What's the likelihood...

[bdklein]

You and your 3 year old will be sitting together. Don't worry.

 

[goofy4tink]

I hope I did not give the impression of implying people are mean or nasty because they want to keep their seats. I probably should have been more detailed. The dispute we had on our flight was between two adults (no children were involved). One adult wanted a window seat which was occupied. Anyway, the other adult created such a scene it resulted in the FA’s taking him to the plane door and talking with him. This incident made everyone around us very nervous. I guess it’s just worrisome there are people who will argue “to the end” and with everything going on with security issues it’s scary.

No, that was not in response to you but to the OP who said she couldn't believe that people would be so mean as to not switch seats.

Okay...I'm a bit confused here. So, who did the OP originally book the flight through? Airtran or SW? It seems that, according to what she has said, she can't book EBCI or pay the addlt charge for a particular seat with Airtran. So, basically, she gets to fly but without one single perk that either airline provides??? No EBCI? No ability to pay addtl to choose her seats? Seriously? IF that had been the case when I was booking, and I wanted to be able to be sure I was seated with someone? I would have said 'thanks but no thanks' and moved on to a different airline until SW/Airtran get their collective crap together.

So, the OP said that she didn't want to make those families that had paid to sit together split up to allow her to sit with her child. How did they pay to sit together???
I'm just sooooo confused here.

 

[goofy4tink]

On Airtran flights booked through the Southwest website, you will be assigned seats at 24 hour check-in. People who book through the AirTran website have the option to pay $6 per person to get a seat assigned when they make the reservation, or wait until 24 hours to choose seats for free. So the people who booked through Southwest will get the leftovers.

Oh, okay...that helps. So the OP had SW credits she wanted to use, so booked through SW. Which means she has to wait until 24 hrs prior to travel to get assigned seating.

 

[dudspizza]

Oh, okay...that helps. So the OP had SW credits she wanted to use, so booked through SW. Which means she has to wait until 24 hrs prior to travel to get assigned seating.

booked AT through SW. Means OP gets the two free bags, but loses the chance to pay to pick seats or pay for EBCI. OP can log on to AT at the 24 hour mark to check in and get assigned seats at that time. Anyone who booked directly with AT has already had the chance to pre-purchase seats, hence the comments about not asking those who paid for seats to move......

OP, be on Airtran.com at exactly 24 hours and you "should" get seats together. IF you don't, then you get to the airport very early to see if the counter folks can give you two seats together. They hold seats back for gate assignment. If the counter can't help you, then you get to the gate and talk with the gate agents to see what they can do.

Duds

 

[bdklein]

OP, be on Airtran.com at exactly 24 hours and you "should" get seats together. IF you don't, then you get to the airport very early to see if the counter folks can give you two seats together. They hold seats back for gate assignment. If the counter can't help you, then you get to the gate and talk with the gate agents to see what they can do.

Duds

And when they tell you they can't do anything, it will get settled on the plane by a combination of you, other passengers, and the flight attendants.

 

[jpessa]

You and your 3 year old will be sitting together. Don't worry.

Thanks for this! Always nice to read kindness

Btw, (don't get me wrong) I don't expect people that paid to be together to switch with me. I understand that, they paid for the privilege and planned ahead, etc. But probably less than 30% of the plane will have prepaid for seats. It's the other ones, not flying with children at all, and not prepaid, that I would hope have the kindness to help out a stranger. But again, I don't anticipate this being an issue if I am diligent and check in as soon as I can (sort of like a BOG ADR, lol) so expect to have 2 seats together.

I've flown a TON locally and internationally and some airlines have seats assigned at check in. So when I saw that I wasn't concerned at all. What however I DIDN'T know until reading about it here on the Dis is that some people on the same plane will have had the opportunity to advance purchase. It did NOT say that when I bought the ticket. I've never even heard of this before. I can't pay for seats. Just not allowed to. Which is why I think SW dropped a ball somewhere. So hence my question, which was specific to people with experience with twosomes to see what my chances are (25%? 50%? 75%?).

And in the future yes I can book Air Tran (I don't even need to check luggage so no advantage with SW over them except I had the credit) but now it's too late and I'm trying to be prepared.

Certainly didn't want to offend anybody!

 

[jpessa]

OP, be on Airtran.com at exactly 24 hours and you "should" get seats together. IF you don't, then you get to the airport very early to see if the counter folks can give you two seats together. They hold seats back for gate assignment. If the counter can't help you, then you get to the gate and talk with the gate agents to see what they can do.

Duds

Thanks for the info!

Much appreciated and helpful.

 

[maxiesmom]

I've flown a TON locally and internationally and some airlines have seats assigned at check in. So when I saw that I wasn't concerned at all. What however I DIDN'T know until reading about it here on the Dis is that some people on the same plane will have had the opportunity to advance purchase. It did NOT say that when I bought the ticket. I've never even heard of this before. I can't pay for seats. Just not allowed to. Which is why I think SW dropped a ball somewhere.

This whole ball of confusion is because AirTran and Southwest are not one airline. Yet. If you book on Southwest you get free bags, but no assigned seats. If you book on AirTran you get to pick your seats and have to pay for your bags. Which is how each airline operated when they were totally separate.


The thing is you can book these flights through both airlines web sites. So anyone who has purchased the same flight as you on the AirTran web site gets to play by AirTran's rules. They can pay for their seats. As you booked through Southwest you have to play by their rules. You get free bags! The only change is they will assign seats 24 hours out, but that puts you behind everyone who booked on AirTran and paid for seats.

