Delayed Flights and Higher Prices

[SouthwestHelpMe]

What is going on with Southwest Airlines these days? I use this airline because of the rewards and cheaper flights. My husband and I fly a lot and the points come in handy for unexpected flights. I just flew to Atlanta 2 days ago for my granddaughters graduations. The flight was delayed 3 times coming to Atlanta. But it wasn't for weather or something understandable in regards to safety, it was because they really had no staff to accompany the flight. It was barely 10 people on the same flight as me and everything southwest was empty. I overlooked that because it doesn't happen to me a lot. Now I am headed back home and this time the flight has been delayed 2 hours. Again its barely 10 people here and no staff. What is going on? Since I paid full price for the ticket, will they give me a partial refund for the long wait? Where do we go from here?

[dfwskier]

Sorry to hear of the delays.

Someitimes when that happens, Southwest automatically issuess passengers vouchers good for future travel.

You can always complain directly to Southwest by clicking on "contact us" below and proceeding. Maybe you'll get a voucher for your trouble.

Hope your next light is better.

[jimvi22]

It also happened to me around three months ago & I wasn't aware, whether it would refund my money or not. So, I don't take any action for a refund. Is it true, to get a refund from the airline if the flight is delayed for 2 hours on a One-way flight? Am I eligible to get a refund now or I lost the opportunity?

[05bardic]

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@jimvi22 wrote:

It also happened to me around three months ago & I wasn't aware, whether it would refund my money or not. So, I don't take any action for a refund. Is it true, to get a refund from the airline if the flight is delayed for 2 hours on a One-way flight? Am I eligible to get a refund now or I lost the opportunity?

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 If you still took the flight, you are not entitled to a refund. Sometimes the airline will offer a voucher of some sort for the inconvenience, but they're not required to do so for a 2 hour delay. Here's the latest info on the rule from the DOT as of April:

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

• Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.