Airtran’s greatest appeal is the notion that you can travel for a not much coin.
Airtran Airways has made the idea of air travel a reality even for Joe-Six-Pack. The news of their cheap tickets seems to be common knowledge. True, there are some downsides: they only fly within the continental United States, and they’re not exactly known for their high degree of luxury. But their ticket costs more than compensate. While their affordability is no longer a secret (it never really was), they have a new offer that most certainly is.
It’s called—well, actually it doesn’t really have a name. Basically, Airtran offers one-way tickets for $69, but there’s a catch. There is one big requirement: you have to be a student between the ages of 18 and 22. Also, it’s risky because they are only stand-by tickets—meaning there is no guarantee that you will get on the flight. The pay-off is obviously the ticket price, but it’s a gamble. Nevertheless, there are many who are willing to take the chance.
Ashley Brannen is one of them. Brannen notes that there are a couple ways to better your odds.
“If you call Airtran the day or so before you plan to fly stand-by and tell them which flight you want to take, they’ll tell you how many seats are open and how likely it is that you would be able to get on,” Brannen said. “Also, you want to avoid the holidays at all costs.”
Fortunately, Airtran’s Web site contains all of their flight information. “It’s very accommodating to this system,” Brannen said. “You can look at all your options before you decide if it’s worth the risk.” The more flights that are offered to your destination of choice, the more chances you have of getting on a flight. Even if one is full, you can wait around for the next one.
While this method of flying is made for a spontaneous get-away, it can also work for a more planned vacation as well. As long as there are several flights to your destination, there is a very slim chance that you wouldn’t be able to arrive there on the day you planned.
“I’ve used this system three times—all of them round-trip—and I’ve never had to come back the next day because I couldn’t get on a flight,” Brannen said. “And once you get on the flight, you pretty much forget all the stress that it caused—especially when you look at the receipt.”
If you have the courage, flexible travel time and the age requirements, then plan your best case flight scenario (and a back-up plan) and head to the airport. Since you can’t purchase tickets ahead of time, you just tell the Airtran employee at the ticket counter what you want to do, and she will assist you with the details. Then, cross your fingers, and hope for the best.
For more information, visit airtran.com or call (800) 247-8726.