There is a section on Southwest that pops up before you finalize your ticket purchase that explains all of this. However it seems that a lot of people are missing it

 

[jpessa]

This whole ball of confusion is because AirTran and Southwest are not one airline. Yet. If you book on Southwest you get free bags, but no assigned seats. If you book on AirTran you get to pick your seats and have to pay for your bags. Which is how each airline operated when they were totally separate.

The thing is you can book these flights through both airlines web sites. So anyone who has purchased the same flight as you on the AirTran web site gets to play by AirTran's rules. They can pay for their seats. As you booked through Southwest you have to play by their rules. You get free bags! The only change is they will assign seats 24 hours out, but that puts you behind everyone who booked on AirTran and paid for seats.

There is a section on Southwest that pops up before you finalize your ticket purchase that explains all of this. However it seems that a lot of people are missing it

Thanks for the info. I did see a message saying seats will be assigned at check in and after check in can only be changed at the airport, but it didn't explain you would be behind the 8 ball as it were. If it did I miss it, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't anything as clear as your explanation.

Now I'm thinking of changing my flight to the one operated solely by SW but that will mean missing the first day at the parks since it lands at 6pm.

Hmmm. Much to think about.

 

[HoosierDisneyDad]

Don't give up a day at Disney just to fly on a SW operated flight!
Thats a high price to pay to avoid the small risk of not getting 2 seats together.

 

[alice99]

Don't give up a day at Disney just to fly on a SW operated flight!
Thats a high price to pay to avoid the small risk of not getting 2 seats together.

You will get seats together. There is NO way they will allow a 3 year old to sit separately from their mother....

But, the point , I think, most people are trying to make is to check in and arrive early to increase your chances of getting what you need.

 

[jpessa]

You will get seats together. There is NO way they will allow a 3 year old to sit separately from their mother....

But, the point , I think, most people are trying to make is to check in and arrive early to increase your chances of getting what you need.

Thanks for this! The negativity really had me down.

Yes I fully intend on checking in early and getting to the airport early!

It would seem like such a waste to lose a day at the World, that's true.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I don't know if this would apply here but.. Last time I flew SW (not AT in any way) I had my daughter as a lap child but they did seat families with small children (under 5 or 6 I think) before the rest of the open seating. Anyone that paid for the priority seating went first then we went second before the mass of people that didn't pay for a specific seat. I cannot imagine them making a 3 year old sit alone, people dislike flying with other people's kids on a plane to begin with so to take them from their parent would only upset a child and make things worse..

This does not apply to OP, who is flying AirTran, not Southwest.

Family boarding is not before all open boarding. It has not been so for a long time.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks for the info. I did see a message saying seats will be assigned at check in and after check in can only be changed at the airport, but it didn't explain you would be behind the 8 ball as it were. If it did I miss it, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't anything as clear as your explanation.

Now I'm thinking of changing my flight to the one operated solely by SW but that will mean missing the first day at the parks since it lands at 6pm.

Hmmm. Much to think about.

Really...it's going to be fine. You should be able to board with the family group..if that is offered, and it usually is. If it's a SW flight, then there should be family boarding between the A and B groups. Even if there isn't, the likelihood of you and your 3 y/o being split up is incredibly small. I have been on full SW flights....boarded fairly early in the process. I have watched as the B group boarded, with no trouble finding multiple seats together. It wasn't until midway through the C group that people started having issues.
I can't imagine that you are going to have any issues. Now, am I saying with 100% surety that you will be seated with your child? No. No one can do that. But it's nothing I would worry excessively about. Just be sure to be online at the exact 24 hr window and get checked in. If you get on the plane and find that there are not two seats together, you can speak to the FA and they will help you out!!!

Here's my issue....if someone books a flight thru SW,and gets the free bags, then why the heck can't they pay for EBCI??? That makes no sense to me. You're either on a SW flight or an AT flight. So, they need to be consistent. If it's a SW flight, and you get two free checked bags, then you should also be able to use EBCI. If it's an AT flight, then you pay for bags as well as the ability to choose your seats prior to departure...yes, at a price. I don't understand the whole 'you get some stuff but not others' concept. Hopefully it will all work out when the transition is complete.

 

[MacDalt]

So let me see if I got this. I'm so confused. If I book thru AirTran, I can choose my seats. Same flight thru SW, I cannot and take my chances at 24 hr check in. Return flight is SW so I can purchase EBCI. Right?!

 

[maxiesmom]

So let me see if I got this. I'm so confused. If I book thru AirTran, I can choose my seats. Same flight thru SW, I cannot and take my chances at 24 hr check in. Return flight is SW so I can purchase EBCI. Right?!

Don't forget you also have to pay for those seats on AirTran.

 

[MacDalt]

Don't forget you also have to pay for those seats on AirTran.

You mean an extra fee to choose seats? Is that the $6?

 

[maxiesmom]

You mean an extra fee to choose seats? Is that the $6?

Yes. And I am pretty sure the ones towards the front of the plane cost even more.

 

[JoanneDisFan]

Are you planning on your child sitting in their cat seat on the plane? When we fly my DS uses his as we will need it in our destination anyway. If you do it must be in a window seat as to not block a person being able to get out. By law flight attendants must allow for this, even if it means they have to move someone.

 

[jpessa]

Are you planning on your child sitting in their cat seat on the plane? When we fly my DS uses his as we will need it in our destination anyway. If you do it must be in a window seat as to not block a person being able to get out. By law flight attendants must allow for this, even if it means they have to move someone.

Never knew this, I do bring her car seat but usually check it with the luggage.