Looking at Airtran

[Psychodisney]

It seems like Airtran seems to have some "lower" fares. Just reading a little bit on this board...what are some of the feelings towards airtran. It seems like a lot of concerns about changes...is it times or nonstops adding stops?

I read a little about them laying off quite a few employees(like Midwest). I'm trying to get a feel for whether I should gamble on them for next year or wait out Southwest!

What are your opinions?

 

[bicker]

Many airlines are bleeding money due to increased costs and having to offer such low fares to attract business, and so we can expect to see them shifting schedules around and doing other things that might make the flying experience less enjoyable and less predictable. It is possible that AirTran could actually go under as a result, but I highly doubt it.

 

[lisadr]

My personal experience with Airtran is that they are currently in bad shape.Yes, they are offering low cost flights, but they are totally unpredictable. They have stopped service to my local airport- and didn't bother to notify me ( I found found out from one of my bar customers), and have canceled and changed my flight times 3 times. At this point I just hope they don't go under.

Good luck with what ever you choose

 

[pumpkinboy]

When you actually fly AirTran, the experience is pretty good, apparently. They rank as one of the best airlines as measured by lost or damaged luggage (meaning they don't lose very many bags), oversold flights (fewer passengers bumped involuntarily) and continually show pretty good on-time performance. I also like the in-flight service and the fact that they now have XM Satellite radio at every seat. So would I fly them again? Yes.

All of that being said, they are readjusting their model as they try to adjust to high fuel costs. This has meant juggling the schedule, cancelling non-stops and leaving certain markets altogether. A lot of folks have been frustrated with frequent schedule changes, and AirTran changing their non-stops to stopover flights. This is why I have not booked them for February '09 yet, even though they are still looking like the best and most convenient flight (I am actually wiating for jetBlue, which is by far our favorite). We may yet book AirTran for February, but we're still in wait-and-see mode with them.

I also agree with Bicker: while they are moving things around, trying to optimize their business so they can lose less money, I don't see them disappearing in the near future (coming 1 year period). I could be wrong, but given their record in other tough times, they seem to be a survivor. JMO.

Good luck!

 

[TDC Nala]

Airtran appears to be eliminating a number of nonstop flights to/from Orlando. These are being replaced with connecting flights.

 

[Huskerfamilyof5]

We had to book our flights with AirTran because Midwest cancelled our flights. We actually got a better price and times from them. I hope things don't change between now and Dec.

 

[cbrfan]

We fly AirTran pretty much exclusively and love them. The majority of the complaints stem from time changes and changes from non-stop to connecting flights. We've never had a problem with that and it seems to be more specific to certain airports. If you're at all flexible, I really don't see a problem. Problems occur when passengers don't see a travel day as just that - a day to plan on travelling. They schedule important things like breakfast at the castle, etc. on arrival or departure days. Bad idea regardless of the airline you fly. I think more and more airlines are changing schedules these days to try to stay in business. I also think AirTran will be able to weather to current air travel crisis and keep flying.

 

[catbertdave99]

We fly AirTran pretty much exclusively and love them. The majority of the complaints stem from time changes and changes from non-stop to connecting flights. We've never had a problem with that and it seems to be more specific to certain airports. If you're at all flexible, I really don't see a problem. Problems occur when passengers don't see a travel day as just that - a day to plan on travelling. They schedule important things like breakfast at the castle, etc. on arrival or departure days. Bad idea regardless of the airline you fly. I think more and more airlines are changing schedules these days to try to stay in business. I also think AirTran will be able to weather to current air travel crisis and keep flying.

I agree completely! All positive experiences from us, flying from Ohio to MCO!

 

[RichmondTiggerFan]

AirTran seems to be doing well here in Richmond. They're still flying non-stop to Orlando & they just added 2 flights a day to New York-LaGuardia, which is a very popular business destination from here.

 

[vegs1]

Just returned from a vacation using Air Tran for the first time. We've always used Spirit in the past but they are now nickel and diming everything (luggage payment...pay for coke, etc.)

We thought we'd give Air Tran a try and had no problems whatsoever. Soft drinks/coffee, etc were free, 1st bag was free. They were on-time with no schedule changes.

We have them booked for our next flight also.

We had a problem with Spirit recently and there is virtually no way to speak to anyone directly regarding the problem. At least Air Tran answers their phones.

Most airlines are feeling the pinch with fuel costs and are cancelling and amalgamating flights, charging for things that used to be free. It's a sign of the times. I still want to travel so will smile and hope for the best!

 

[son3disfan]

I too am nervous about AIRTRAN, and have not flown with them before....
but...

I just booked today for April/May!!!
I couldn't resist! Fares were $72 each way , for 6, for a total of $990.00 Not as good as a flight I got with Spirit this past March, but pretty good, and they are non-stop(from Buffalo). All this talk of gas prices/oil has me even MORE nervous of what airfare might be if we wait.

Roll the dice.....

We are flexible on times, as long as they stay non-stop, we'll be happy.
Let's hope everything will be OK!

 

[Minniekins]

We fly AirTran pretty much exclusively and love them. The majority of the complaints stem from time changes and changes from non-stop to connecting flights. We've never had a problem with that and it seems to be more specific to certain airports. If you're at all flexible, I really don't see a problem................

