind that there wouldn't be curbside baggage. This year we have 3 checked bags so we can each roll one checked bag and one carry-on.

For tomorrow we know what we are dealing with so we are leaving WAY early.

 

[Tigger1]

Everyone is scaring me now. Can I check my luggage in early?

 

[Tigger1]

What if you are in line and they shut the doors. Do you have to pay for a new ticket at prime $$$ if there is another flight?

 

[aubriee]

It needs to be mentioned since AirTran is now part of Southwest Airlines, as soon as the FAA issues a Single Operating Certificate (SOC) combining the two carriers as one (this is expected to occur in early 2012), AirTran will imediately cease flight operations at DFW, largely due to provisions in the Wright Amendment that keeps Southwest at Dallas Love Field.

It looks like the last Air Tran flights going out of or into DFW are Nov 21st.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

What if you are in line and they shut the doors. Do you have to pay for a new ticket at prime $$$ if there is another flight?

I don't know how that works. We paid $200 to upgrade to business class on the flight we almost missed, so that just added to my stress! And our luggage would have been on that flight, so no telling when we would have managed to get on a flight to MCO and get our luggage back. I suppose it MIGHT have just gone on to Magical Express, but I wouldn't want to test that theory.

 

[Tigger1]

My Daughter just bought tickets using American Airlines in Dallas, any advise on check-in with AA?