Comments on: AirTran Airways

By: Carol

Carol — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:40:07 +0000

Last week we arrived at LGA (NYC) for an AIRTRAN flight non-stop departing at 9:14 AM to PHF (Newport News, VA). The airline had not called us let us know that the flight was cancelled due to “weather”. It was raining very lightly in NYC and was clear and lovely in Newport News.
The airline wanted us to take an Airtran flight later to Atlanta and then back to Virginia. We like nonstop flights as they are much safer and quicker.
When we inquired if their evening flight was available and likely to fly, the supervisor told us that it was available but he thought it might be cancelled, too, due to weather. (The rest of the day in NYC turned sunny). We went back home. We cancelled our trip. They said they would refund the fare to our credit card. It cost us time, money (taxis to the airport are not inexpensive), aggravation, and difficulties with our plans with friends and family.
Should we fly Airtran? Are they usually reliable? Is this an unusual event? We have traveled all our long lives and never experienced such nonchalant and cavalier treatment of a flight. What can you advise?

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:50:20 +0000

My nightmare began when their computer systems shut down. We’d arrived at the airport 2 hours before our flight, which should have given us plenty of time. But with the computers down, we waited in line for those 2 hours, praying that we’d make our flight. When I got to the ticket counter, the agent had the audacity to pull out her measuring tape and measure my checked bags. One was 3lbs overweight. The other was 2 inches too big. She charged me fees for both, but only told me about one. (I found out about the other when I checked my credit card statement.) At that point, I was done. Are you kidding? Tons of passengers missed flights because of them and she pulls out the measuring tape? It seems like the thing to do would be get people through that line as quickly as possible and to turn a cheek to such minor infractions. That would have been good customer service.

I wrote an email to AirTran customer service, documenting everything that happened. They refused to help me. After many emails exchanged, they finally gave me a $25 credit for my next trip (as if I would take one on their airline again.) Then I found out about the charge for the 2nd bag. AirTran absolutely refused to do anything about that charge. Luckily for me, because their systems were down, they never had me sign for those charges. I asked my credit card to refund me for one, which they did.

All of that being said, I had a wonderful ticket agent on the return flight who didn’t bat an eye at the 2 inches over for the 2nd bag. (The weight of the 1st bag was fine on the return flight.) But because of the really bad experience on the departing flight, I will go out of my way to use another airline before I fly AirTran again.

By: Justin

Justin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:12:24 +0000

I use to make AirTrain my top priority until my night of living hell. I had to be in Dallas, Texas for an event and we left Friday. Our plane leaving from Ohio had to be de-iced which was understandable. This was the beginning of the end. Our Plane arrived with about 20 minutes to spare before our connecting flight. By the time we arrived at our gate, (every had to get their luggage and what not out of stow away), EVERY SINGLE PASSENGER who was with us for the next leg missed it. Why? Well Airtran apparently SOLD OFF our tickets expecting us ovciously not to make it. You might say, well that is cynical. What makes you state that. How about the plane departing 10 minutes early and FULL!!!

So now we are stuck in Atlanta waiting for the next flight. 7-8 hours in the airport!!! Why? Well they tried booking us on a LATE FLIGHT but they found another. Unfortunately, they DIDN’T have a crew. So for 7-8 hours, they kept telling us we’ll be boarding. Nope. We’re sorry. The crew didn’t want to take this flight. Ok guys, we’re going to be going in 15 minutes. Nope. The crew didn’t want that flight. 7-8 hours later, we got on a plane and left. It was a LIVING HELL. Airtrain customer service was GOD AWFUL. ABSOLUTELY APATHETIC.

At first they told me tough luck. I was persistent. What’d I get? A whopping free one way ticket. Yay? Never did get to use it. What a joke.

Lesson to all. Avoid AirTran. I’m sure all the people on the plane with me felt the same way, too. So who got my business? Continental. So far, (I read the one story) but my experience was GREAT. We have used them a few times and nothing but SMOOTH SAILING. Bye Airtran. You lost a customer who used you quite a bit =).

