Save $$ on Airtran Seat Assignment Fees

[silmarg]

I think I read a rumor about this on the Transportation board a while ago and now that I did it I can confirm the following actually does work....

If you book on Airtran directly from their website and want to get assigned seats, they will chage $6 per seat (per flight leg - i believe).

If you search on Kayak for an Airtran flight, you will see the same airfare as you will see on the Airtran site, but the Kayak price includes a seat assignment in it (it does not actually advertise this fact but it is true)! Not sure how it exactly works, because when you book on Kayak it funnels you thru the Airtran site.

I was able to book my flight from MCO to HPN via Kayak. I paid the same price as was posted on Airtran's site for the plane ride. I also have assigned seats and did not pay anything additional for them! I saved $24.

 

[Justsyd2]

I also heard a rumour that Kayak doesn't actually confirm the seat assignments with AirTran. It shows as if they are confirmed with Kayak, but they actually aren't with AirTran, so you might want to confirm your seat assignments with AirTran. Personally, I don't mind paying the fee, it really isn't that expensive, and I am able to get the seat assignments that I want.

 

[MouseTrip07]

Thank you for this tip! I will keep it in mind. Does Kayak charge any other booking fees?

I know when we used a travel agent to book the flights for our trip last year we were not charged for seat assignment, but I like being able to book my own flights. I guess its the control-freak in me.

Jennifer

 

[stephie1012]

I also heard a rumour that Kayak doesn't actually confirm the seat assignments with AirTran. It shows as if they are confirmed with Kayak, but they actually aren't with AirTran, so you might want to confirm your seat assignments with AirTran. Personally, I don't mind paying the fee, it really isn't that expensive, and I am able to get the seat assignments that I want.

i picked our seats on the airtran site, i took the direct link to aitran from kayak and never even went back to the kayak site, everything was booked thru airtran, didnt have to pay a fee.

 

[got2travel]

Thank you for this tip! I will keep it in mind. Does Kayak charge any other booking fees?

I know when we used a travel agent to book the flights for our trip last year we were not charged for seat assignment, but I like being able to book my own flights. I guess its the control-freak in me.

Jennifer

Kayak is not a booking site, it is a search site. It searches all the other sites like Orbtiz, Cheaptickets, Expedia and also all the airlines individual sites. It then tells you who has the best fare and directs you there to book.

 

[dizct]

Thanks for the tip. I am also an HCN-MCO flyer on AirTran. $160 r/t right now for August '09 travel. No more non-stop though, have to go through Atlanta.

 

[savannahcat]

I thought the same thing when I booked a flight to San Antonio on Airtran through Kayak in February. I picked my seats and it looked as if I would not be charged - showed a $0 total for seat assignments. However, when my credit card bill arrived, I was charged $12 anyway.

 

[deacondarlin]

I booked our Airtran flight for 9/26 from AVL to MCO ($129...couldn't believe it!) this morning through Priceline. I liked having the security of the price drop guarantee, though I don't see how it could get much cheaper than $54 each leg. I was able to pick our seats, didn't see a charge for that. We opted for exit row seats for the leg room, which on the Airtran site are $20 each! I hope I don't see an extra charge on my bill.

 

[Piecey]

Hmm.

Wish I'd know five days ago, I just booked AirTran for our October trip.

Oh well. I didn't fork over the $6.

 

[silmarg]

Thanks for the tip. I am also an HCN-MCO flyer on AirTran. $160 r/t right now for August '09 travel. No more non-stop though, have to go through Atlanta.

We are flying Jetblue down out of JFK in late Aug for $100 and Airtran back to HPN the day after Labor day for $59.

I couldve done Airtran down to MCO from HPN for $59 if I was willing to connect. But with 2 kids and the carryons... and a cruise the next day... I went for the non stop.

 

[Mickey527]

I just flew AirTran down to FL on the 16th of April and back on the 1st of May.
I didn't book my seats in advance but since I traveled alone I didn't care where I sat.
When I went on line 24 hours before to confirm my flight I couldn't believe the amount of seats available. rows 1-15 were totally booked but everything from there on was empty. When I got to the airport I saw that the flight was completely booked full so I guess alot of people waited like I did. There were families together in seats behind me and no one had to ask to be moved so they could sit with their family like I have seen on SW.

 

[Belle5]

Paying to have assigned seats has made me less charitable about switching seats to help others. When I have paid $12 round trip (X 8 people) for assigned seats, I am not switching with anyone! Someone did ask me to do this in September when flying to MCO and I said, "No, I paid to have these seats assigned!" We have paid again for seat assignments when flying to Dulles(DC) in June. I wish I would have known about the Kayak trick! Now if I could just find a way out of paying the $240 for each of us to take a piece of luggage!!!!

 

[jessica52877]

I also have paid for my assigned seats so my family of 3 could sit together from ATL to LAX. We also were near my mother and father since they paid also. ONLY Airtran changed our flights last minute and so we no longer had nice seats near each other. She did get all 3 of us together the row in front of the emergency exit. I had to call. Well we boarded the plane and the flight attendant refused to let us sit there because of the carseat. So all my $ and phone calls did nothing and left me with an issue. Please don't think just because someone needs to switch that they didn't pay for the assigned seats!

And yes, it was disclosed on the phone that I would have DS5 IN his carseat on the plane. That is why we did not have the emergency exit row.

 

[Veronica Lodge]

I've only flown Airtran once, but I *thought* you could choose your seat assignment at the 24-hour mark if you did on-line check-in. I was able to choose my seats for our flight down to Orlando a few months ago.

 

[Piecey]

I've only flown Airtran once, but I *thought* you could choose your seat assignment at the 24-hour mark if you did on-line check-in. I was able to choose my seats for our flight down to Orlando a few months ago.

I hope so.

I'm crossing my fingers that DH and I can sit together or at least close together.. as I'll have a lap baby.

I would never ask someone to switch with us, though..

 

[ammeador2]

We flew Cont. Airlines in march from Louisville to Houston and they wouldn't let me assign my seats until 24 hours before our flight...it was me, DH, DD 3 and DS 2..they had my children scattered about the plane and refused to fix it before we got to the airport...There is no way I would've flown with my kids next to strangers at that age..I am not trying to be grumpy but they did change my seats and got us together..Thank you to the nice people that were willing to switch and then our flights home..the nice lady at the airport went ahead and assigned our seats.she said that Cont has odd seat policies...hmp!

So, I have no problem paying for seats as long as we are together!

 

[stephie1012]

I booked our Airtran flight for 9/26 from AVL to MCO ($129...couldn't believe it!) this morning through Priceline. I liked having the security of the price drop guarantee, though I don't see how it could get much cheaper than $54 each leg. I was able to pick our seats, didn't see a charge for that. We opted for exit row seats for the leg room, which on the Airtran site are $20 each! I hope I don't see an extra charge on my bill.

the fees arent waived for those seats you will still pay the $20..thats why i didnt pick them even tho Dh is 6'5" he said we would deal with it for 2.5hrs rather then pay $20....i got my statement and there was no charge for the seats we picked