AirTran Airways A+ Rewards - Tell me about AirTran

Considering flying AirTran for the first time, LGA-FLL during Winter Break with my family. We've never tried them before, and both ways are through ATL.

1. How much does pre-assigned seating cost, and is it worth it?
2. What kind of service onboard - drinks, snacks?
3. Should we choose a 40 min or 2 hr connection through ATL on the way there?
4. Does the XM radio use 2 prong or 1 prong jacks - we need to know what headphones to bring.
5. The "on time arrival" stats listed on the AirTran website are horrendous - 60% on-time on an ATL-FLL flight. Is this something to be concerned about?
5. Any other "quirks" about AirTran that a loyal Delta flyer wouldn't be aware of?

I've flown Airtran several times, and I have no complaints against them at all. I especially like the ability to purchase the exit row seats, as I'm 6'4".

Considering flying AirTran for the first time, LGA-FLL during Spring Break with my family. We've never tried them before, and both ways are through ATL.

1. How much does pre-assigned seating cost, and is it worth it?
2. What kind of service onboard - drinks, snacks?
3. Should we choose a 40 min or 2 hr connection through ATL on the way there?
4. Does the XM radio use 2 prong or 1 prong jacks - we need to know what headphones to bring.
5. The "on time arrival" stats listed on the AirTran website are horrendous - 60% on-time on an ATL-FLL flight. Is this something to be concerned about?
5. Any other "quirks" about AirTran that a loyal Delta flyer wouldn't be aware of?

If you're interested, I will report back on my first trip with AirTran in 2.5 weeks.

1. How much does pre-assigned seating cost, and is it worth it?


Spring Break? Shouldn't the assimilation be well under way by then with assigned seating gone?

Considering flying AirTran for the first time, LGA-FLL during Spring Break with my family. We've never tried them before, and both ways are through ATL.

1. How much does pre-assigned seating cost, and is it worth it?
2. What kind of service onboard - drinks, snacks?
3. Should we choose a 40 min or 2 hr connection through ATL on the way there?
4. Does the XM radio use 2 prong or 1 prong jacks - we need to know what headphones to bring.
5. The "on time arrival" stats listed on the AirTran website are horrendous - 60% on-time on an ATL-FLL flight. Is this something to be concerned about?
5. Any other "quirks" about AirTran that a loyal Delta flyer wouldn't be aware of?

1. Anywhere from $6 to $20. If you don't want a middle seat then I'd say it's worth it. The fee should apply to your whole flight and not per segment.

2. Service probably will be cup of soda/water and small bag of peanuts or some other snack, not a whole lot different than Delta.

3. 40 minutes might be tight, but more because it's ATL (though I believe AirTran has gates in two different terminals, or at least in gates that are kind of far apart). I had a 30 minute connection once and it would have been very tight were it not for delays in both BOS, ATL and whatever airport my connecting plane was coming from.

4. It is a standard prong, so whatever headphones you have at home will work.

5. Although horendous, it is likely the plane you are connecting to will also be late, but this is one more reason to go with the painful 2-hour connection.

What's the difference in fare between Coach and Business Class? Business class allows you to pick your seat for free; allows 2 checked bags for free and is fully refundable should you later find something more to your liking. I have a flight booked from AUA to BOS that was $399 o/w in b/c; right now the coach fare is $339. In my case, it would be the B6 n/s flight dropping from $560 to something in the $400's.

I haven't flown Spirit, but I don't find AirTran to be too bad and from what I've heard it's not as bad as them. At the end of the day you will be spending a few hours inside a metal tube and an hour after your arrival you won't even know if you had flown them or DL. FWIW, the XM is free, which is kind of a nice feature.

I have flown ATL-FLL several times this year and it has never been late so I am surprised it has such a bad record. Paying for preassigned seating to me would only be worth it for exit row seats unless you feel like it is worth it to pay $6 to sit in the first 10 rows of the plane rather then the last 10 rows.

Considering flying AirTran for the first time, LGA-FLL during Winter Break with my family. We've never tried them before, and both ways are through ATL.

1. How much does pre-assigned seating cost, and is it worth it?
2. What kind of service onboard - drinks, snacks?
3. Should we choose a 40 min or 2 hr connection through ATL on the way there?
4. Does the XM radio use 2 prong or 1 prong jacks - we need to know what headphones to bring.
5. The "on time arrival" stats listed on the AirTran website are horrendous - 60% on-time on an ATL-FLL flight. Is this something to be concerned about?
5. Any other "quirks" about AirTran that a loyal Delta flyer wouldn't be aware of?

1. Depends on whether or not you and your party want to sit together or if you are willing to take a chance on middle seats in the back.

2. The usual domestic airline domestic stuff... drinks, alcohol for purchase. Package of nuts.

3. Depends on the type of person you are. 40 minutes is a legal connection but if the stress of running it close bothers you, then take the 2 hour connection.

4. I forget, but I believe the 1 prong... but I could be totally wrong.

5. Depends on what you mean by "concerned". Look at DL's stats for similar flights. They're both pretty much the same. Considering national average is in the 70% range... well... both are pathetic. I guess the upside is that to be considered "late" they have to fly the flight, which is good.

6. Ummm... other quirks. The terminal is a bit more crowded than most of DL's terminals. Baggage fees. I'm an AA-loyal flyer who usually flies DL to TPA and MCO every couple of months... I took Airtran last month because the fare was ~$20 lower than DL for a similar time. In the end I spent the same as I would have on DL and didn't have the benefit of the DL lounge because I get in via Amex PLT card. Otherwise, the flight from ATL-MCO was virtually indistinguishable from any DL flight.

I haven't flown Spirit, but I don't find AirTran to be too bad and from what I've heard it's not as bad as them.

They're in two totally different leagues... Airtran is on par with the majors and NK is on par with (insert derogatory language here).

They're in two totally different leagues... Airtran is on par with the majors and NK is on par with (insert derogatory language here).

Nice analogy! :P

They're in two totally different leagues... Airtran is on par with the majors and NK is on par with (insert derogatory language here).

Figured as much, but I hear there are some people out there (my officemate for one) who drink the Spirit Kool-Aid and then ask for seconds. They don't realize that at the end of the day they saved a grand total of $22.

They're in two totally different leagues... Airtran is on par with the majors and NK is on par with (insert derogatory language here).

Figured as much, but I hear there are some people out there (my officemate for one) who drink the Spirit Kool-Aid and then ask for seconds. They don't realize that at the end of the day they saved a grand total of $22.

You know it's all about your experiences. I have had the worst experiences of my life on AirTran and have never had a bad experience on Spirit. Spirit underpromises (but most people don't bother to read the big print and are, therefore, surprised and angry). AirTran overpromises. It doesn't matter because it's moving to the Southwest model which is now higher fares and a bad frequent flyer program. I, for one, am so glad AirTran will be gone from ACY!