A list NON-renewal

[cscherzer]

I was 3 one-way trips short of obtaining my A-list status for 2017 and called the customer care line  right before the end of the year to discuss if any exceptions were made.  The rep I spoke to said NO EXCEPTIONS are ever made for A-list, but I still had a few weeks before the end of the year to book 3 flights.  She even encouraged me to use points that I had accumulated (even though I would still be short and would have to purchase more points).  So I took her advice and flew from Kansas City to Houston / Houston to St. Louis / St. Louis to Kansas City on Dec. 28th and 29th.  BOOM!.....problem solved and I flew the required 25 flights for A-list.  I even received an email notification a few days later congratulating me that I qualified.....which I expected to get anyway.  Fast forward a few days later (right after the first of the year) to another email claiming I actually didn't qualify for A-list and that email had been sent in error.  So I called the customer care line and spoke with another rep who confirmed that I indeed HAD NOT qualified because certain points were used to book those last flights and it didn't count toward A list.  I explained to her that I was only doing what the other customer rep had encouraged me to do.  I must've been on the phone for 40 minuted pleading my case to no avail.  For a company that constantly beats their chest about putting the us, the client first, I feel I'm getting totally hosed on this deal.  I never would've flown those last 2 days and spent extra money for more points had I been told up front that I wouldn't qualify.  I was given wrong information by a Southwest customer care rep and I'm the one getting screwed in the end.  It would be no skin off Southwest's back to grant me, a VERY loyal customer, the A-list I earned for the 3rd year in a row.  Couldn't be more disappointed how this all shook out.

[LindseyD]

Hi @cscherzer,

Flights that are booked using Award Points do not earn any additional points, and therefore don't count toward AList Status. The full terms and conditions of the Rapid Rewards Program can be found on Southwest.com. Your patronage is important to us, and we're truly sorry for any misunderstanding about the program. 

[FrankieD]

Same thing happened to me. I was 2 legs shy of A-List Preferred for second year in a row. I would have reached the required 50 legs but had 2 trips cancelled due to circumstances out of my control.

i wrote to customer service to request consideration in light of my past loyalty. Next day I received an email congratulating me on reaching A-List Preferred only to receive another hours later taking it back!

This treatment of loyal customers is horrendous and runs counter to everything Southwest claims to stand for.

Im afraid their "Loyalty Program" will have the opposite effect on me as I will no longer go out of my way to fly SW as I have in the past.