rsteinmetz70112

Yesterday flying a Southwest ticket from ATL 2 MSY I got ungraded.

No problem at all. They did ask from my Elite card.

Biz left with 3 empty seats and about 23 empty in the main cabin.

pykerl

ATL-BOS Sunday, booked using A+ credits (using them up on a last minute ticket), upgraded an hour beforehand. 3 open seats in biz, 3 open in coach, so pretty full.

Someone tried to sneak into biz, and we had roll call (that was a first!) -- the FA helped the lady "find her seat", although I completely understand with the two open seats in biz waiting to be taken on a nearly full flight.

Did they get rid of pre-flight drinks in biz? I haven't had them on the last 2-3 flights, so I figured it was part of a soft landing into WN style/coach service amenities.

The ATL-BOS corridor is getting fewer and fewer non-stops, only about two a day now. Many have transitioned to BOS-MCI/STL/MDW-ATL, which are all at least double total transit time. Unfortunate, but so it goes.

rsteinmetz70112

I have seen that happen a few times. Often when there are empty seats and not enough Elites to fill them they will move uniformed service members up.

I think it's just that they were running late or the catering was not complete. All of my recent flights have still had the pre-flight drink.

saneman

ATL-BOS 9pm flight Aug 19. Upgraded more than an hour before at the baggage claim check in itself. So no pressure and I took my sweet time going to the gate at a relaxed pace that a WN flight would not have afforded me.

I am sitting at the gate typing this stuff as everyone else gets into the flight. Also, I don't know why this flight was expensive (170 plus with advance purchase) despite quite a few empty seats. This was the kind of flight I used to get for less than a hundred not too long ago. Oh, I am gonna miss the old AirTran.

saneman

BOS-ATl 2:55pm today.
SUCCESS. I was at ticket counter 90 min in advance and I was still upgraded automatically by someone at the gate, I assume. So good work being proactive.
Only annoying thing is WN employees continue to confused by AirTran. When I checked in online, I checked in one bag without thinking. When I got to the airport, I decided to check in two bags (which I have done in the past more than once). But the WN employee was confused on how to do it. So she called another guy to do it. He couldn't either. But one interesting thing was while he was training her on how to add an extra bag, he was telling her "see, since he is in business class, he gets two free bags, otherwise he would have gotten only one". I told him that even Elites get two bags regardless of business class seating. He said "no, it's only one bag". I told him "it makes no difference to me as I am getting two bags for free regardless of which criteria you use, but to make things easier for the next elite, I am going to remind you that we do indeed get two bags". Then he said "oh yeah, I think that's corporate with one bag?. You are right. you get two".

Geez, WN, I know you have to navigate two systems, but is it so hard to remember AirTran's basic baggage policy?

rsteinmetz70112

ATL-MSY 9/2/14. Sucess sorta. My wife and I traveling together both A-List both Elite. Asked about upgrades and the very pleasant GA tried very hard to get us upgraded. She couldn't do it so she released out seats and gave use new one *(her 10F, me 29E) then wrote new seat numbers on the BP. They were not together ( I know what do you want for free).

Odd she couldn't my wife since she was on an Airtran booked flight. I was on a Southwest booked ticket and kinda expected some problems.

Wife tried to get someone to switch with me so we could be together. The FA got all weird about the hand written numbers. It all worked out in the end. We have only 4 more Airtran booked flights until Nov 1 and a few after that til the end of the year.

The guy who had the seat next to me agreed to switch and I bought him a drink.

ucfjoe

Just saw this after creating a new thread. I've definitely had FA's decline to offer pre-flight drinks a few times now. All of which were on time and uneventful departures.

rsteinmetz70112

I just responded to the new thread. I have a friend who is an Airtran FA and she says there is not new policy, but sometimes if catering is late or slow they can't do it. I wouldn't rule out Southwest just letting things slide to the end.

saneman

ATL-FLL: 3:55pm flight FAIL. Most of the flight was full and I don't think only one person or two may have gotten an elite upgrade. I think the demand was that high.

Damn you Southwest for ending this product soon.

saneman

Last month, I got the upgrade from FLL-ATL. This month, I flew from ATL-PHL and got an upgrade with my mother on the same reservation on Tuesday OCt 14. On OCt 22, took an early morning 7:30 flight from BWI-ATL and there was confusion at the airport. The ticket agent said the system insisted on I pay for the baggage. I had to explain to her I was Airtran Elite. So she just said "just go , I will override this and take care of it" since I was cutting it close. Then at the gate, I wasn't automatically upgraded. So I went to the gate agent and she took 5 minutes to try to upgrade me. No luck as the system was confusing her. So she said "just go in and take any business class seat that is available. it is not full". So I went in and took my seat. Half the cabin was later filled in my Airtran employees going to ATL. Ohh, my last final upgrade. Farewell Airtran.

rsteinmetz70112

Last Airtran Flight yesterday evening. Upgraded! I will miss Airtran.

I do have a couple of reservation of Airtran Flight booked through Southwest. We'll see how that works out.

pykerl

Flying my last FL flight tonight booked with points on Southwest. Asked nicely and showed my unexpired A+Elite card and got my last upgrade. Been a great last few years, thanks to all here and to Airtran!

rsteinmetz70112

I have had a few Airtran branded flights purchased on Southwest. Every flight Biz was "full".
I have one more before THE END. I'm hoping for some ! UV, buT not expecting it.

rsteinmetz70112

My wife and I had our last Airtran flight yesterday evening. Both of us upgraded. The pre-flight drink was served.

Things went downhill from there. Flight delayed over and hour waiting for passengers from other late flights. The weather was bad and there was no inflight service. Seat belts the whole way.

Anyway it was a good run.