About AirTran fare sales -- deceptive??

[FlyerTalker]

A blog post at Upgrade: Travel Better details the story of how AirTran has raised prices for a few days, then lowered them back to previous levels, all to the accompanying promo of a fare sale. The article says:

"Within a one-month period, Air Tran raised their fares three times — twice for three days, once for five days — and then brought them back to the previous level. Each time, their return to normal pricing was heralded with breathless press releases and a marketing blitz, announcing a sale.

All of which makes the historic fare info at FareCompare a very useful tool.

 

Read the whole story HERE.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

This is where it pays to be an educated consumer. Do your home work on fares before you buy.

 

Department stores, furniture stores...a lot of those places do the same thing. They close for a day to mark down prices. When they are really marking them up and then marking them down to regular price and then reopen the next day for the biggest sale in the companys history!

 

Is Airtran the only one doing this? I get lots of emails from other airlines too all advertising sales. Cruise lines too.

 

Do your home work and keep an eye out. When you feel you hit a good price then go for it.

 

But to answer your question, I do not limit myself to one particular airline. I am familiar enough with Airtran to know the ball park figure of their prices to particular places I frequent, and I wait until they have a sale. And it really is a sale.

 

Deceptive or not let the buyer beware.

 

Besides what airline doesnt raise and lower its fares several times a month. The only thing AirTran is doing is calling it a sale when the price goes back down. USAIR calls theirs esavers and United priced to go.

[hdawson]

No more deceptive than Macy's, Dillards, Home Depot, Circuit City, etc.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

No more deceptive than Macy's, Dillards, Home Depot, Circuit City, etc.

 

Oh you mean those of us who are actually paying attention? LOL.

 

This isnt new for department stores or airlines.

 

I guess someone had a slow day and needed something to write. lol

[cruzrbachoua]

Hi All.......i Am Traveling Airtran For The First Time This October From San Diego To Fort Lauderdale For Our First Ever Cruise......have Heard Some Horror Stories And Some Love Em Stories On Air Tran. Can Anyone Tell Me If They Have Traveled With Them And If They Would Again.....?? We Are Arriving The Day Of The Cruise At About 10 (5pm Departure) And Leaving At About 7 The Night We Return From The Cruise...due To Work Schedules We Couldnt Take Any More Time Off To Fly In/out Days Before/after........should We Be Worried With Late Flights Or Lost Luggage?

[hdawson]

My only concern would be weather. Expecially around Atlanta. AirTran has the best record in baggage handling of all the domestics. I really like AirTran alot.

[bluefintuna]

Never flew AirTran, but fly JetBlue frequently. Looking at airfares for January, (Boston to FLL) JetBlue wanted rt $400 something and AirTran $200 something rt. What is with that?! Southwest from Manchester, N.H. had fair fares, but it would take 6 hours to get there. Great! I could fly to California in less time. It's all insane, just like retail.

[cruzrbachoua]

hi all............booked with airtran, and they changed our flight. they have us now arriving at 10pm the nite before our cruise. can anyone suggest a good way to transfer to port everglades... besides a taxi. any shuttle company recommendations would be great. i believe the hotel my husband got through his work is not far from the cruise port, but not sure. do know that the hotel does not offer any transfers.. :(

[Jimbo]

hi all............booked with airtran, and they changed our flight. they have us now arriving at 10pm the nite before our cruise. can anyone suggest a good way to transfer to port everglades... besides a taxi. any shuttle company recommendations would be great. i believe the hotel my husband got through his work is not far from the cruise port, but not sure. do know that the hotel does not offer any transfers.. :(

 

Be easier just grabbing a taxi if the hotel is close, you don't have to worry about setting up a time that you will be needing the ride either.

 

I have a question for you , your opinions of hotel and location of a hotel in San Diego ??

Hotel is for one night pre-cruise before our Hawaii Cruise.

 

Best Western Bayside Inn

555 West Ash St

San Diego, CA

 

Thanks

Jimbo

[hdawson]

Port Everglades, in Ft Lauderdale, is about a 7 minute cab ride from the airport. Your hotel may have a shuttle service thats complementary.

[cruzrbachoua]

Be easier just grabbing a taxi if the hotel is close, you don't have to worry about setting up a time that you will be needing the ride either.

 

I have a question for you , your opinions of hotel and location of a hotel in San Diego ??

Hotel is for one night pre-cruise before our Hawaii Cruise.

 

Best Western Bayside Inn

555 West Ash St

San Diego, CA

 

Thanks

Jimbo

 

jimbo, thanks for the quick response. i have stayed at some pretty nice best westerns. since you are only going to be staying for the nite that would be a good choice. it is about a 5-10 min ride to the cruise terminal and since ash st only runs one direction (towards harbor dr) that is a good choice. i assume you were looking for a hotel that was close to airport and cruise terminal. there is also a nice holiday inn on harbor drive, i have never had any issues with either of those 2 hotels. have a good time on your cruise.

[cruzrbachoua]

Port Everglades, in Ft Lauderdale, is about a 7 minute cab ride from the airport. Your hotel may have a shuttle service thats complementary.

 

nope no shuttle rides:( , not even to the airport. the hotel is on seabreeze dr. (hope i spelled that right). on the map it looks like it is not far from port everglades......i know taxis here (sd) can get pricey how are the taxis in florida...since i am sure gas is cheaper there than in san diego...?

