Customer service since SWA/Air Tran merger

We've seen a decline in employee attitude at the SWA terminal counters since the merger with Air Tran. Different uniforms, so we don't know if these are Air Tran transplants or what. On two recent trips they would stand there and not serve us until we used the kiosks, which granted is not rocket science but it was new to us. No usual SWA friendliness, rather some condescending looks as they barked out the instructions. We never had this kind of attitude from SWA employees before. Haven't noticed any problems at the gates or on the planes, just at the counters in the downstairs terminals. Anybody else noticed this?

During our recent October trip the service at the terminal counters in Austin and Las Vegas was just as friendly and efficient as usual.

We are wondering how the check-in is going to be when a ticket on an Air Tran flight is purchases on the SWA website. We will find out next month when we fly to Ft. Lauderdale. I says to check-in as usual on-line 24 hours in advance and says that seats can be selected then. Will there be any decent seats left? Has anyone went through this process? We do not have this problem for Vegas because from Indy to Las is non-stop on SWA.

I will answer my own question to a degree. Today I noticed that the opportunity to select seats on Air Tran reservations made on SWA site is now present. This must be something new. The seats cost at least $10 but I booked them to be safe. This opportunity extended to at least mid January as my wife and her sister are flying to FLL for a cruise and part of the return is Air Tran (Atl to Ind). I was also able to book their seats on the Air Tran portion of the flight. Obviously you can still wait until check-in 24 hours prior to book seats but what will be available and will they still have to be paid for are unknowns?