What can you tell a new flyer about Airtran?

[MickeyMom2Boys]

I have only flown 1 time in my life (and that was to Disney World, of course!). We want to fly on our next trip in May and Airtran has very cheap prices right now for non stop flights ($54 before fees) from BWI to MCO. Can anyone tell me about Airtran?

 

[cbrfan]

We've been flying with AirTran for years and have always been very happy with them. But you should be aware that they do tend to change flight times and change non-stops to connecting or direct flights on occasion. I haven't had this happen to me, but other posters have. Perhaps someone who flies out of BWI will post their personal experience with AirTran. If you book a flight and it changes they are extremely easy to work with. You will be allowed to choose from any available flight you wish, including flights that are more expensive, or depart a day earlier or later than originally scheduled at no charge. Also, if the price of a flight you booked goes down you can call them and request a credit toward a future flight for the difference. Sometimes they charge a phone fee for this and sometimes they don't. It just depends on the agent you get. But you don't have to pay the $75 change fee listed on their website.

 

[UtzigTravel]

I have flown Airtran numerous times out of BWI. While they have made some minor changes to times, I have never had a Non-stop switched etc..

I have also used them numerous times for my clients as well, never a problem.

We are flying them in 2 weeks to WDW.

They do have a Travel Agent Sign in, that allows me to hold fares for a day, and make seat assignments without a fee.

 

[budbeerlady]

We love airtran and have flown them for our last 4 trips. They do sometimes change times, keep an eye on it, you can call to change it if it doesnt work in your favor.

The planes are always clean, the staff is very nice, we have only had positives with them.

 

[OhMari]

Wow, grab the $54.
If you give them your e-mail address, they will also take $25 off the price of your flight.

 

[SiClone]

Not much leg (actually knee) room as compared to Northwest, but free XM radio is sweet!

 

[aubriee]

We love Air Tran and have flown them multiple times. Pay the six bucks to choose your seat though. If you choose not to, then please don't get upset when someone who did pay the fee to choose their seat, refuses to change seats with you so you can sit by your traveling companions. I've seen that on my last two Air Tran flights. Most people who pay for their seats are not going to be willing to change seats. People who choose not to pay the fee will probably be stuck scattered around the plane.

 

[cg1200]

We've been flying with AirTran for years and have always been very happy with them. But you should be aware that they do tend to change flight times and change non-stops to connecting or direct flights on occasion.

I've flown AirTran twice from Westchester NY with no issues. This time around my flight in January was changed from a direct to a connecting one out of Atlanta. Very upset. I had to cancel and switch to JetBlue. Thankfully they still have a direct flight but it's going to cost me $350 more for the 5 of us. No idea why they changed it. No explanation offered. They did refund my money without a problem.

 

[tam626]

We flew Airtran in Oct. from BWI & had no flight changes. I liked them but this was my first time flying so I have nothing to compare it to.

 

[danielle.st]

I could be wrong, but I think BWI is considered a hub, so it's not likely to be changed from a nonstop to a connecting.
Definitely pay the $6 to choose your seats. It's worth knowing you are going to sit with your travel companions.
Also, I was in a similar boat as you before our trip and I wish I had realized that when I chose my seat I should have gone for whatever I could get closest to the front (still in coach though). When we got to MCO, all I wanted to do was get off that plane and start my vacation! However, we were stuck behind a lot of people who took absolutely forever to get off the plane. Everyone had big carry ons to manuever out.. the guy across the aisle from me jumped up before I did and since he couldn't go anywhere yet and was apparently helping his elderly mother get up, etc, his rear end was basically in my face for 10 minutes.
If I had been closer to the front I only would have had to wait for the business class people (there aren't many) and then I could have been free!

Oh, one other piece of advice is to not book any meals that require a credit card guarantee. You will stress if your flight times start changing. Just ry to be a little flexible on that and Airtran is great!

 

[dburg30]

I've flown AirTran twice from Westchester NY with no issues. This time around my flight in January was changed from a direct to a connecting one out of Atlanta. Very upset. I had to cancel and switch to JetBlue. Thankfully they still have a direct flight but it's going to cost me $350 more for the 5 of us. No idea why they changed it. No explanation offered. They did refund my money without a problem.

Just curious why did you HAVE to cancel? Just the timing didnt work? Did you check to see if they had any other flights that would've worked better timing wise and switched to them?