I've probably asked before, but I see that you say these various changes are more specific to certain airports. I don't know where you fly out of, but do you have any thoughts on MDW out of Chicago or have you learned anything about them through your travels on AT? I have to say I haven't noticed a lot of changes from here, on my mid Nov dates, at least. We've had one change each way, but fixed it right away to other NS on the same day and the changes worked out great. Just because it's Chicago and such a major hub, I don't think they'd drop all NS flights, which is what we prefer, of course. I'm actually feeling confident that my flights will be relatively okay, not major changes, though that may be totally wrong now that I've said that, lol! Anyway, do you have any thoughts on MDW airport, specifically? Mostly just curious, as I can't really change anything, just wondering if you can expand on your comment. Thanks!

 

[cbrfan]

I've probably asked before, but I see that you say these various changes are more specific to certain airports. I don't know where you fly out of, but do you have any thoughts on MDW out of Chicago or have you learned anything about them through your travels on AT? I have to say I haven't noticed a lot of changes from here, on my mid Nov dates, at least. We've had one change each way, but fixed it right away to other NS on the same day and the changes worked out great. Just because it's Chicago and such a major hub, I don't think they'd drop all NS flights, which is what we prefer, of course. I'm actually feeling confident that my flights will be relatively okay, not major changes, though that may be totally wrong now that I've said that, lol! Anyway, do you have any thoughts on MDW airport, specifically? Mostly just curious, as I can't really change anything, just wondering if you can expand on your comment. Thanks!

We fly out of Flint, so I really can't tell you anything about MDW. But I'm sure some DIS'ers who do will be happy to share their experiences. Anyone?

 

[OzFan]

We fly out of MDW all the time. The past 2 years have been with AT. I booked with them in April for our September trip. I was checking my flights daily, 2 or 3 times a day. Before I left for work, my flight was there. When I got home 5 hours later, my flight was gone. I called and was told we were put on flights that had a 1 hour layover in Atlanta. My husband was placed on a different flight altogether. I requested a refund and rebooked with SW. It did cost me 300 more at first, but with the new lower prices released this week I now have a $501 credit.
Last year they were adding new terminals to Midway for AT. We joked about how far it was to our teminal from the actual airport. You could see 55th Street from where we sat. There were signs along the way stating, "yes, you are still in Illinois" and "no, you're not walking to your vacation destination!" .....funny.... But that was LAST year. Midway is always changing (for the better).

I would try SW. In my past 10 other times flying with them, my flights have NEVER changed. Not even by 1 minute. Good Luck!
Just another note: I truly flying out of MIDWAY!

 

[kevin75]

we are looking at flying from DFW via AirTran in Dec. does anyone know of their history of changes from DFW?

 

[bicker]

we are looking at flying from DFW via AirTran in Dec. does anyone know of their history of changes from DFW?

This sort of thing doesn't work that way; future changes may actually tend to be more different from historical changes than the same as historical data.

 

[carj]

we are looking at flying from DFW via AirTran in Dec. does anyone know of their history of changes from DFW?

We flew non-stop on AirTran from DFW in June. The flight times were exactly the same from the day that I booked them. (There was a weather delay on our departure day, but that was beyond their control. It was only 35 minutes.) I was worried because I kept reading about their schedule changes.

We had a good experience on both flights. I wouldn't hesitate to fly them again. Our flight was close to full going to Orlando and there was not an empty seat on our flight home to DFW.

We picked the cheapest flights of the day and stayed an extra 2 days at Disney. (We really did not have park time on our arrival day or departure day. (We arrived Orlando at 6:19 and left Orlando at noon.)

Good luck! I know that nobody can predict the future but I hope that hearing our experience will make you feel better about your Dec flight!

 

[aubriee]

we are looking at flying from DFW via AirTran in Dec. does anyone know of their history of changes from DFW?

We flew air Tran last year DFW to MCO and had no problem. Our flight going down there changed by about 45 minutes, but the flight coming home stayed the same.

We are flying them again in Sept. Our flight going down has changed twice (about 45 minutes later the first time, then switched back to 30 minutes earlier). The flight coming home has also changed twice (the first time to three hours earlier, then changed back to the original time). Oh yes, the first flights coming and going were both canceled at one point. We were not notified by Air Tran, but because of a thread on here, had been watching our flights everyday. I was able to call and get us on another flight with no problem. Last week we finally got an email saying our flight times had changed.

I am also flying them from DFW to Ft Lauderdale in January. My flight down there was canceled (again not notified, but caught by me). Again I was able to call and have them put me on another flight. I am now arriving three hours later than previously. My flight back has not yet had any changes.

 

[dallasdisneymommy]

We flew AirTran from DFW to MCO a few years back, and the experience was so harrowing, we vowed NEVER AGAIN, no matter the price diffference. We arrived at the airport almost two hours early and the line was literally out the door -- and moving insanely slow. We kept looking at our watches, wondering if we were going to make our flight. People were near-rioting, missing their flights.

They were woefully understaffed, the agents couldn't do anything about it, they kept tellinig customers to "write and complain so that they would do something about it." We made our flight but only because we literally walked to the front of the line and demanded they check us in. We sprinted to the gate and barely made it, all with 3 kids in tow.

The trip back from MCO was just fine -- super short lines and great agents, so it seemed to us that certain airports may have problems and others not.

This was a few years ago, maybe they've solved these problems, but I can only say we won't do it again. It was that bad.

 

[bicker]

The problem is probably that more people bought AirTran tickets than didn't buy AirTran tickets due to their being "woefully understaffed", so what is AirTran to believe? If folks keep buying tickets even with these service short-comings, then airlines won't remedy them.