about airtran

• corporate info
• • letter from bob
  • company history
  • awards
  • contact information
  • privacy policy
  • contract of carriage
  • logo library
• investor relations
• careers
• press room
• community involvement
• partners
• advertising
• airtran store
• contact us
• frequently asked questions

contract of carriage

Customer Service Commitment

Passenger Check-In Requirements and Cancellation of Reservations

AirTran Airways’s customers are able to check-in using AirTran.com, kiosks, ticket counters, and sky cap podiums. AirTran Airways’s passengers must retain their boarding pass and be present for boarding at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Reservations are subject to cancellation if the following occurs:

1. The passenger has not completed payment for the reserved confirmed seat(s) at least thirty (30) minutes prior to scheduled departure of the flight or earlier if a greater time is specified in AirTran Airways’s Contract of Carriage.
2. The passenger fails to fulfill the requirements of the fare type to which the reservation applies.
3. If the passenger is not present at the boarding gate at least ten (10) minutes prior to scheduled departure time even if the passenger has already checked in for the flight at a place designated for check-in (i.e. the Ticket Counter).
4. If such action is necessary to comply with any governmental regulation, or to comply with an governmental request for emergency transportation in connection with the national defense, or whenever such action is necessary or advisable by reason of weather or other conditions beyond AirTran Airways’ control.
5. If AirTran Airways refuses to transport the passenger for any of the reasons stated in the "Rules on Reconfirmation of Reservations Check-In Times" and "Refusals to Carry" section of AirTran Airways’s Contract of Carriage.
6. Passengers with advance seat assignments must check-in at least 20 minutes prior to scheduled departure to retain their advance seat assignment.

Properly Accommodate Disabled and Special Needs Passengers

AirTran Airways is dedicated to providing safe, convenient, reliable travel to individuals. All AirTran Airways employees are trained to comply with 14 CFR, Part 382, Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel. In accordance with the Part 382, AirTran Airways will not discriminate against any disabled individual. AirTran Airways employees who work with a disabled passenger will exhibit kindness, awareness and respect toward the disabled passenger. AirTran Airways has a Complaint Resolution Official at every airport to answer questions.

AirTran Airways will provide services and equipment for disabled individuals when requested by or on behalf of a disabled individual. AirTran Airways will not impose charges for providing facilities, equipment or services. Examples of services and equipment that will be provided to disabled individuals include:

• Wheelchair assistance with boarding and deplaning to include the use of an aisle chair when needed.
• Use of ramp or mechanical lifts to assist a disabled passenger where loading bridges are not available.
• Assistance with stowing and retrieving carry-on items and in preparation for eating such as opening packages and identifying food.
• Service animals are permitted in the cabin free of charge.
• Provide stowage of one personal, standard, collapsible, wheelchair, per aircraft, in the passenger cabin of the aircraft on a first come, first serve basis when requested at the gate.

Unaccompanied Minor Travel

AirTran Airways accepts unaccompanied minors five (5) years of age and older. Children five (5) to seven (7) years of age are accepted on AirTran Airways non-stop flights only (no change of aircraft). Unaccompanied minors eight (8) to eleven (11) years of age are accepted on non-stop, direct and connecting flights on AirTran Airways.

A service fee will be charged for unaccompanied minors on AirTran Airways flight(s). AirTran Airways will not confirm an unaccompanied minor’s itinerary if the itinerary involves a connection and the connecting flight is the last available flight of the day to their destination (regardless of departure time of the originating flight).

Denied Boarding - Fairness and Consistency

It is AirTran Airways’s policy to never intentionally cause a passenger to be inconvenienced when he/she holds a confirmed reservation on an AirTran Airways flight. However, due to operational requirements, inventory control policies and a varying degree of no-show passengers, there will be times when passengers cannot be accommodated on their flight. When these conditions occur, it is AirTran Airways’s policy to arrange the first available alternate accommodations as efficiently as possible and/or compensate eligible passengers in accordance with Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.

