Looks like I'll be an Air Tran Customer Now

[inkkognito]

Despite ATA's ads a few months back asserting that they won't leave Midway, I see that the inevitable has happened. With any luck, Air Tran will be taking over the flights and keeping them direct. I'm very sad to see ATA go...we've been flying them ever since they switched from a charter airline, back in the "You're On Vacation" tagline days.
Oh well, I have my fingers crossed that our Elite status will transfer over to Air Tran. Otherwise, we're going to be hosed, since they don't assign seats if you get the lowest fare unless you are Elite. ATA really spoiled me!
My sympathies are with my fellow Chicago travelers (and the Midway workers...hopefully Air Tran will absorb them).
Barb

 

[robinb]

Have you heard what will happen to existing tickets through MDW? My Dec/Jan tickets, which have already been changed twice, connect in MDW. I guess the good news is that they are still selling tickets for my itinerary.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

So what do we do now? I have tix for Nov/Dec and March? Will Air Tran honor these? I have online tickets, not paper tickets.

Sheesh, I can still hear the ATA telephone agent say, "We're not going to leave Midway! Why would we do that!? That is our main hub!"

Yaaaaaaaaaaa right!

*edited to be less harsh*

 

[inkkognito]

I am hoping that Air Tran will simply absorb those routes and honor the tickets, but we'll see. I just knew that whole "we're not leaving Midway thing was a ruse." I can't believe they actually ran ads and even had a "We're here to stay" sale!
I'm really sad to see them go, and I feel so bad about the workers. We fly to Orlando so much that I actually know some of the gate agents, at least superficially. I wonder if they will lose their jobs or if Air Tran will take them...I hope so!
Barb

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

To Barb or anyone that might know,

I was wondering if someone could answer a question. I read a while back that if you booked your airfare online with an airline that is filing for bankruptcy, you should go to the airport as soon as you can and request a paper ticket. Do you think ATA will do this? I have the Nov/Dec flight, but am especially worried about my March 2005 flight and thought I would feel better if I had paper tickets (especially since the 2005 tix were $500 per ticket rt). Any info appreciated.

Tink

 

[inkkognito]

I will ask about it this weekend. I'll bring our upcoming ressies with and see if they will give me paper tickets.
Barb

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Thanks a bunch for checking, Barb. I think the logic behind getting paper tickets, from what I remember, is that another airline would be more apt to honor a paper ticket, than an online reservation.

Have a great trip!

Tink

 

[inkkognito]

I can believe that...ATA themselves didn't honor my web boarding passes hald the time!
Barb

 

[CarolA]

What a paper ticket is "suppose" to do is make it easier to walk up to another airline and get on thier flight in the event of a cancellation and/or delay.

In reality that is a myth. Unless you are a full fare Y ticket on an airline with interline agreements (ie not SW) you have to go back to your original airline and be written over to the other airline. The other airline won't just honor the ticket.

Now, the above is probably not true if they quit flying and in that case it might be useful to have a paper ticket but I am not really sure that the ticket would be much more help then the print out from the PC. We will just have to wait and see.

Most airlines now charge for papertickets. (I have no idea if ATA does or can even produce paper tickets)