The best news was the price, just $212 total to fly from Newburgh, NY to Atlanta and then, next Saturday, from Atlanta to Charleston. That was about half of what it would have cost me from Bradley. Low price and simplicity of fare structure is where the discount airlines excel because they base their fares on one-way trips. With AirTran or JetBlue, you avoid those mind-boggling algorithms that penalize you for not flying round trip between two cities, or for adding another leg to your trip.
For folks in Connecticut and the northern suburbs of New York City, Newburgh and Westchester County Airport (White Plains) offer flights on AirTran, JetBlue and those operated by the larger airlines. Newburgh's Stewart Field is easy to get to, just off of Interstate 84, modern without being fancy, and efficient. Long-term parking is available for around $50 per week, although I did not test it (my wife dropped me off).
There was no wait at the ticket counter to drop off my golf bag and no wait at the security line either on a Sunday night, typically a busy time at an airport (it sure was in Atlanta, where I was squeezed onto one of those automated shuttles). The AirTran Boeing 717 loaded efficiently and quickly, and it took off on time.
I was able to bolster my back and avoid emergency chiropractic intervention in Atlanta.
One nice feature with AirTran is that you can reserve online for one of those roomy exit row seats. I was amazed that only two of us sat in the exit row, leaving even more space to stretch out. (Note: The 717 is configured with two seats on the left and three on the right.) Roominess was about the only thing positive to say about the seating experience. Cushions on the aisle and middle seats on my side had become so misaligned that plastic showed throw where the seat cushion met the back cushion. It felt as if my butt was pushed against the back of a toilet seat. Also, the seat back was slightly misshapen; a couple of hours of that would have realigned my spinal column. The seats came complete with crumbs from their last occupants - no frills means quick turnarounds which means no time for vacuuming - and the floor at the window seat was sticky; I thought my shoes would come off a few times when I lifted my legs to readjust my position. With the help of a blanket supplied by the friendly flight attendant, I was able to bolster my back and avoid emergency chiropractic intervention in Atlanta.
Now for the good news: The flight was smooth, arrived on time in Atlanta and, incredibly, my bags preceded me to the carousel in baggage claim. Well, maybe not incredibly, since the trip from gate to terminal at a behemoth airport like Atlanta takes at least 20 minutes under good conditions. Golf club sets apparently do not fit onto the carousel but are hand carried from tarmac to baggage claim; I was impressed to see one of the airlines handlers standing by the carousel with my precious clubs, waiting for me. It was a nice touch and almost made me forget the slight ache in my back.
Would I fly AirTran again? Absolutely. The price was right, the service was no worse than what you get on the major airlines, and the small but efficient Stewart Airport was easy in and easy out. Next time I will strap on one of those back bolsters, though.