Airtran- is it worth it to pay for seats?

[lindsroc]

My daughter and I are on Airtran (husband and other daughter on Southwest) and I was looking at our rez online...noticing no seats assigned. I see that you can pay for seats or wait to check in. What are the odds we wont get seats together if we wait until the day we check in? I know they will have to seat us together as my daughter is only 6... but I would rather not cause a hassle at the airport. Thanks!

 

[crashbb]

Actually, they do not have to seat you together. If sitting beside your daughter is vital, then you need to pay for seat selection.

You may luck out and find seats together at the 24 hour mark (when you check in), but the airline will not force people who paid to select their seats (or checked in before you and choose seats) to move so that you can sit next to your daughter.

 

[lindsroc]

Wow, thats scarey. Good to know...looks like we will be paying for seats.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

For $12, it's defintiely worth it to ensure you sit together.

 

[lindsroc]

For $12, it's defintiely worth it to ensure you sit together.

It adds up, $12 per person per flight....we have a connection on our way to Orlando. Definitely worth it but they certainly milk you for every last cent.

 

[uva185]

It adds up, $12 per person per flight....we have a connection on our way to Orlando. Definitely worth it but they certainly milk you for every last cent.

That's why you should look at all the fees an airline charges before booking what may seem like the lowest fare...

Personally I am picky about seats so I would pay even if I was traveling solo.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It adds up, $12 per person per flight....we have a connection on our way to Orlando. Definitely worth it but they certainly milk you for every last cent.

I'm 98.5% sure that it's $12 ($6 each) per direction, not per flight - IF you booked the itinerary together. If you booked it as two separate legs on your own, then yes, you pay the $6 each for each leg.

 

[dudspizza]

I'm 98.5% sure that it's $12 ($6 each) per direction, not per flight - IF you booked the itinerary together. If you booked it as two separate legs on your own, then yes, you pay the $6 each for each leg.

You are 100% correct!

It adds up, $12 per person per flight....we have a connection on our way to Orlando. Definitely worth it but they certainly milk you for every last cent.

The connection does not matter... you pay to pick your seat to MCO and you pay to pick your seats home.

My flight to Orlando is MSP-ATL-MCO. I only paid $6 per seat. Home I am flying non-stop MCO-MSP and also paid $6 per seat.

I agree that if sitting together is vital, you pay the fee and don't gamble. I paid for 4 seats and our traveling companion family paid for 5 seats so we can all sit together..... I wouldn't feel too bright if I was asking people who paid for their seats to move so I could sit with my group...... The small fee is well worth it...

Duds

 

[sunnydays28]

Is there a certian age which they must sit with an adult? We are traveling with our 2 year old and I can't imagine they would allow her to sit alone if that was the only available seats. We don't mind if one of us is alone, but not her. Plus we will have her in a carseat, so someone would have to be there to buckle her in.

 

[dunbarfamily]

I say is worth it 50% of the time. I know, I know, I'm a lot of help!!

We've used Airtran four times. The first time we did not pay for seats, just asked at the gate and they put us all together. (At the time, we were two adults and two kids) The second time, we were two adults and four kids, ages 7, 4, 2 and an infant. When we saw we were ALL over the plane, we asked at the gate and they told us if we wanted to sit together we needed to pay for seats when we booked. They suggested we ask other passengers to move once we boarded. As I'm a bit shy, my husband did the asking. Turns out the best we could do was have an adult with the 4 year old at the front of the plane, an adult with the two year old and infant at the back of the plane, and the seven year old by himself in the middle seat two rows behind the adult at the back. Yikes. It wasn't good, and I hated the fact that we needed to do the asking. I hoped the flight attendent or gate person would have done it like they did the first time. So, now we always pay for seats. It KILLS me to have to pay for specific seats, but at least I know that all my kids will be with an adult.

So there, not paying for seats works about 50% of the time!! Once the kids are all older, like teenager aged, we'll skip paying for seats.

 

[azdizzymom]

It is worth paying for peace of mind too. I have teenagers and when we flew to MCO 2 years ago when they were 12 and 13 I paid for seats for all of us. Now they are 14 and 15...and I'd do it again! We have been flying Delta lately and don't have to pay for seats...when we did MCO it was Airtran.

Would I move if I paid for seats and someone else who hadn't asked me. I don't believe so. We usually sit 3 in a row and the aisle across ....so it would be hubby in that aisle who would end up being asked to move (mom always gets to sit by kids). IDK if he would or not. This next trip we are on Delta and doing all aisle seats as my babies are 6 feet and almost 6 feet so they wanted leg. We have 4 aisle seats in 2 rows....I am sure we will be asked to switch for someone and I don't plan on moving as I bought April tickets in October----keep checking weekly for changes and have had a plane change once and was able to get the 4 aisle but in row 30 and 31....no biggie. Know might be able to change at 24 hour mark but that is for 2nd leg of trip on a 1 hour flight.

Think the person above in the post is a good example...they don't HAVE to seat you together! IF you want to ensure you sit together then pay for the seats and cut costs if needed somewhere else. I wouldn't risk it out of MCO either since most Airtran travelers will be families and they won't want to be separated either.

