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When Southwest cancels a flight

NikkiB
Explorer C

Is there any way to set preferences or something so that when Southwest cancels a flight I've booked, I automatically get rebooked onto the next available flight? I've been completely stranded once, in my destination city not my home city by the way, and nearly stranded a second time, because of situations where Southwest cancelled my flight. In one situation, the company just kept cancelling then next flight and the next flight basically until they told me that if I wanted to get back to Denver from San Diego, I was going to have wait FOUR DAYS before they could rebook me on anything. That was in June/July.

 

And then just this month, they cancelled a flight I was on from Denver to Newark, and didn't even bother to tell me - I just got to the airport only to find my e-boarding pass was gone. No notification, no nothing. And of course by then, my options to rebook were extremely limited. That day it took me 15 hours to get from Denver to Newark, no thanks to any help from Southwest.

 

I really want to believe in all this love, and I really want to give Southwest my business, but I gotta say, so far, I have not felt any of this love. All I've felt is abandoned. Is this it? When a flight gets cancelled, I'm just on my own and it's first come first serve too bad if you're driving or you never get the text that says the flight is cancelled? Or is there a way to fix that so that I'm not the last to know and the last to be rebooked? I don't want to give United any more of my business, but for as bad as they treat me, at least they get me to where I'm going...

5 REPLIES 5

Re: When Southwest cancels a flight

Bec
Explorer A
Solution

First, if you are a rapid rewards customer, let me help you setup notifications (email and text messages):

 

1. Login

2. Click on My Account (Top right corner)

3. Scroll down to My Preferences

4. Click on Communication

5. Switch from Subscriptions to Alerts (Tab like buttons towards the right)

6. Click on the words Set flight updates (Doesn't really look clickable but it is)

7. I had mine set to email, when I missed the notification of a cancelled flight, so I've since changed to text message. You choose your preference between email, text, or voice call from the drop down.

8. Enter appropriate information.

9. Click Save!

 

As for the 4 days issue in June/July, I am betting that was when the Southwest computer systems went down. That was a very rough situation that Southwest had and it affected several days worth of flights. My family and I were on going on vacation and the 5 of us got about halfway to our destination and ended up driving the rest. Not ideal but we made it. Southwest's customer service after several days made it right and it while it was a hugely frustrating time, I am satisfied now with how they handled the situation and kept the community posted with updates several times a day.

 

Honestly, I've had a couple of hiccups here and there in the several years I've been traveling with Southwest for work 10-20 times a year, and 1-2 times for personal, but I would say 95% or more times it goes along without a hitch and I'm a fan. 

--Bec

Re: When Southwest cancels a flight

professornd
Explorer C

Definitely set up notifications, because they are life savers!

 

On my latest flight, I had a flight canceled and was stuck overnight in a city I didn't even expect to visit (truly not Southwest's fault; there was a lot of really bad weather and our pilot hit his daily limit for flight hours).  I actually got the canceled flight notification on my phone before we got notification in person! It took a while to get a flight rebooked, but the Southwest employees stayed well past the end of their shift to ensure that everyone waiting was taken care of.  Everyone I dealt with was friendly and helpful, even providing drinks and snacks while we waited to rebook.  It's rare that my travels have any hiccups when I fly Southwest, but when they do, I remember that a) I get two free bags, b) there's no first class to pass on my way to a cramped coach seat, c) snacks and beverages are still free, and d) the flight crews are the most entertaining and fun of any airline I've flown.

Re: When Southwest cancels a flight

bthsworld
Explorer B

Hello! I'm actually a Southwest Airlines Employee. I work as a Customer Service Supervisor in one of our major airports and I thought I could provide a little bit of insight into your question about being automatically rebooked on the next Southwest flight. (Caveat: The information and perspective I share is my opinion only, and in no way represents the opinion or stance of Southwest Airlines.)

 

Right now, Southwest Airlines is in the midst of a major transformation of our reservations systems, and this should be on-going well into 2017. This 'modernization,' if you will, will allow Southwest Airlines enhanced capabilities to service our domestic and growing international Customer base. Essentially, we need a more robust system to reflect the size and scope of Southwest Airlines. Our current system no longer fits our current and future anticipated operations. One of the things that this new system may allow for is 'auto-reaccommodation.' Our existing systems don't have the capability to automatically rebook you on the next available flight when your flight cancels or incurs a lengthy delay. A human being, whether it be a Southwest Airlines Employee in an airport, a Customer Representative in a call center, or yourself through Southwest.com, has to physically rebook your ticket. I know how problematic this can be when you're driving to the airport, waiting in a line at the airport, or even on another Southwest Airlines flight.

