Look what Airtran gave us yesterday at MCO!!

[Jillpie]

We're ending a wonderful week long trip, no kids for the first time, and what an ending it was. We got to MCO for our Airtran flight as scheduled yesterday. They announce they need 5 people to volunteer to be bumped, and will give a round trip ticket for it. We've always wanted to do this, always had the kids and couldn't. So we said sure! Well, nobody was volunteering, so they upped the anty to TWO RT tickets each!! And a free night at the airport Hyatt, with a dinner voucher. So that's what we did last night. It was a blast! We spent the evening walking around, shopped, and mostly people watched over the balcony. This place is fun! So if you ever get that offer, take it. I wouldn't hesitate to do this again. We're still in our room, waiting for our flight this afternoon. Oh! And they upgraded us today to business class, not bad ha?

 

[honeymo78]

That's great to hear!

Now did you volunteer immediately (with the 1 RT ticket) and still get what they offered later (2 RT tickets)? Every time one of our flights has asked for volunteers we have either been travelling with others who were relying on us for transportation later or we had to be back at work the next day.

 

[lisa-upnorth]

nice score!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jillpie]

That's great to hear!

Now did you volunteer immediately (with the 1 RT ticket) and still get what they offered later (2 RT tickets)? Every time one of our flights has asked for volunteers we have either been travelling with others who were relying on us for transportation later or we had to be back at work the next day.

We volunteered immediately for the one RT, and still got the 2 RT's in the end!

 

[dioxide45]

That is great. We had a similar situation in Atlanta a couple years ago. Four of us were flying and they needed seven volunteers, we offered ourselves up for round trip vouchers, used them almost a year later for another trip.

Good to hear they ended up giving you two vouchers even though you volunteered when the offer was still one.

 

[ScubaCat]

We volunteered immediately for the one RT, and still got the 2 RT's in the end!

Keep that voucher they gave you and CONFIRM that they did indeed mark your itinerary for the 2 roundtrips. I'm a regular at that, and twice now Airtran later on told me I had 1 roundtrip and not the 2. I had to fax them that confirmation slip and then they corrected it.

 

[Jillpie]

Keep that voucher they gave you and CONFIRM that they did indeed mark your itinerary for the 2 roundtrips. I'm a regular at that, and twice now Airtran later on told me I had 1 roundtrip and not the 2. I had to fax them that confirmation slip and then they corrected it.

We're home now, and what a great adventure it was. Yes, that's exactly what I did from the Hyatt yesterday morning, I called Airtran and confirmed that we have 2 RT's coming to us and they had all of it under our confirmation number, so we're good to go.

 

[Jillpie]

I will add this, one of the women that volunteered to do this with us, got sent to the Holiday Inn, I'm not sure why they didn't get the Hyatt (wonder if Airtran is allowed so many rooms per day, anyone know?), so if you decide to do this and staying at the airport is important, you should confirm before you accept. We would still have taken the offer, and staying right there was a bonus because there was alot to do and see. The other thing is she gave us dinner vouchers for 10.00 each, and said that the Hyatt offers a free continental breakfast, they do not. Not a big deal, I just got Mcd's and Starbucks from downstairs the next morning, but just a heads up to ask for a breakfast voucher as well.

 

[disneydreamer1970]

Sounds like a great deal!! I am jealous!!

Trish

 

[Jillpie]

Sounds like a great deal!! I am jealous!!

Trish

I was jealous too, all the years with the kids, but just wait you'll be able to do it someday!

 

[MomtoEmIs&Ow]

That is sooo cool! Enjoy your free flights!

 

[supersuperwendy]

That's so cool..!!!

 

[pixeegrl]

I'm visiting my mom by myself next week, I would love to have the same thing happen!

 

[Jillpie]

I'm visiting my mom by myself next week, I would love to have the same thing happen!

A good way to find out is to call the airline and ask if your flight is sold out, if it is, there's a pretty good chance they oversold the seats. Also, the reason ours was sold out is that it was school vacation week here in MA. If your flight still have seats left, yours chances are not so great.

 

[Missytara]

That's awesome. Way to go!

I have a story that I overheard one night at the local bar where I eat. A lady and her husband were flying out from Philly to St. Louis, for a convention her husband was attending. They decided to extend it a couple of days for an anniversery trip.

The flight was oversold obviously, because there were people wandering in the aisles with no seats. The Flight Attendant asked for five volunteers to do a similar thing; vouchers and a night at the hotel. When no one volunteered, they said they would take the last five people who boarded the plane.

Lo and behold, the last guy to board (who would be the first one to go) was coming back from a tour of duty in Iraq, and was trying to get home to his family. When the passengers heard what happened, this lady said almost half the plane got up to give up their seat, so he could get home that day.......

There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Congrats! Love Airtran! We did this in March. It was myself and the 2 boys going to WDW from DFW. We were just getting ready to enter the jetway when they increased to 2 Rt each. I told the boys to get out of line!!

I called right after receiving my vouchers to confirm our 2 RTs each and the kicker is, 1 of my sons was flying on rewards, and still received the 2 Rts for giving up his seat We were also upgraded to biz class

Thankfully we used ME and our luggage went ahead without us but went to AKV and was waiting in our studio when we arrived later that evening.

I already redeemed 1 of our RT vouchers for our summer vacay back to WDW and HHI. Summer dates are tough to get but it seems Tuesdays and Wednesdays had the best availablility for certificate travel. You can also break up the RT for 1 way travel and they keep track of it in their system. I booked for us to fly into MCO and Depart ATL since we will end our trip at HHI. We will drive to ATL to catch our flight.

I will use our 2nd set for our Cruise next Jan.

We gave up our nonstop and had to connect thru Atlanta, which I dread, but it was worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

If DH had been with us and received the 2 free certificates, I would love to use them for Jamaica or Aruba Maybe next time.

 

[MariDisney]

I have a question. When this happens, do you get your checked bags back or do they go on to your destination?

 

[pixeegrl]

I have a question. When this happens, do you get your checked bags back or do they go on to your destination?

Good question!

 

[cmcmemorymaker]

This happened on our flight out of MCO yesterday. We flying from MCO to Newport News and then on to LGA. They were upto 2 RT tickets and overnight at hotel for those trying to get to LGA, guaranteed seat for later for Newport.

I was sooooo tempted!! But girls had to get back to school today and I don't think that husband would've been happy to have to come and pick us up on a work day!

 

[Berrie]

I have a question. When this happens, do you get your checked bags back or do they go on to your destination?

Every time we've been bumped, the bags went on to our destination. You pick them up at the airline office right by baggage claim when you get in...except if you've tagged them for magical express. In that case they will be at your Disney hotel.