AirTran Airways A+ Rewards - AirTran a great Airline to fly with

Just a thread to collect your memories about this great little airline before the network shrinks completely and fades away in the LUV system...

2005 - December - 15th - FL236
First flight on AirTran from Atlanta to Chicago Midway.
I was delighted to fly on yet another airline and a new aircraft type with the Boeing 717-200. I was further surprised to see they were still providing earphones and free sat radio despite them being branded as a LCC. Well, I was accustomed to Ryanair in Europe. :D

Upon arrival in MDW, Captain said on the PA thanks for flying one of the few profitable airline in the US.

Well in my mind, I was glad I flew AirTran. Definitely way better than the hometown gorilla. I was preparing for the worst (again, Ryanair effect) and was pleasantly surprised. Now I have moved the ladder all the way up and I am glad to be Elite at Airtran (well while it still means something)

2009 - May - 05th - FL339
Was on a direct flight from ATL to Vegas. Had an IFSD while over Meteor Crater and diverted to Phoenix with a single-engine, limited flaps and therefore high speed landing. Fire trucks all around us upon touching down. That was thrilling.
Captain was great to keep us informed. Once on the ground, the employees were apologetic and tried to help us the best they could while Citrus was dispatching another aircraft from Atlanta. They really made their best to offset the inconvenience (despite the repeated verbal assaults from some couples of ill-behaved, over-entitled, discount-airfare flyers).

Please, share your fond memories of AirTran!

Minos

Only fond memories? :)

Gotta plead the fifth as an FL/WN employee. But this should be a good one.

Just wait till someone releases a book on all this...this is going to make the UNICAL guys over on their forums say "Jesus Christ, Im sorry I ever said a bad word about Tilton"

I will say this though: Thank all of you guys for flying FL, I feel your pain and if I ever meet any one of you who held Elite status I am buying the first round.

Only fond memories? :)

Yeah mostly.

Gotta plead the fifth as an FL/WN employee. But this should be a good one.

Just wait till someone releases a book on all this...this is going to make the UNICAL guys over on their forums say "Jesus Christ, Im sorry I ever said a bad word about Tilton"

I will say this though: Thank all of you guys for flying FL, I feel your pain and if I ever meet any one of you who held Elite status I am buying the first round.

Thanks PA42. Since you've joined FT you have been an unbiased and downright honest contributor to the forum. I for one have appreciated your candor. As FL unwinds its operations over the next year or two, perhaps we should plan a gathering of the FL loyal to finally meet, reminisce and say goodbye to our once favorite airline; an "UN-DO" if you will. @:-)

Where do I find you for this free beer you mention? Or will it have to come from an FL stewardess in C?

Dallas. ^

That's going to be hard to meet you in Dallas flying AirTran... Just sayin.. :rolleyes:

Thank you Captain Obvious. ;)

Thank you Captain Obvious. ;)

Flew a Cheyenne on your way to Exile?
:D

Unfortunately drove a really long way down I-10 westward. :td:

Now Im surrounded by people who know not what the godly taste of a Publix sub is. :D

Does anyone remember when Airtran partnered with Wendys? I think it was 2006 or so. Large sodas at Wendys had a coupon on it and when you saved up enough, you could mail them in for a free ticket on Airtran. A friend of mine started going to Wendys and buying six large sodas to go. He had no problem with flat soda so he'd go home and put them in his fridge and drink them over the course of the week. Eventually, he saved up enough and got his round trip ticket!

...which he never used :rolleyes:

Unfortunately drove a really long way down I-10 westward. :td:

Now Im surrounded by people who know not what the godly taste of a Publix sub is. :D

There are three things they don't have in Texas - Publix, Disney World, and ummm.....oops!

It was great while it lasted. I took my last trip in December.

Thanks PA42. Since you've joined FT you have been an unbiased and downright honest contributor to the forum. I for one have appreciated your candor. As FL unwinds its operations over the next year or two, perhaps we should plan a gathering of the FL loyal to finally meet, reminisce and say goodbye to our once favorite airline; an "UN-DO" if you will. @:-)

I've been thinking about proposing something like this - maybe in either ATL or MKE sometime in the next year or so...

I have had several great trips with AirTran. Consistently friendly customer service, relatively easy upgrades, great route map. They became my favorite airline. And, like all of my favorite airlines, they pretty much quit flying out of my home airport (Dulles) and are on the way to oblivion.

R.I.P. New York Air, Midway Airlines (the first), Independence Air, MaxJet, SilverJet, OpenSkies (still around, but abandoned Dulles), and soon AirTran.

I hesitate to select a new favorite for fear of cursing them!

I've been thinking about proposing something like this - maybe in either ATL or MKE sometime in the next year or so...

I could probably do ATL

MKE would be difficult

This may be the first time I've posted on this forum. I fly FL because the Boeing 717 is my favorite plane. My last flight on FL was 7/31 from BOS to BWI. I was in a 717 in biz class. The service was great. Priority boarding. Pre-departure drinks, 2+2 seating. More legroom. Another passenger behind me said to the FA, "and all of this is going away soon?" FA replied, "Yes, I'm afraid..."

I guess I will still fly on HA's 717s or perhaps DL's purchase of FL's 717s. In the meantime, I will miss FL. You're the only carrier to fly the 717 on the east coast today. It's been a good run...

I've been thinking about proposing something like this - maybe in either ATL or MKE sometime in the next year or so...

I'd be interested in either though obviously ATL would be easier for me. I'll bring the Elite card FL sent me in 2003 when they matched anyone's elite status with another airline "for life" :p

There are three things they don't have in Texas - Publix, Disney World, and ummm.....oops!

To be honest I have never seen so many people proud to be from such a terribly geographically boring place (ELP excluded) that has a truly uninteresting climate to go along with it. Every time I try to comprehend this local pride I get a syntax error pop up in my brain. Dont get me wrong I understand the California pride for the beautiful varied scenery, I understand the Florida pride for the great climate, beaches, wildlife etc, I understand the NYC pride for the premiere city in the U.S. and perhaps even Colorado pride for the fantastic mountains and winter sports. Texas? Uhhh...

I've been thinking about proposing something like this - maybe in either ATL or MKE sometime in the next year or so...

This would have to be ATL for the majority of users on here, although I would venture that an MCO would even be infinitely easier to reach than MKE.

To be honest I have never seen so many people proud to be from such a terribly geographically boring place (ELP excluded) that has a truly uninteresting climate to go along with it.

ELP interesting? You've lived in Florida or Georgia too long.

ELP interesting? You've lived in Florida or Georgia too long.

Certainly is when compared to the rest of Texas. I will take mountains and a desert over a flat dry prairie and toxic beaches any day.

ELP interesting? You've lived in Florida or Georgia too long.

Obviously you have never been to much of the Midwest. Illinois, Iowa, Kansas or Nebraska? ELP is a marvel of sites.

I challenge anyone to go to Austin and not find it interesting. Also, the desert towns around it (where great BBQ can be had) are also quite interesting.

Really, people from Texas are fine if you don't see what all the fuss is about. If you don't get it, its your loss.

Really, people from Texas are fine if you don't see what all the fuss is about. If you don't get it, its your loss.

I find the people in Texas to be fine, for the most part very friendly. Simply talking about landscape as compared to many other states.

Certainly is when compared to the rest of Texas. I will take mountains and a desert over a flat dry prairie and toxic beaches any day.
South Padre Island (45 minute drive from HRL) hasn't had toxic beaches since ~1978 or so...

Yes, I know...I was sensationalizing the deficiencies of Texas beaches when compared to even a marginally good Florida beach score poor in my book...even SPI.