 

Believe me, I know how convenient and satisfying this feature is because I've experienced it myself on other airlines. (Before I worked for Southwest Airlines, of course!:)

 

In summary, we don't have the capability to auto-rebook at this time. Once our technology 'revolution' is complete, this is probably something that is being evaluated. It pains me to read about your previous experiences with cancellations on Southwest Airlines, and for those I really do apologize.

 

One suggestion I have is to make sure that your travel agency is inputting your cell phone number into your reservations. Every single day, I help Customers whose companies use travel agencies to book their tickets. In most cases, the travel agencies input their own phone numbers into the reservations, which does the Customers themselves no good when flights become delayed or cancelled.

 

Additionally, until we offer this capability, I recommend that if you experience a cancellation or lengthy delay, you use multiple options to reach a Southwest Airlines Employee, as fast as you can. This might go without saying. Nevertheless, what I mean is that if you're in a long line at the airport to talk to someone, also place a call to Reservations while you're waiting. Or attempt to rebook on Southwest.com while you're waiting in line. I've seen many Customers 'save their own bacon' by doing this and finding seats they wouldn't have found had they simply waited.

 

I hope this is somewhat helpful! Let me know if you have any questions!

 

Brandon

 

 

 

 

Re: When Southwest cancels a flight

ABDs
Explorer C

Quick story in search of an answer.  Was flying from Kansas City to Dallas the evening of 11/25/2018.  It was a bad weather day in the midwest and not surprisingly the flight was cancelled 6 hours before scheduled takeoff.  What happened next was surprising.  Within moments of the flight being cancelled, it was removed from the system like it never existed.  I call the customer service number to get rebooked and they say, how can you be rebooked when you weren't even on a flight!   After a round of discussion it was discovered that yes indeed I had a valid ticket.   Then they say, well we can't get you on another flights for 2 days.  First off, I don't even think that is legal - airlines have to allow you an opportunity to get back home even if it involves another airline.  I had already done some homework and offered, what if I can get to St. Louis and fly out of there.  That was rejected at first, but finally agreed to.   So I bought train tickets to St. Louis.  Then, I find out that SWA indeed added another flight the next morning after all to make up for all of the cancellations.  I call to get on it instead of St. Louis and was told "no, we already 'accommodated you' by allowing St. Louis, we cannot offer rebooking out of Kansas City."  I was forced to buy new tickets to take a flight the next day that was already paid for!!  Someone, please tell me this is not acceptable.

Re: When Southwest cancels a flight

dfwskier
Aviator A

Well, you raise several different points so let's handle them one by one.

 

First of all, sorry to hear that you ran into travel touble. You were not alone. It happened to tens of thosuands of others due to the snow.

 

1) 'Within moments of the flight being cancelled, it was removed from the system like it never existed.  I call the customer service number to get rebooked and they say, how can you be rebooked when you weren't even on a flight!:"

 

Southwest automatically rebooks people whose flights are cancelled. The computer system does it automatically . I'd guess that you called before the computer got to you.

 

2)"After a round of discussion it was discovered that yes indeed I had a valid ticket.   Then they say, well we can't get you on another flights for 2 days.  First off, I don't even think that is legal - airlines have to allow you an opportunity to get back home even if it involves another airline."

 

Well that isn't exacty true. Airlines that have interline agreements with other airlines may rebook on other carriers. American just announced it would not do so for any travelers who booked "cheap fares". Southwest does not have any interline agrements. There is no law that says airlines have to rebook passengers on other carriers, and Southwest does not have the capability to do so.

 

3)"I had already done some homework and offered, what if I can get to St. Louis and fly out of there.  That was rejected at first, but finally agreed to.   So I bought train tickets to St. Louis.  Then, I find out that SWA indeed added another flight the next morning after all to make up for all of the cancellations.  I call to get on it instead of St. Louis and was told "no, we already 'accommodated you' by allowing St. Louis, we cannot offer rebooking out of Kansas City."

 

In the event of a cancellation, Southwest tries to automatically rebook you. You said the next flight would be 2 days out. My guess is that is where the company put you. The company allows you ONE FREE CHANGE from what the company tries to give you. CHANGS AFTER HE FIRST FREE ONE incur the normal charges for changing a reservation. You change to a St. Lous departure was your one free change. Your attempt to change it back to Kansas City was a second change.

 

In short the company did what it says it will do.

 

I guess if I had been you, I would have asked to discuss witha supervisor. You may want to discuss with customer service to see whether or not some type of adjustment can be made.

 

You may reach them via one of the methods listed on the top left of the contact us webpage.

 

https://www.southwest.com/contact-us/contact-us.html?clk=GFOOTER-CUSTOMER-CONTACT-US