Need Airline advice...

[Kathylovescruises]

We are seasoned cruisers and this will be our kids 7th cruise. We just relocated to the Pa/Baltimore area and the only reasonable airfare for a 12/28 cruise is on AirTran ( how can it be more to go from DC or BWI to Miami than from Phoenix? Yes, we always go over the holiday....) Anyway, I have been reading some real negative comments about AirTran. Does anyone have any experience with them? Don't wanna miss the cruise- I feel like a tightwad after paying for the Courtyard Villas again ( worth every penny!!) but the airfare is more than if I was in New York or LA- and NCL wants 850 dollars per person!

 

Would you trust this airline? I have never really even heard of them before...

 

 

Thanks

 

Kathy:confused:

[BuckeyePat]

I flew air tran from Ohio to Boston. No problems, but seats were hard:o ! We were delayed leaving Boston, but had nothing to do with air tran--just Boston traffic. We can fly cheap on Continental to BWI, but it is almost 1,000$ into Reagan! Go figure: less than 500 miles...Good luck.

[BuckeyePat]

You should check bwi to Fort Lauderdale on the airline that sounds like the southwest!!!! Are we allowed to use company names?????:eek:

[98Charlie]

We've flown AirTran a couple of times for cruises without any real problem.

 

Then my brother and I used them to get from DAY to ATL (non stop) about 2 years ago. The flight was something like 3 hours late getting in which ended up putting us in ATL around midnight.

 

If you are on the first flight out I wouldn't worry too much. But, flying in the day before would be my preference.

 

Click Here for a link to the BTS page on ATA. They have a 78% on time departure performance and a 69% on time arrival performance for the last reported year, which for them was 2006. Click on the link and you can check the on time performance of most airlines.

 

Charlie

[98Charlie]

You should check bwi to Fort Lauderdale on the airline that sounds like the southwest!!!! Are we allowed to use company names?????:eek:

Pat

 

Airline names are OK. It's the travel agencies and agents that are verboten.

 

Charlie

[Tideone]

Living in Atlanta, we have two main choices for airlines - Delta or Air Tran - and over the past few years have found Air Tran is the better choice with cheaper fares and friendlier employees.

Their sale fares of $89 from Atlanta to Miami (one way) can't be beat plus they allow you to upgrade to business class for $49 regardless of the type ticket you have.

Delta will not allow you to upgrade if you have bought a cheap seat - something about them believing it is a priviledge to fly first class.

Try Air Tran - I think you might like them.

[DancingMike]

I fly Air Tran most of the times to FTL from BWI. Their fare is much less than Southwest. Never had a problem. You can take a transfer from FTL to Miami for your cruise.

Another alternative out of DCA is Spirit Airlines to FTL. If you get on their email for promotions, you can sometimes get a great fare. They do charge for checked in luggage, but who doesn't now a days?

[BuckeyePat]

Thanks, Charlie! Was not sure about "naming names" and feared posts might get zapped before OP read replies...And I second flying in the day before, due to holiday time, weather and the difficulty the airlines have these days of going from Point a to Point B:eek: !

[fin]

Air tran has lost my luggage. On a different trip they lost my fiance's luggage.

 

I have flown them perhaps six times, and about half of them were delayed more than two hours. I have tried to avoid them recently.

[Barb Nahoumi]

I have never flown with Air Tran, but friends have. They do recommend it.

 

Air Tran was the former Value Jet.

 

Barb

[debagk]

We've flown AirTran a couple of times for cruises without any real problem.

 

Then my brother and I used them to get from DAY to ATL (non stop) about 2 years ago. The flight was something like 3 hours late getting in which ended up putting us in ATL around midnight.

 

If you are on the first flight out I wouldn't worry too much. But, flying in the day before would be my preference.

 

Click Here for a link to the BTS page on ATA. They have a 78% on time departure performance and a 69% on time arrival performance for the last reported year, which for them was 2006. Click on the link and you can check the on time performance of most airlines.

 

Charlie

 

Hi Charlie,

 

I don't understand why you are showing us the stats for ATA, didn't they go out of business in April?

[catey]

You may want to try looking into flights from Philadelphia (depending on where you live). I am from the Balt area and usually look at info for BWI (first choice) then DC and Philly.

I have flown on Air Tran and they are fine.

[Cruzin2paradise09]

We've flown AirTran numerous times and didn't have any problems out of the ordinary - remember that right now it's a crap shoot anyway . . .