[ddonalds]

I've flown AirTran a few times - they were fine. Not really any different than any other airlines... but I'm really glad they moved the flight to the day before - nothing to do with AirTran, but flying, things do happen that delay connections - and I always give myself AT LEAST 1 day near the Port before a cruise - I can't start my vacation stressed out that I might miss it...:D

[Jimbo]

jimbo, thanks for the quick response. i have stayed at some pretty nice best westerns. since you are only going to be staying for the nite that would be a good choice. it is about a 5-10 min ride to the cruise terminal and since ash st only runs one direction (towards harbor dr) that is a good choice. i assume you were looking for a hotel that was close to airport and cruise terminal. there is also a nice holiday inn on harbor drive, i have never had any issues with either of those 2 hotels. have a good time on your cruise.

 

Thanks, Holidayinn on the Bay was like $300 a night, can't see paying that since mostly all we are going to do after the long flight is eat and sleep, coming from the east coast. WE got the Best Western for $129.00 and it gets good reviews on Tripadvisor, thought we would give it a try.

 

Last time we cruised out of San Diego we toured that aircraft carrier and then we ate at one of those fish places on the Bay, after that we were exausted from our day, went back to the out hotel and fell asleep around 830pm pacific time, woke up the next morning around 430am and saw our ship sail in:D .

 

Jimbo:)

[cruzrbachoua]

Thanks, Holidayinn on the Bay was like $300 a night, can't see paying that since mostly all we are going to do after the long flight is eat and sleep, coming from the east coast. WE got the Best Western for $129.00 and it gets good reviews on Tripadvisor, thought we would give it a try.

 

Last time we cruised out of San Diego we toured that aircraft carrier and then we ate at one of those fish places on the Bay, after that we were exausted from our day, went back to the out hotel and fell asleep around 830pm pacific time, woke up the next morning around 430am and saw our ship sail in:D .

 

Jimbo:)

 

 

yeah we are trying to do the same thing in florida. yeah $300 is crazy for a bed and shower basically. go with the best western... oh you toured the midway......my dad used to be on that ship! we are trying to find a hotel near fort lauderdal airport and port everglades for the nite. our flight arrives at 10pm saturday before our cruise. so we just need the bed and shower also. i say book best western, they have been great to us when we go to disneyland and other parks in california. have a fabulous time in hawaii...we are headed to the western caribbean!! yeah! :D

[hdawson]

In Miami, I've gotten the downtown Hyatt and Doubletree on Priceline for $45 to $60. Just choose three stars in the area you want. Should be able to do pretty good for Fll too especially if you don't need beachfront.

[cruzrbachoua]

In Miami, I've gotten the downtown Hyatt and Doubletree on Priceline for $45 to $60. Just choose three stars in the area you want. Should be able to do pretty good for Fll too especially if you don't need beachfront.

 

 

great thanks... what sites did you use....i am using yahoo travel and one other, whose name escapes me and i am getting like $120-299....

[hdawson]

I bid on Priceline.com. Their star level is spot on from my experience. Also got Hyatt downtown in Tampa for $50.

[cruzrbachoua]

I bid on Priceline.com. Their star level is spot on from my experience. Also got Hyatt downtown in Tampa for $50.

 

i will check those out, yall have been real great on this site. glad i joined, good to know there are others out there who help ya out.

[hdawson]

Welcome to CC. The prices I gave are from 18 months to 30 months ago. If your bid is rejected, you can bid again in a couple of days. Priceline will assign a hotel based on your requested location and star level. No refunds. I've never been disappointed.

[cruzrbachoua]

Thanks, Holidayinn on the Bay was like $300 a night, can't see paying that since mostly all we are going to do after the long flight is eat and sleep, coming from the east coast. WE got the Best Western for $129.00 and it gets good reviews on Tripadvisor, thought we would give it a try.

 

Last time we cruised out of San Diego we toured that aircraft carrier and then we ate at one of those fish places on the Bay, after that we were exausted from our day, went back to the out hotel and fell asleep around 830pm pacific time, woke up the next morning around 430am and saw our ship sail in:D .

 

Jimbo:)

 

jimbo, if you come back to this thread, wanted to let you know dh and i drove past your best western last nite after a 4th of july hornblower harbor cruise. it looked great. depending on traffic and the time of day you leave the hotel to get to the cruise terminal, it should be like 5-10 minutes. you do have to get past the railroad tracks where the trolley and amtrack run through. last night at about 1030.. we sat for like 20 minutes but that was because of everyone getting off their respective harbor cruises and personal yachts and stuff. depending on how much luggage u have and how up to it you feel you could probably walk it in about 15-20 min depending on how fast you walk. my dh likes to stroll where i seem to have a faster stride. have fun on your cruise. we booked the sheraton yankee clipper hotel for our stay in fll through his work. looked great online. we shall see!

[robtulipe]

nope no shuttle rides:( , not even to the airport. the hotel is on seabreeze dr. (hope i spelled that right). on the map it looks like it is not far from port everglades......i know taxis here (sd) can get pricey how are the taxis in florida...since i am sure gas is cheaper there than in san diego...?

My wife took a taxi from Pt. Everglades to FLL airport last month and it cost $12.

[cruzrbachoua]

My wife took a taxi from Pt. Everglades to FLL airport last month and it cost $12.

 

thanks for the info. our hotel is only a little further than pt everglades... cant wait to go, at this point i am thinking it is just money right , cant take it with ya when your time comes right??!! lol:p