AirTran Airways A+ Rewards - Are bags free on AirTran now?

New - Checking bags on this trip?
AirTran Airways allows two (2) checked pieces of baggage free of charge per ticketed customer. Size and weight limitations apply. Get more details.


I checked in online today for the flight tomorrow and I got an email in my inbox about checking in. I was about to delete it and I noticed you can NOW check 2 bags for free?

When did this start? Am I reading it right? I cut and pasted right from the email.

No change on AirTran website:

Baggage Information
Fees (per bag)
1st checked bag: weight: 50 lbs. or less $20
2nd checked bag: weight: 50 lbs. or less $25

Effective April 10, 2012, your 3rd through 9th checked bag will incur a charge of $50 per piece and any bag or item thereafter will be $110 per piece. $50

yeah I see that, but they just sent me that and I got the feeling I could have checked my bags for $0. We are going to carry it all on but I sure didn't know this.

The link where it says "get more details" is

http://www.airtran.com/faq/q/what_are_the_baggage_allowances_and_fees.aspx?tt=B aggage+Information&rt=index_faqs&nav_id=85

And that shows the fees.

I just checked in for Thursday. No notice/indication of free bag check. I even noodled around changing the drop-down from "0" to "1" and the fee attached.

Maybe it's ORD-specific.

When did this start? Am I reading it right? I cut and pasted right from the email.

I don't know if or when the free bags have (or will) start, but I did notice that baggage fees were cited as one of the "unforeseen difficulties" in the merger, according to the AJC article discussed in the FT thread "Airtran Pilots union could hold up full integration" (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airtran-airways-rewards/1268119-airtran-pilots-union-could-hold-up-full-integration.html).

Here is a short quote of that article:
Executives said Southwest must reexamine its options due to a softening economy, high jet fuel costs and "unforeseen difficulties with AirTran integration." Those issues include "difficulty weaning" AirTran from $200 million a year in revenue from baggage fees [emphasis added] and difficulty integrating AirTran's Boeing 717s, according to the presentation.

Source:
Atlanta-Journal Constitution -
Southwest raises possibility of alternate plan for AirTran merger
6:59 p.m. Tuesday, October 11, 2011 (http://www.ajc.com/business/southwest-raises-possibility-of-1198877.html)

I am going out of MKE this trip.

I looked at the email 3 times. I was like wow when did this start?

There is a bold red NEW before the text I pasted. I thought I would post it here.

I apologize for asking this, but you aren't flying BC, are you (even thru upgrade)?

nope

Here is the last part of the email from them today. Maybe they are pushing the BC upgrade and then you get the bags, I don't know.


Subject: AirTran Airways Check-in Online Now for -

Arriving Milwaukee, WI (MKE) at


New - Checking bags on this trip?
AirTran Airways allows two (2) checked pieces of baggage free of charge per ticketed customer. Size and weight limitations apply. Get more details.

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If a Business Class seat is available, we'll offer you the opportunity to upgrade when you check in online.
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Are you an A2B business customer?

Looks like this is a glitch of some sort. Report back and let us know how it goes when you try to check bags at the counter.

Is that now to get 2 free checked bags again? I wasn't sure if they reinstating 2 free checked bags again and they won't have to get charge of 1st & 2nd checked bags fees anymore.

Are you an A2B business customer?

Looks like this is a glitch of some sort. Report back and let us know how it goes when you try to check bags at the counter.

It wouldn't have said 'NEW' in red letters if he was A2B, Biz class or Elite. The web site is probably just not updated yet.

Does WN operate the check-in counter for FL now there? Perhaps those airports are the first to get the free bag feature as WN agents taking fees for some flights and no fees for others would be too confusing to them.

Does WN operate the check-in counter for FL now there? Perhaps those airports are the first to get the free bag feature as WN agents taking fees for some flights and no fees for others would be too confusing to them.

The AirTran and SWA counters remain separate entities at MKE.

Here in FL and to check bags was not free. I only talked to a gate agent and asked him about the email I got the day before we flew. He knew nothing about free bags and thought the email was in error. we were all carry on so we went right to gate. yes 2 separate desks for check in.

nice flight, on time, VERY nice FA's.

New - Checking bags on this trip?
A first bag may be checked for a fee of $20. A second bag may be checked for a fee of $25 and additional bags for $50 each. Bags are subject to size and weight limitations. Get more details.

Just wanted to add that the vaca is over and the email I got to check in this time read the paste above. So totally different. I wonder what happened on that first one.

I realize the OP has pulled back, it certainly is a bit odd that Southwest has a billboard on the main freeeway into Atlanta with BAGS FLY FREE as its main message. While their subsidiary airine charges bag fees at its hub in the same city.