 

[dudspizza]

Is there a certian age which they must sit with an adult? We are traveling with our 2 year old and I can't imagine they would allow her to sit alone if that was the only available seats. We don't mind if one of us is alone, but not her. Plus we will have her in a carseat, so someone would have to be there to buckle her in.

They would do whatever they could to sit at least one parent with the 2yo. Some seats are held back for assignment at the airport. I wouldn't count on those seats being there when checking in at the desk, though.

That said, the passengers need to be proactive here by paying for seats if it is a must to sit together. No one can expect people who have paid for their seat assignments to move so someone else who didn't pay for their seats can be seated together......

Too many people are trying to get by cheap these days by not paying the seat and luggage fees..... I figure the fees in to the total cost of a ticket..... If I don't like the fees, I fly someone else... they are not going away.....

 

[dunbarfamily]

It is worth paying for peace of mind too. I have teenagers and when we flew to MCO 2 years ago when they were 12 and 13 I paid for seats for all of us. Now they are 14 and 15...and I'd do it again! We have been flying Delta lately and don't have to pay for seats...when we did MCO it was Airtran.

Would I move if I paid for seats and someone else who hadn't asked me. I don't believe so. We usually sit 3 in a row and the aisle across ....so it would be hubby in that aisle who would end up being asked to move (mom always gets to sit by kids). IDK if he would or not. This next trip we are on Delta and doing all aisle seats as my babies are 6 feet and almost 6 feet so they wanted leg. We have 4 aisle seats in 2 rows....I am sure we will be asked to switch for someone and I don't plan on moving as I bought April tickets in October----keep checking weekly for changes and have had a plane change once and was able to get the 4 aisle but in row 30 and 31....no biggie. Know might be able to change at 24 hour mark but that is for 2nd leg of trip on a 1 hour flight.

Think the person above in the post is a good example...they don't HAVE to seat you together! IF you want to ensure you sit together then pay for the seats and cut costs if needed somewhere else. I wouldn't risk it out of MCO either since most Airtran travelers will be families and they won't want to be separated either.

Well sheesh, there goes my plan of saving money once the kids are teenagers!! LOL!

Back to topic....I have a hard time asking people to move if they paid for that seat. That's one of the top reasons we pay now. First, we're together, and second, I don't have to rely on someone giving up their paid seat because I was too cheap to pay for seats for us. (That being said, 5 paid seats times 12 a seat equals an extra $60 for my family, and that will be $72 in another year!) I keep from getting too annoyed by telling myself that I'm just paying a little extra for the airfare and getting free seat assignments. Isn't that nuts?!?!

 

[azdizzymom]

Well sheesh, there goes my plan of saving money once the kids are teenagers!! LOL!

Call us weird ....I just like sitting together...just in case!!! Like you I just figure it into the airfare. We have learned to pack lighter so need fewer checked bags (never take more than 2 for up to 2 weeks vacation).

 

[dunbarfamily]

Call us weird ....I just like sitting together...just in case!!! Like you I just figure it into the airfare. We have learned to pack lighter so need fewer checked bags (never take more than 2 for up to 2 weeks vacation).

Oh no! I don't think you're weird!! I was just joking!!

 

[dunbarfamily]

Is there a certian age which they must sit with an adult? We are traveling with our 2 year old and I can't imagine they would allow her to sit alone if that was the only available seats. We don't mind if one of us is alone, but not her. Plus we will have her in a carseat, so someone would have to be there to buckle her in.

This is what happened to us. THey had the two year old by himself. That's why we had to ask others to switch. That's why we pay for our seat assignments now. Airtran doens't HAVE to seat you together, even if you have kids. That's why they offer the option of buying a seat assignment.

 

[lindsroc]

Thanks everyone. Its been a looong time since i have flown, especially with the kids. i think they were 6 months and a year and 1/2 last time we flew- and that was southwest so no seat assignments. Our last 3 trips to Florida we drove.
I am planning on calling Airtran tomorrow for the seats. Also, I didnt realize you paid per direction, not per flight. Thanks again.

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

I'm so glad you started this thread, I have been wondering the same thing!! Does anyone know this answer-I booked thru a TA (my parents ) who booked the flight thru Disney. Do they go thru Airtran or thru Disney travel? Or can I just call and do it since I have my docs?

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I am NOT paying to sit together. My kids are teens and as long as they are on the same plane as us, I am fine with that! It is only a 2 1/2 hour flight and they listen to their Ipods anyway. NOW, if someone creepy is sitting next to one of them, I will swap seats.

 

[Missytara]

I have always paid for my seats on Airtran. I have always felt more comfortable sitting in the window seat, especially on the side where there are only two seats. I was in 19A both ways.

I watched and watched the seating as time went on - it seemed like the seat next to mine remained empty - both going down and coming back. No one had picked it.

Lo and behold, going back to BWI, a lady sat next to me and then asked if I would switch so she and her husband could sit together. At first, I said no way, I paid for my seating assignment, but then I asked her where he was.

He was in the last row of the plane, middle seat on the opposite side of the aisle. I was like, are you serious - I don't think so.

So don't arbitrarally expect someone to switch with you, especially if you didn't pay for your seating assignment.