In ["Theory of fractional order generalized thermoelasticity," Journal of Heat Transfer 132, 2010] Youssef has proposed a model in generalized thermoelasticity based on the fractional order time derivatives. The current manuscript is concerned with a two-dimensional generalized thermoelastic coupled problem for a homogeneous isotropic and thermally conducting thermoelastic rotating medium in the context of the above fractional order generalized thermoelasticity with two relaxation time parameters. The normal mode analysis technique is used to solve the resulting non-dimensional coupled governing equations of the problem. The resulting solution is then applied to two concrete problems. The effect of the fractional parameter and the time instant on the variations of different field quantities inside the elastic medium are analyzed graphically in the presence of rotation. © 2012 Imperial College Press.