I have a question - Has anyone traveled on Air Tran airlines, and what has been your experience? We always go Southwest to Chicago to visit my sister, but Sid is in a wheelchair, so we get preferential treatment. This time, I'm going alone (in November), and will have to stand in their lines and take whatever seat I can find - no assigned seats on Southwest. No more "first come; first serve" either. They assign you a letter, and call by letters. If yours is at the end, you could be stuck in a middle seat in the back of the plane. Air Tran has some good prices, but I've never flown with them. I only do non-stop flights, and they're hard to find. Southwest always has them from Orlando to Midway.

joang

Joan, I have flown Air Tran and had good experiences....I do believe that they are owned by Southwest now, but I could be wrong. Terry is right about opting in for the early bird check-in. I feel like it is a bargain on Southwest since you don't have to pay for your check bags.

Thank you - I didn't know about the early check-in with SW because of Sid and the wheelchair. You should have seen me the last time I flew to the DC Forum by myself. The security lines were a mile long, and I was like a fish out of water - I was so used to being whisked through with the wheelchair attendent.

joang

We've flow Air Tran out of PBI to White Plains & FTL to Columbus. They've been fine. Daughter's and grandchildren fly down to visit on Air Tran. Much better than Jet Blue on a par with SW says daughter who flies 1mil/mi per yr
I check all bags, call day before to confirm they know I need handicapped help and use an official looking laminated iD for DW "
"TSA I have Alzheimer's and may not be able to follow your directions......name. address.. her pic
In March We wisked thru security here & in Ny. no shoes off. just walk thru metal detector after showing the card

I've flown Air Tran many times from Charlotte to St. Thomas USVI. No complaints! Be sure to tell res agent you need assistance., and you will be driven from the check in place to the plane, either on a golf cart or in a wheel chair, same when you arrive there. (And, remember to tip the guy who pushes your wheelchair!)

I've flown AirTran many times, and I've never had problems. However, Southwest did buy them and canceled their service to the town where I live, so I'm currently angry at them (Southwest, not AirTran). Actually, the reason I almost always took AirTran was that we live in central Illinois, and it was one of the few airlines that allowed me to fly from here and avoid O'Hare.

joang....Don't feel quilty abut wanting to get away from Sid. I know how you feel, I felt quilty leaving my dh in ALF for two weeks while I have respite and because I am enjoying the time alone. I have been doing very little the things I had planned. I am just loving having my home to myself and not having to fix meals at odd times of the day and listening to COPS on the TV.

I would never believe I would like being alone so much.

I took Air Tran from Jacksonville Florida to Las Vegas and back. I flew with DH on this last "fling" a trip to see CHER. They were great. I had booked the trip on the internet but when we got to the airport and they realized what they were dealing with with my DH,(not just the walker and wheel chair) they told me that their first class seats are only $50 a piece more than the coach seats I had booked. I paid the extra and boy was it worth the money. SOOOO if you do decide on Air Tran for your get away trip, check out the first class seats. They do not call it first class but you are truly treated as first class.

I agree with Nancy B*. I always ask for a wheelchair. Walking a long distance kills me and I walk so slow , I'd never make my flight. It's well worth the tip. (And they board you first )

JudithKB,

To get to the loop from Midway, you can either take a cab--There are always Chicago cabs waiting for passengers to go into the city--OR if you are adventurous you can take the El into the loop. It's called the Orange Line. It starts and ends at Midway. Makes a big loop through downtown and back. You can check out the CTA website at : www.transitchicago.com

I can give you more detailed information if you tell me where you are going. You can email me if you want. My email address is in my profile.

FYI, if you need to go to the suburbs of Chicago from Midway (or even O'Hare) you need to call for a cab. Chicago cabdrivers are not allowed to take fares into the suburbs from the airports. I live in a suburb about 15 minutes from Midway and when we flew home, we would have to call a suburban cab company to take us home.

On Southwest, I have always advised the gate agent/service desk that spouse has ALZ and they give priority boarding pass. I board with spouse, who does not require WC, with those customers that do.

I had a strange experience with Southwest last summer. I went to the desk at the boarding gate & told the clerk that DH has AZ. She gave me an early boarding pass. When we were called I showed it to the boarding attendant & he asked me where we wanted to sit. I told him that it didn't matter. He asked me again & when I told him I didn't have a preference he became a little belligerent & told me that if I didn't tell him where we wanted to sit he could revoke the early boarding pass. I was a bit taken back, but I told him that my DH has AZ & it was just easier for us to board first to avoid the confusion, but if I had to choose then I prefer the front. That was the first & last time that happened. I thought about following that up, but I figured that we would not be doing that much traveling anymore & if we did I wold know what to say.

Air Tran has a huge 24 hour sale.. Maybe you need to call and see if your trip is discounted. Travel between now and October I think.