We just returned from our WDW trip (1/18-1/25), and flew Airtran for the first time. I thought I would post my experience with this carrier here, for those of you who might be considering Airtran.
I booked online, and their website was easy to navigate. There were three of us traveling: me, DH and DS (10), and we were able to get airfare for $612.00 (including taxes) for the three of us, which is pretty good advanced-booking airfare from MSP to MCO. We had a connection in Atlanta on our flight to Orlando, but had a straight through return flight, from Orlando to Minneapolis.
I was able to do online check-in for both the departing and returning flights. We stayed at the BC, and I was able to locate fee-based internet service at the YC/BC Convention Center. It was $10/15 minutes, plus $1.00 per printed page, but the CM waived the fee (without me asking) and that was a nice surprise.
I had read that Airtran allows for a $30 pp, per leg, upgrade at the airport on the day of departure, if seats are available, so we decided to go for the upgrade. This meant that we had to stand in the check-in lines at the airport, even though we already had checked in online. It was worth the wait though, because we were upgraded on our departing and returning flights. Note that the fee is $30 per leg, so for our flight from MSP to MCO we actually paid $60.00 pp for the upgrade, since we had a connection in Atlanta.
Our flight from Atlanta to Orlano was overbooked by 7 people, and our flight from Orlando to Minneapolis was overbooked by 9 people. In Atlanta they were having a tough time securing volunteers, and were offering two round trip tickets to anywhere Airtran flies, per person. I so wanted to snag these tickets, as it was just a 3 hour delay to the next available flight to MCO, but my DS and DH so wanted to get to WDW that they would have not part of it. Airtran got their 7 volunteers (and got their 9 volunteers on the flight from MCO to MSP while offering just 1 round trip ticket to each volunteer).
We feel we received very good service from Airtran, on all levels. We also enjoyed sitting in Business class, although the only perks were more leg room and 2 alcoholic beverages each (which we declined). They do not serve meals on Airtran, not even in Business class. We had upgraded snacks, and could have all we wanted of those, but again did not take advantage of that small perk.
I would not hesitate to travel Airtran in the future. They have a young fleet of planes, great staff, and you just can't beat the price for an upgrade to Business class, provided you can snag it!
I booked online, and their website was easy to navigate. There were three of us traveling: me, DH and DS (10), and we were able to get airfare for $612.00 (including taxes) for the three of us, which is pretty good advanced-booking airfare from MSP to MCO. We had a connection in Atlanta on our flight to Orlando, but had a straight through return flight, from Orlando to Minneapolis.
I was able to do online check-in for both the departing and returning flights. We stayed at the BC, and I was able to locate fee-based internet service at the YC/BC Convention Center. It was $10/15 minutes, plus $1.00 per printed page, but the CM waived the fee (without me asking) and that was a nice surprise.
I had read that Airtran allows for a $30 pp, per leg, upgrade at the airport on the day of departure, if seats are available, so we decided to go for the upgrade. This meant that we had to stand in the check-in lines at the airport, even though we already had checked in online. It was worth the wait though, because we were upgraded on our departing and returning flights. Note that the fee is $30 per leg, so for our flight from MSP to MCO we actually paid $60.00 pp for the upgrade, since we had a connection in Atlanta.
Our flight from Atlanta to Orlano was overbooked by 7 people, and our flight from Orlando to Minneapolis was overbooked by 9 people. In Atlanta they were having a tough time securing volunteers, and were offering two round trip tickets to anywhere Airtran flies, per person. I so wanted to snag these tickets, as it was just a 3 hour delay to the next available flight to MCO, but my DS and DH so wanted to get to WDW that they would have not part of it. Airtran got their 7 volunteers (and got their 9 volunteers on the flight from MCO to MSP while offering just 1 round trip ticket to each volunteer).
We feel we received very good service from Airtran, on all levels. We also enjoyed sitting in Business class, although the only perks were more leg room and 2 alcoholic beverages each (which we declined). They do not serve meals on Airtran, not even in Business class. We had upgraded snacks, and could have all we wanted of those, but again did not take advantage of that small perk.
I would not hesitate to travel Airtran in the future. They have a young fleet of planes, great staff, and you just can't beat the price for an upgrade to Business class, provided you can snag it!