 

Book for the day before and just relax. If you are afraid of the airlines, you might look into AmTrak -- and there is a discount if you are sailing on NCL for 2008.

 

Here's a link http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=Train, however, I just skimmed it and one of the blackout dates includes 12/28 ...... but it's worth checking anyway.

 

Check the fares for the day before and 2 days before and the day after . . . and check into Fort Lauderdale.

 

Here are a few things I just found out too -- you can rent a car from FLL and drive it to the Port for less than the cost of a taxi! Thrifty has a drop off right at the Port of Miami. I checked into it for April (spring break) and the cost for a mid-sized car for 24 hours is $36 + taxes.

 

We also ended up booking 2 days before we leave and the Monday after we get back - the cost savings, $308 per person! I can spring for two more nights of a hotel and still be saving money.

[Cruzin2paradise09]

Air tran has lost my luggage. On a different trip they lost my fiance's luggage.

 

I have flown them perhaps six times, and about half of them were delayed more than two hours. I have tried to avoid them recently.

 

 

Just to be fair, just about any airline that flies in or our of Atlanta is delayed . . .

 

I have had luggage lost/misplaced on Delta and United. It happens and it stinks when it does. BUT, is it the airline that actually looses it or the baggage handlers working for the airport?

[mbarnaby99]

I have flown AirTran several times and have not had any problems. AirTran is who I am flying with for my November cruise. They were quite a bit cheaper than Delta at the time.

[garycarla]

Air Tran is a BIG airline. They are as good as the rest, and in some cases better because they are newer and have less long term employees, meaning costs!

 

You can easily find negative reports on ALL the carriers.

[Cruzin2paradise09]

You can easily find negative reports on ALL the carriers.

 

EXACTLY! :D

 

You hit the nail right on the head!

[cruisinmom68]

We only fly Airtran.... Last year our flight was canceled and they put us on the first flight out the next morning in their 'first class' to Atlanta and then put us on a different airline (united) in their first class (which was REALLY NICE) just to make sure we got to Seattle in time for our cruise. THEN we also received 4 free roundtrip tickets!!! Sooooooooo.... that is why we are going to Alaska again this year. :D

 

Their Customer service is phenominal.

[M&D]

As someone who is quite familiar with airline operations, please go at least 1 day before your cruise. Anything can....and often does....happen and it would be a shame to lose a weeks cruise over a one night hotel stay.

 

I've flown AirTran several time and have had no problems, but then, any airline can have bad days.

 

M&D

[rsinj]

We've flown AirTran quite a few times, always had good experiences, and look to fly with them when possible.

 

We'll be flying with them in a few weeks for our Alaska cruise.

 

Howard

[98Charlie]

Hi Charlie,

 

I don't understand why you are showing us the stats for ATA, didn't they go out of business in April?

 

My mistake. I thought that I'd hit the pull down for AirTran. Here's the direct link for AirTran

[cruisewiththekids]

I personally like Airtran, but they've been cancelling a lot of flights lately. I booked in May for my Sept. flight to FLL, and the flights have been cancelled three times so far. I've had to keep picking a new flight, and now it's getting real limited. But just be prepared for flight changes. More may be coming, since they're going to cut pilot jobs in the fall I read. Southwest seems to have the best reputation for not changing their schedule.

[BuckeyePat]

So I am curious, Kathylovescruises, Did you find anything that worked out? AirTran? Southwest? Ft. Lauderdale instead of Miami?

[Kathylovescruises]

I went with Air Tran, but the previous post now has me nervous!

 

We always leave the day before, which we are, but don't want to leave too

early in the morning because it is so closee to Christmas- lots toys to play with.

So we fly to FLL and out of Miami home. Got a good deal but will wait fr all the switching!

 

Thanks to you all!!

 

Kathy:confused:

[Cruzin2paradise09]

I went with Air Tran, but the previous post now has me nervous!

 

We always leave the day before, which we are, but don't want to leave too

early in the morning because it is so closee to Christmas- lots toys to play with.

So we fly to FLL and out of Miami home. Got a good deal but will wait fr all the switching!

 

Thanks to you all!!

 

Kathy:confused:

 

Relax. It'll all work out. Just remember that a lot of airlines are cancelling flights all over the place - not just AirTran. Keep your eyes open and watch your flight. If something changes and it's not going to work, call them and try to get them to help you.