Choke on it, AirTran!

Got to watch football on NBC on a Delta charter last night.
That was very cool.

 

I flew AirTran recently from Atlanta direct back to my home city. I was checking in for a 5 p.m. flight early due to a ride there, and the counter woman volunteered to put me stand-by on the 1 p.m. They not only got me on the earlier flight, but I sat in first class because that's where there was vacancy. And my bags made it on the correct plane with me, home 4 hours early, with absolutely no problems on the entire journey. Can't say I remember such a smooth experience on any airline.

 

I've never flown AirTran, but from what I've heard, they aren't too bad.

And the thing with standby? You can request that anytime on any airline. That's how us employees fly. And yes, you will get first class if it's available and you're high enough on the list.

 

Well, don't count out AirTran buying out Midwest just yet ...

http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=1&date=8/14/2007&id=27793

 

Fuck those cocksuckers. They're like a bad case of herpes -- they just won't go away.

(not that I would know about that)

 

Sure you wouldn't..

 

I can assure you that if you fly standby with American, Northwest, United, Delta, US Air, etc, the only way you wind up in first class is if you bought a first class ticket to begin with.

 

OK, but you told me you were clean!

 

Not true. I've flown up front 30% of the time i've flown standby. It depends on the flight and the number of special rewards customers there are. If you're on Delta and there are 20 Platinum Medallion members, yeah forget about it. Especially through high traffic cities. Otherwise, there's a fair chance.

And you can purchase an upgrade to first class/business class, too.

 

USAir, for a while, I don't think they are anymore, was charging $25 just to be put on standby, and you paid that, whether or not you made it on the flight.

 

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet: AirTran trumped the Northwest offer, only to have that one trumped as well. So, AirTran is out and Midwest/Northwest have to get past antitrust laws.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=648565

UPDATE: Be careful what you wish for ... Northwest could someday be the majority owner of Midwest. Now that could truly suck.

http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=1&date=8/17/2007&id=27937

 

I am so sick of this daily updating by the airlines.
Dear Midwest/Northwest/Whomever else wants in:
Get of your butts, do something already unless you want someone to go under because you waited too long.