Question about Seat Assignment on Airtran

[RN01]

Okay, now that everyone has said how wonderful Airtran is with their cheep flights, now I have another question. One fair was for unassigned seats that you choose at check in and the other higher fair was for assigned seats. I would like to go with the lower fair but how does it work out picking your seats at check in??? There are 5 of us going. Will we all be seperated and is it first come first serve?

 

[DrmWvr1299]

When you check in online 24/h in advance they will put you in consecutive numbered seats across the aisle. Then you have the opportunity to change the seat assignment on the next screen. There were 4 of us flying to MCO last Dec. and we were put across the 1st row of seats (then we upgraded to Business). On the way home, WL put our boarding pass info in for us. We were again put in seats in consecutive numbers across the rows but this time were all the way back in rows 22 or 23 in just a short amount of time. But the seats were fine and we kept them. Only one of us had to sit with strangers but they were great and he had a window seat to boot. We could have asked WL to put us in seats together but they were very busy and we thought we could upgrade on the way home...but seats were already reserved for one leg of the trip.

 

[cynic957]

Last year the cheaper fares were news to me as well with the inability to assign seats with the buy. I used then computer at PHL and it put the 4 of us in 4 seats in seperate locations with in three rows none of us together. KIds were 11,12 so I did not care and the flight was full and a 2 hour non stop so we just sat in the assigned seats.

On the way back we were seated together across on row on returm from MCO so it doesn't happen all the time.

Just figured it was the price you pay for Web fares.

 

[pbharris4]

I tried checking in at 24 hrs online. It wouldn't allow me to. (My Dh has a common name and it turns out someone else with the same name is on the No Fly List) I am thinking this is why I couldn't check in online. I called Airtran and they reserved me the seats I wanted, but we still had to go to the check in counter (for checked baggage AND for DH to get cleared). On the way back..I just went to the front desk at OKW and they got online and we were assigned 4 across the aisle. I think as long as you check in right at the 24 hr mark..the chances of getting seats together are much better.

 

[Andrea]

we wont do that again, with airtran and the cheaper seats... when we flew last on airtran to las vegas we got to sit next to each other... but on the way home we didnt get to.. in fact another couple (the guy sat next to me) didnt get to sit next to his wife either... so if we fly airtran again we will pay the little more just to make sure we sit next to each other.

 

[yellowfish78]

If you book with a travel agent, they are able to assign seats for you. (The Airtran contract with Disney though, does not.)

 

[mom2bellaandlivi]

I guess we got lucky! We got to sit together both ways but we traveled with 2 small children and did not check in until we got to the airport!

 

[subtchr]

We just flew Airtran last week, 5 of us. I checked in exactly 24 hours in advance, and we got all of row 15 (three on one side of the aisle, and the two on the other side). On our return trip, I checked in maybe 22 hours in advance or so using the Hard Rock Hotel concierge desk, and we got all of row 23. It was so nice to get a decent fare AND nonstop flights, in the morning going down and the evening coming home. That enabled us to go to the parks on our arrival and departure days. We'd do it again!