 

[kellia]

If you order as one group, can they split up your seats? I thought that they had to keep you together? There are 5 of us, I don't care where we sit, but we have 3 kids, they certainly can't sit by themselves!

 

[cbrfan]

If you order as one group, can they split up your seats? I thought that they had to keep you together? There are 5 of us, I don't care where we sit, but we have 3 kids, they certainly can't sit by themselves!

While airlines usually do their best to keep you together, there's never any guarantee that it's going to happen - even with reserved seats. And chances are very slim that passengers who've paid for seats will give them up for someone who didn't. You didn't say how old your children are, but if you decide against paying for seat assignments I would prepare them for the possibility of being separated.

 

[danielle.st]

If you order as one group, can they split up your seats? I thought that they had to keep you together? There are 5 of us, I don't care where we sit, but we have 3 kids, they certainly can't sit by themselves!

No, they don't have to. They will if they can, but if most of the other passengers paid to select a seat and all that is left is seats that are split up all over the plane, that is what you'll get assigned. It just didn't seem worth the possibility of being split up to me, especially as Airtran is a fairly cheap airline to start with.

 

[crashbb]

If you order as one group, can they split up your seats? I thought that they had to keep you together? There are 5 of us, I don't care where we sit, but we have 3 kids, they certainly can't sit by themselves!

As others have already said, no, they don't have to keep you together. The computer (it isn't an actual person, just an automated system) will try, but if a lot of seats have been pre-selected, there is only so much it can do. Also, the system has no idea of the age of the travelers (unless you bought a special child ticket, which rarely exists these days) so it has no idea that it is putting a child by themselves.

Given that children can fly unaccompanied at the age of 5, the airline definitely has no issue with children of this age being separated from their parents, and can only do so much for younger children.

If you definitely want each child by an adult, I'd pay to select your seats.

 

[kellia]

How do you choose your seats? Can you only do it when you check in? I don't see any option to do it when I go online, our flights aren't listed under our account, only when you look up under your confirmation number.

 

[cbrfan]

How do you choose your seats? Can you only do it when you check in? I don't see any option to do it when I go online, our flights aren't listed under our account, only when you look up under your confirmation number.

After you pull up your itinerary look to the right of the screen. There's a place to choose/change seats. Just click on that. It will show you all the seats on your flight that are available for advance assignments. Once you've made your seat selection for your party it will take you to the payment page so you can complete your reservation. I would suggest checking out www.seatguru.com so you can be aware of any potential problem seats. AirTran only uses two types of aircraft - 717's and 737's. 717's have 2 seats on the left side, 3 on the right. 737's are 3 and 3.

 

[Misty89]

do alot of people pre-purcahse thier seats?

i did not, and do not really want to ....we are a family of 4. the odds of us being apart are pretty good right?
how does it work if we did not choose our seats......are we the last ones to board the plane?
also what are the cahnces of a free upgrade to business class?
i see my flight down has 5 seats left in "commoners" section, but business class is all open, not a seat booked !
do they give our free upgrades????
( i can dream right!)

 

[cbrfan]

do alot of people pre-purcahse thier seats?

i did not, and do not really want to ....we are a family of 4. the odds of us being apart are pretty good right?
how does it work if we did not choose our seats......are we the last ones to board the plane?
also what are the cahnces of a free upgrade to business class?
i see my flight down has 5 seats left in "commoners" section, but business class is all open, not a seat booked !
do they give our free upgrades????
( i can dream right!)

If you do not prepurchase seats your best bet is to check in online 24 hours before flight time. They will open up previously blocked seats and you can choose your seats at no charge. You will be assigned seats at check-in either online or at the airport. If you're among the last to check-in you will most likely be scattered all over the plane and probably all be in middle seats.
The odds of being upgraded to business class for free are about nonexistant. But you can purchase on upgrade at a reasonable price when you check in.
The number of passengers prepurchasing seats varies with each flight, but flights to and from MCO usually have quite a few children onboard and, I assume, a larger number of prepurchased seats. You can tell by looking at available seating for your flight. Any seats blocked (with the exception of the B seats) behind Row 14 showing unavailable have already been purchased.

 

[Coach P]

We purchased our seats because I wanted the exit row for the extra leg room. To me its worth it if your in a large group and want to stay together or if you want a certain seat, otherwise its not.

The other thing is make sure you suitcase is not over size. We thought we were ok and then we get to the airport and they say it 1 inch to big and had to pay $39 fee.