During a denied boarding situation, AirTran Airways will make available its "Notice of Compensation for Denied Boarding" brochure. The brochure explains AirTran Airways obligations and the passenger’s rights in an oversold flight situation. AirTran Airways will first solicit volunteers to give up their reservations (seat) in exchange for a Future Travel Award. All passengers who volunteer will be compensated at the highest level offered on a specific flight regardless of incremental amounts offered up to the final offer.

When AirTran Airways does not receive enough volunteers, AirTran Airways may deny boarding involuntarily to passengers holding a confirmed reservation. The last passenger(s) to present themselves at the departure gate will be involuntarily denied boarding.

If a customer is ticketed and asks if the flight is overbooked, the employee responsible for such information in their day-to-day work activities would be expected to respond accurately if the information is available.

A passenger denied boarding from an oversold flight shall not be eligible for denied boarding compensation if the flight for which the passenger holds confirmed reserved space is unable to accommodate that passenger because of substitution of equipment of lesser capacity when required by operational or safety reasons.

Denied Boarding Procedures - Passengers Denied Boarding Involuntarily

Passengers are entitled to a payment of "denied boarding compensation" from AirTran Airways unless:

1. The passenger has not fully complied with AirTran Airways’s ticketing and check-in requirements, or the passenger is not acceptable for transportation under AirTran Airways Contract of Carriage.
2. Passengers are denied boarding because the fight is canceled.
3. A smaller capacity aircraft was substituted for safety or operational reasons.
4. AirTran Airways is able to place the passenger on another flight or flights that are planned to reach the final destination within one (1) hour of scheduled arrival of the original fight.

If the passenger is involuntary denied boarding, the passenger is entitled to one of the following forms of compensation:

• If the passenger’ss arrival at their final destination is greater than one (1) hour but less than two hours past their original scheduled arrival, involuntary compensation is 100 percent of the sum of the values of the remaining flight coupons of the ticket to the next stopover, but not more than $200
• If the passenger’s arrival at their final destination is two (2) hours or more past their scheduled arrival, involuntary compensation is 200 percent of the sum of the values of the remaining flight coupons of the ticket to the next stopover, but not more than $400.

Response to Customer Complaints

We have a dedicated, trained Customer Relations staff to answer your inquiries.

Express your travel comments by:

• E-mailing us using the "Talk to AirTran Airways" button on our web page at www.airtran.com
• Calling us at 1-866-AIR-CHAT (1-866-247-2428)
  Hours of Operation:
  Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern.
• Mailing comments to:
  Customer Relations
  AirTran Airways,
  Dept. TBL
  1800 Phoenix Blvd.
  Suite 104
  Atlanta, GA 30349

Offer the Lowest Fare Available

AirTran Airways reservations agents are trained to offer customers the lowest available fare in the market. This includes all agents based in AirTran Airways reservations centers representing AirTran Airways. AirTran Airways reservations policy and practice dictates, and our reservations system is designed to ensure, that all reservations agents see and sell the lowest available fare in a given market per flight segment unless otherwise specified by the consumer (i.e. Business Class). Certain fares such as Internet promotions and NetEscapes are not accessible to the reservations agent and must be purchased through our web site (www.airtran.com).

Cancellations, Delays and Diversions (Irregular Operations)

Cancellations
AirTran Airways agents make every attempt to contact customers when their flight is canceled prior to the day of departure. It is recommended that all customers reconfirm their itinerary twenty-four (24) to forty-eight (48) hours prior to departure and to ensure AirTran Airways has updated contact information.

When a customer’ss flight is cancelled, AirTran Airways will make the following options available to the customer:

1. The passenger will be rebooked on another flight; or
2. A credit will be established for the total fare paid for each unused segment; or
3. The total fare paid for each unused segment will be refunded

An administrative service fee will not be charged for the option selected.

Departure Delays
AirTran Airways’s customer service representatives will make every attempt to keep customers informed regarding delayed flights. AirTran Airways’s policy is to communicate delay information at the departure gate every 20 minutes. Details of the delay will be announced as communicated via flight information found in the reservations and check-in computer system and from the AirTran Airways’s Systems Operations Control.