By: R Coffman

R Coffman — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:02:52 +0000

I too had a similar experiences with Airtrans. My joining flight in Altanta was missed due to my departing flight getting in late to Pensacola. I missed my plan by (10) minutes only to find out that there were no more flights going out that night. I just don’t get this , Are they not supposed to know what their doing. Rather than go into a long dragged out story and not to mention how very angry I was and still am over this and the fact that I had to spend the night in a strange hotel when all I wanted was to get home, !!! I will tell you that I will never ever again use Airtrans for any future trips planned. I have had delays before from them but never to this extent.
Hotel and a $10:00 voucher just doesn’t seem cut the cheese with me.
It’s not alright for them to do this, we spent out time and money making plans for vaca or for whatever reason with the airlines only to get pushed and shoved because of their mistakes. All I can say is Bye Bye Airtrans .

By: suzanne stoltzner

suzanne stoltzner — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:30:03 +0000

Suzanne Stoltzner
800 N. Tamiami Trail Unit 1708
Sarasota, Florida 34236 941 539 3919
June 27, 2009
To: celliott@nsg.org
From: Suzanne E. Stoltzner
Re : Unbelievable disregard for airline passengers – and safety
My son recently visited from Los Angeles on a multi-stop trip booked on
Travelocity using Air Tran Airlines. Virtually each leg of the several flights
were delayed and caused him to miss events and caused him much grief.
I am only concentrating on the last return flight because it was the worst
of all. Dana Stoltzner and his companion Pam Pasquale were to leave
Sarasota/Bradenton airport (SRQ) on Air Tran flight 695 at 06:41 P.M.,
bound for Atlanta. They were to connect with Air Tran Flight 49 in Atlanta,
departing at 10:15 P.M. and arriving in Los Angeles at 11:55 P.M. The travel
time was 8 hours and 14 minutes. He chose this option primarily to save
money, and was willing to endure the inconvenience. Dana and Pam
arrived at the airport well in advance, checked in, paid for an extra
checked bag and for an upgrade on their tickets and began to wait.
Mechanical problems caused the departure time from SRQ to be pushed
to 08:00 P.M. and they chose to wait in the airport. When the flight
departure was pushed to 01:30 A.M., with no hope of making their
connecting flight, they decided to have me pick them up and to return to
the airport an hour in advance of their flight. We planned to be back at
12:30 A.M. Since I live close to the airport, this seemed a reasonable
option. We returned to the airport at approx 12:30 A.M., to be informed
by a lone airport employee that the security detail closed down at 12:00
midnight and that we would not be allowed to go back to the gate as
there was no way to scan passengers and carry-ons. Security had
“packed up and left” despite the fact that several passengers were
“locked out” of the departure gate and a flight full of passengers were
arriving from the Chicago Air Tran flight. We wandered around in the
airport until an Air Tran attendant appeared. He told us that he informed
the security detail about passengers still to come in but they didn’t care
as it was time for them to go home. Neither the airline nor anyone from
the airport told my son or other passengers that the security gate would
close down at 12 Midnight. Had they known they would have stayed in
the airport. Additionally, Air Tran’s next flight out in the morning was
completely booked and the only option for them was to travel to Tampa,
catch a morning flight to Baltimore and then to Los Angeles – arriving at
11:00 hours the next evening. This was unacceptable due to work
commitments. My son cancelled his unused tickets – for which they would
only give a voucher through Travelocity, where he purchased the tickets.
There was no compensation offered for this unacceptable delay.
Ultimately, my son had to purchase tickets through Southwest airlines, from
Tampa, and costing over $800.00 – a real gouge.
I am really saddened by the total disregard displayed by the airline and
by the airport security detail. Additionally, there is a safety issue here.
There were passengers wandering about and an entire plane arriving and
no security detail. They ask at lot of us these days and yet we get little in
return. Thank you for letting me vent and who else should my son and I
complain to – if only to feel better.