AirTran Airways A+ Rewards - Online seating "charts" accurate?

Hi everyone,

I've been checking into an earlier flight tomorrow on which I was hoping to fly standby (along with 3 other people). As of last night (I'd been checking twice a day) the seating chart on the website had around 40 open seats. Today (one day before the flight) it only has 15. is this normal?

If, for some reason, there aren't enough standby seats, would we better our chances by using A+ credits to upgrade to business class so we can fly standby and get any open business seats?

How does the standby system work? is it a first come-first served list?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Hi everyone,

I've been checking into an earlier flight tomorrow on which I was hoping to fly standby (along with 3 other people). As of last night (I'd been checking twice a day) the seating chart on the website had around 40 open seats. Today (one day before the flight) it only has 15. is this normal?

If, for some reason, there aren't enough standby seats, would we better our chances by using A+ credits to upgrade to business class so we can fly standby and get any open business seats?

How does the standby system work? is it a first come-first served list?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Flying standby with one or two people is one thing, but a party of four make sit less likely to work in your favor.

Also, do not rely on seat maps because they are notoriously unreliable (airlines don't want the competition to see how many seats are being filled).

If you want to try to get a confirmed standby seat, you can do this on the day of travel:

http://www.airtran.com/policies/general_information.aspx#Changes%20at%20the%20Airp ort%20on%20Day%20of%20Travel

Which flight is this, and what is the date/time? That might help us predict how full the flight will be.

Don't ever look at the a seat map as an indicator of how full an AirTran flight is.

AirTran is unlike other airlines in that they do not preassign seats to the vast majority of customers. Unless you pay a $6 fee, are traveling on a full fare, or are a corporate or elite member, seat assignment is at check-in. That's why the 40 "open" seats turned into 15 when you looked closer to flight time.

You can always call reservations for a general idea of how good your chances are for standby, or go to the AirTran site and try to make a dummy booking for 8 or 9 passengers. If the system lets you book 9 people on the flight you want to stand by on, it's likely not to be completely full.

My first airtran flight is in less than 24 hours. When do the seats directly behind buiness class open up? Do the exit rows become free or charge at any point? I'm willing to wake up in the middle of the night to get a better seat.

I got the option to upgrade to business class but at $98 for two people for 90 min flight is a bit excessive

You should be able to call or go to the website right now and pay for an exit row seat. It's $20 each way. Not a bad deal if you really want the extra legroom.

They would only become free for you if the flight is nearly full and you don't yet have an assigned seat. Chances of getting one for free are not very great.

My first airtran flight is in less than 24 hours. When do the seats directly behind buiness class open up? Do the exit rows become free or charge at any point? I'm willing to wake up in the middle of the night to get a better seat.

I got the option to upgrade to business class but at $98 for two people for 90 min flight is a bit excessive
In my experience (not completely recent, but going back a few months) 10D,E,F (in the first row of coach) are available at check-in, including on-line check-in. 10A-C are completely under airport control and never released early.

On a flight from RDU to MSY two Sundays ago, I was able to get exit row seats for both legs of the flight for free when I checked in at the counter. YMMV.

We have been able to be assigned to seats in those first four rows of coach long before check in time. We had our flights change and had to change flights, there were very poor seats left on the new flight. We had paid for preassigned seats (or got them free :p). When we called they placed us in row 12 on the right hand side.

So it is possible that those first four rows could have people assigned to them even before the 24 hour check in mark. Also those who pay non discounted coach prices can select from those seats during booking.

We have been able to be assigned to seats in those first four rows of coach long before check in time. We had our flights change and had to change flights, there were very poor seats left on the new flight. We had paid for preassigned seats (or got them free :p). When we called they placed us in row 12 on the right hand side.

So it is possible that those first four rows could have people assigned to them even before the 24 hour check in mark. Also those who pay non discounted coach prices can select from those seats during booking.

I'm not sure why you are discussing the first four rows (assuming you mean of coach, since you mention row 12). Only the first row of coach (row 10) is held until 24 hours before flight (and 10A-C is held for airport control). I've never heard of any special restriction on rows 11-13. They are available at time of booking (free for Elites, or fee for non-Elites).

I'm not sure why you are discussing the first four rows (assuming you mean of coach, since you mention row 12). Only the first row of coach (row 10) is held until 24 hours before flight (and 10A-C is held for airport control). I've never heard of any special restriction on rows 11-13. They are available at time of booking (free for Elites, or fee for non-Elites).

I am talking of rows 10 through 14 (no row 13). These are always blocked out as assigned seats when booking and selecting seats online at the time of booking. You can't select these seats when preselecting seats online. You can if you call, but not online.

I gave up and paid for exit row so i could get the pair of seats that recline for me and my companion.

I am talking of rows 10 through 14 (no row 13). These are always blocked out as assigned seats when booking and selecting seats online at the time of booking. You can't select these seats when preselecting seats online. You can if you call, but not online.

I believe this is only accurate for non-elites.

I believe this is only accurate for non-elites.

That is correct. We are not elite and when we book those first four rows of coach are not selectable when selecting seats.

That is correct. We are not elite and when we book those first four rows of coach are not selectable when selecting seats.

Thanks for this info. As an Elite, I never realized this restriction on non-Elites.