Airtran Seat Assignments

[fanofdisney]

I have been reading a lot about Airtran changing flight schedules. We would like to have a nonstop flight, yesterday they had 3 available for our date and now they have 2. I am wondering what they do when they change your flight and you have chosen the option of purchasing your seat assignment? I have been keeping an eye on their schedule for our date and the 5 weeks leading up to it and if their pattern stays the same they will be changing the flight I am buying tickets for and I want to make sure my family would be able to sit together. How can they combine flights and still allow people to keep the seats they have picked out?:confused:

[disneymom07]

I just did this myself. I purchased our flights and seat assignments for our Jan. trip, then next thing you know they changed our times so that we were arriving later in the day. I called and got us on another non stop flight the night before and pick out our seats again. No problem. And since they made the time change there was no charge for me to change my flight to one that suited me better. I'm hoping they don't change times again on me.

[deedeebee]

Our flights were changed, and changed again. I called and got better flights. If the assigned seats are open you automatically get them, if not you have to request seats. We have three kids so we wanted a block of 5 seats, no problem. They were very nice about.

[fanofdisney]

I wonder if anyone doesn't get to keep their family together? We are a family of 5 so we usually sit 3 and 2 in the same area. I also wonder if you get what is left which is usually those seats that don't recline.:( Anyone have any experience with either of these situations?

[teambricker04]

I think you need to call and check it out. Most airlines, AirTran included, do what they can to keep families near each other. If you want to get closer than you can reserve your seats for check with the gate agent the day of your flight before you board. If the flight is not sold out it is easier to move people around then. Flight loads are always changing, especially day of, so if you don't get what you want when you reserve it, you may be able to move around the day of your flight.

[chick20679]

I am wondering what they do when they change your flight and you have chosen the option of purchasing your seat assignment?

If the seats you chose on your original flight are occupied you will be assigned a different seat. The airline agents should be more than willing to help you out. Just give them a call when (if) you have a flight change and verify your seating.

[FTDW Poly 08]

If I'm flying AirTran on Aug 2 and the flight seems to be at least 80% booked, should I still be worried about them moving it around to another time?

[chick20679]

If I'm flying AirTran on Aug 2 and the flight seems to be at least 80% booked, should I still be worried about them moving it around to another time?

I do not think you have anything to worry about.
Most schedule changes occur a few months out, not a few weeks.
Have a great trip! :mickey:

[FTDW Poly 08]

Thanks, chick! Let's hope so!

[Stace74]

We are flying Airtran in Nov. For those of you who had flights canceled, did they notify you of the cancellation?

[DisneyDudet]

We are flying Airtran in Nov. For those of you who had flights canceled, did they notify you of the cancellation?

They send out an email or call depending on how you booked, I believe. I did not receive and email until a few weeks after someone posted it online. We have booked with AirTran before, and they've done the same thing. We were non-stop, and paid to pick seats. Well, wouldn't you know, I go to check our flights, and we have layovers in Atlanta (going to, its 40 min and coming back its over 2 hours!). I looked on American, and their prices came down considerably. I called AirTran this morning, explaining to them that the flight changes do not jive with out vacation plans. They tried to find me other flights, but I told them that every time we've had a layover with them, we've missed our connecting flight. She then asked if I would like to cancel with a full refund. It was my plan all along, so it worked out.

In regards to seats, since we paid to have our seats picked and assigned, we expected that they would honor a simple seat assignment. That was a no go. They had our seats on one flight, one person's on another, and none on the rest. Even if they weren't our original selection, you'd think they would have assigned us something!

I am now booked on American for similar times, a little bit more money (nothing to break the bank over), and NON STOP.

They were very helpful. They weren't as chipper as the CM from WDW when I called to add DME! Its a WORLD of difference!

I'm not sure how AirTran was voted best airline in the country. Out of the 2 experiences we've had, and the two ALMOST experiences we've had, we've only had one good one.

[fanofdisney]

This was the type of experience I was worried about. Traveling with 3 kids and having this happen would not put me in the best of moods. We have a SW flight there but the Airtran price for the trip home is much lower than SW at this point but it sounds like I am better off paying the higher price to have peace of mind that our flight home will not be altered. I know I can get a credit if the prices come down but I don't think we will be traveling by plane next year so a credit won't do us much good.

[FTDW Poly 08]

We have three kids (8,6,2) flying AirTran, plus the two of us. What's the likelihood of them putting the five of us near each other?

[chick20679]

We have three kids (8,6,2) flying AirTran, plus the two of us. What's the likelihood of them putting the five of us near each other?

With AirTran, it really depends on when you check-in.
If you forego paying the extra $6 for seat assignements, then you should try to check-in in online, 24 hours prior to your departure. If that's not an option, get to the airport as soon as you can, as the seats are first come first serve and the earlier you check-in, the more likely there will be seats left together.