THIS is the reason I'm hesitant to use AirTran!

[Sammy]

Due to conflicting schedules, we've had to wait to book our late April airfare. I've been keeping my eye on AirTran out of Boston since maybe November. All along, they've had two nonstop flights per day, both to Orlando and back to Boston, and for a great price.

We are getting ready to finally book the flights this weekend, so I checked the AT site this morning, and all of a sudden, one of the nonstops in each direction has disappeared completely!! We haven't lost anything because we didn't book, but I'm a little nervous that if we do book that one nonstop flight, they are going to change that one too!

Unfortunately we don't have the luxury of flexible schedules this vacation due to my daughter's college schedule and the fact we are tagging this trip on to my son's high school concert choir competition in Orlando.

Does anyone have any experiences to share regarding AT and flight changes? If there's only one nonstop per day, what do you think the chances are that it will disappear also? The AT fare is so much cheaper than Southwest out of Manchester, NH, but I guess I have to decide if the "unknown" is worth the lower cost...

This just all gives me a tremendous headache!!

 

[funforfive]

2 years ago when we flew a non-stop Airtran flight, our flight disappeared from the booking screen too, it was there when I checked my confirmation, and other than a few minute change in time, the flight went as planned.

Just saying it may not be on the booking screen if it's full...

 

[Sammy]

2 years ago whenwe flew a non-stop Airtran flight, our flight disappeared from the booking screen too, it was there when I checked my confirmation, and other than a few minute change in time, the flight went as planned.

Just saying it may not be on the booking screen if it's full...

Ok, I guess I'm used to SW's site that shows the flights even if they are full (though obviously they show as unavailable), so that makes me feel a little better...

 

[mdurette]

Due to conflicting schedules, we've had to wait to book our late April airfare. I've been keeping my eye on AirTran out of Boston since maybe November. All along, they've had two nonstop flights per day, both to Orlando and back to Boston, and for a great price.

We are getting ready to finally book the flights this weekend, so I checked the AT site this morning, and all of a sudden, one of the nonstops in each direction has disappeared completely!! We haven't lost anything because we didn't book, but I'm a little nervous that if we do book that one nonstop flight, they are going to change that one too!

Unfortunately we don't have the luxury of flexible schedules this vacation due to my daughter's college schedule and the fact we are tagging this trip on to my son's high school concert choir competition in Orlando.

Does anyone have any experiences to share regarding AT and flight changes? If there's only one nonstop per day, what do you think the chances are that it will disappear also? The AT fare is so much cheaper than Southwest out of Manchester, NH, but I guess I have to decide if the "unknown" is worth the lower cost...

This just all gives me a tremendous headache!!

We ALAWYS fly Southwest out of Providence. About 5 times per year and never have an issue with flights being change. BUT, there was a time in late 2008 that Southwest just didn't have the prices I was looking for an Airtran did. I gulped and did it....booked with AirTran. Never again - they changed our non-stop and put us on one with 2 stops!!! I called and fought and ended up with another non-stop at a different time of the day.

My recommendation - don't do it. Stick with Southwest!

 

[mdurette]

Also - are you checking Southwest out of Boston? They started flying out of there last year.

 

[dburg30]

I'm with ya, that really is the only reason I havent tried them. Other then that I see nothing at all wrong with them, and they have some nice plusses.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

In years of the past AT probably changed their schedules far more then other airlines, however in the past few years with the huge shift in air travel, there are no guarantees with any airline for the most part.

Almost all are shifting and shuffling their flights to maintain capacity levels that hope to provide at least a small amount of profitability. Remember, no airline guarantees your specific flight time, all they guarantee is a seat on a plane that gets you to your destination on the day you booked. Will most work with you to find a better flight option, yes, but it is not guaranteed.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

I haven't flown AT because of the stories I have heard from others. We usually fly SW out of MHT. For our next trip, we are flying Jet Blue out of BOS, because the price was so much cheaper.

 

[dburg30]

In years of the past AT probably changed their schedules far more then other airlines, however in the past few years with the huge shift in air travel, there are no guarantees with any airline for the most part.

Almost all are shifting and shuffling their flights to maintain capacity levels that hope to provide at least a small amount of profitability. Remember, no airline guarantees your specific flight time, all they guarantee is a seat on a plane that gets you to your destination on the day you booked. Will most work with you to find a better flight option, yes, but it is not guaranteed.

Sure, there are no promised in airline travel (or anything ) We fly southwest exclusive but you can only book 6-7 months in advance, we go in Oct and cant book til March 23rd. They are probably the best as far as not changing their flights. I have a feeling one of these days we may very well give AT a try if the flights are cheaper. If it's just my wife and myself we would be more comfortable doing it then if we had 7 others going like in October, so I think we'll still do SW this trip.

 

[cbrfan]

We ALAWYS fly Southwest out of Providence. About 5 times per year and never have an issue with flights being change. BUT, there was a time in late 2008 that Southwest just didn't have the prices I was looking for an Airtran did. I gulped and did it....booked with AirTran. Never again - they changed our non-stop and put us on one with 2 stops!!! I called and fought and ended up with another non-stop at a different time of the day.

My recommendation - don't do it. Stick with Southwest!

I don't know why you had to "fight" to change flights. It's AirTran's policy to let you switch flights when they've changed your itinerary. We take full advantage of this policy by booking the cheapest flight we can live with and wait for a change. When and if it happens, we simply call and tell them about the change and tell them which alternate flight we'd like. They always change it for us without a problem. Their policy is that in the event of a change, you will be allowed to select any available alternate flight - even if it departs a day earlier, later or from a different airport. They will not charge you the difference if the alternate flight you select costs more than what you paid for your original flight.

 

[uva185]

Why not book BOTH Airtran and Southwest.

If AirTran changes its schedule and puts you on a flight with a connection you can cancel and get your money back and fly with Southwest.

If Airtran doesn't cancel the nonstop then just cancel the Southwest flight (no penalty) and use the value of those tickets on your next flight.

 

[UConnJack]

I don't know why you had to "fight" to change flights. It's AirTran's policy to let you switch flights when they've changed your itinerary. We take full advantage of this policy by booking the cheapest flight we can live with and wait for a change. When and if it happens, we simply call and tell them about the change and tell them which alternate flight we'd like. They always change it for us without a problem. Their policy is that in the event of a change, you will be allowed to select any available alternate flight - even if it departs a day earlier, later or from a different airport. They will not charge you the difference if the alternate flight you select costs more than what you paid for your original flight.

I to have benefited from this policy a few times. I have booked really inexpensive flights at a time that was not great, but was to only one available at that price, and then changed to a better (and more expensive time) when they changed my schedule. I've never had to "fight" with them. You need to be more diligent in watching your flights, but as long as you have some flexibility in a given day, AirTran is great. If you have a very narrow window, then maybe SW is better, but still not guaranteed.