AirTran Airways will not begin the boarding process if a flight will be delayed at the gate for two (2) or more hours. In the event of a delay of known duration, we will commence boarding no sooner than one (1) hour prior in advance of the estimated time of departure (ETD). This will ensure that our customers have access to airport facilities, telephones, food and beverage outlets, Customer Service assistance, and other essential services during the course of an extended delay.

Once the affected flight is available for boarding, a general boarding announcement will be made in the departure gate area and a "final call" for that flight will be made in the general terminal area where permitted. However, it is important to remember that general terminal announcements typically cannot be heard in airport concession areas, restaurants, cocktail lounges, outdoor smoking areas and in some cases, restrooms.

Delays on the Aircraft
Onboard delays are situations we always try to avoid. However, if weather, gate-space limitations, visibility, airport conditions, mechanical problems, air traffic control requirements, or other uncontrollable circumstances cause extensive ground delays, we will endeavor to:

1. Make refreshments available on request.
2. Make every reasonable effort to ensure that lavatories remain serviceable.
3. Inform customers when and if it is safe to use personal cellular phones, computers and other portable electronic communication devices.
4. Work with airport officials and other airlines to share equipment such gates, portable stairs or other means by which customers may deplane and be safely escorted to a terminal or other reasonable facility.
5. Ensure that first aid and other routine medical services normally offered by AirTran Airways remain available and that professional medical assistance is made available if necessary, operationally feasible and safe to do so.
6. Make every reasonable effort to minimize the duration of any onboard delay and to the extent possible, any associated customer inconvenience.

Regardless of whether a delay is incurred on the ground or in the air, we will provide the best information available to us with regard to the cause of the delay and any changes in the status of your flight.

Diversions
A diversion occurs when a flight is directed to an alternate or unplanned airport. Occasionally, this may be necessary due to weather, field conditions, air traffic control problems, or other safety related conditions or issues. When these conditions arise we will always do our best to minimize your inconvenience. During the period of the diversion, the AirTran Airways’s Flight Crew will act as the onsite customer service representative if the diversion is to an airport not normally served by AirTran Airways.

Overnight Amenities

When an AirTran Airways’s flight on which the customer is being transported is canceled creating an overnight stay, a customer will be provided one (1) night’ss lodging, when available, except in the following situations:

1. When the cancellation is due to weather or Air Traffic Control problems.
2. The customer whose trip is interrupted at their origin point or domicile.
3. When the destination designated on the customer’ss ticket and the flight on which the customer is being transported is diverted to another city or airport in the same metropolitan area.

On-Time Baggage Delivery

AirTran Airways will make every effort to deliver bags in a timely manner. AirTran Airways will advise all customers to place identification on the outside of all checked baggage. This enables our agents to contact passengers who have not claimed their checked baggage.

When a customer reports a delayed bag, AirTran Airways’s baggage system is used to conduct a search. AirTran Airways will do everything possible to quickly reunite the customer and their baggage.

When baggage is delayed for 24 hours or longer, AirTran Airways will provide an interim expense allowance determined by AirTran Airways. The interim expense allowance is paid to the ticketed customer who checked the bag(s). An interim expense allowance is not provided at the customers domicile.

Baggage Liability Limit

AirTran Airways baggage liability is based on Department of Transportation standards and rules. AirTran Airways liability is limited to a maximum of $3,000 per ticketed customer unless a higher value is declared at the time the bag is initially checked and applicable charges are paid. Please note that the total liability for wheelchairs and assist devices is based on the original purchase price of the device.

For most international travel (including domestic portions of international journeys), liability for loss, delay, or damage to baggage is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound ($20.00 per kilo) for checked baggage and $400 per passenger for unchecked baggage unless a higher value is declared in advance and additional charges are paid. Liability is for a maximum of 70 pounds ($640.00) per checked bag. The limit may be lowered for additional pieces to certain destinations or when using connecting carriers.

Holding Reservations

AirTran Airways’s reservations will not be held without payment.

Provide Prompt Ticket Refunds

Unused Business Class tickets purchased by credit card will be refunded within 7 days of receiving the refund request. Unused business class tickets purchased with cash or check will be refunded within 20 days of receiving the refund request.