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Travel Funds

Debracompson
Explorer C

I was going to Hawaii in the beginning of the Pandemic. My money has been sitting in travel funds for over a year. I want my money refunded. Southwest should not have let us book the flight. This was during the time Hawaii didn’t allow visitors in but Southwest was still flying us idiots in. So Hawaii decided that they’d quarantine us for 14 days at our expense. So right before we were to leave I canceled my flight. It’s not a lot of money normally but since things are tight I need my money. Any suggestions? I’d be ever so greatful! 

9 REPLIES 9

Re: Travel Funds

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@Debracompson wrote:

 I want my money refunded. Southwest should not have let us book the flight


Seriously? You think Southwest should have said, "no, you can't fly"? Then people would be complaining that they weren't allowed to fly despite wanting to go. 

 

Since you purchased a nonrefundable fare and canceled the value of your fare is held in a travel fund which expires either one year from original purchase date or in September of 2022, depending on when you canceled. You can check your expiration here:

https://www.southwest.com/travel-funds/

Cash refunds are not available on non-refundable fares. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

 

Re: Travel Funds

jksobonya
Aviator A

Flying anywhere is up to anyone's discretion, even during a pandemic - if you feel comfortable, you can fly. Generally, Southwest does not offer refunds on Wanna Get Away fares unless Southwest cancels (and does not rebook) your flight, but since you cancelled your flight yourself, you have travel funds which - if you cancelled last March - September -  should be good until September 2022. In my opinion, that's plenty of time to use your funds. 

 

--Jessica

Re: Travel Funds -BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

TPALMER
Explorer C

I am so upset with Southwest!

I booked a trip for my husband and I last Christmas, 12/2020 and had to cancel because of covid.

I'm a planner so these were booked on 6/11/2020 before covid was controlling our lives.

I was told we would have a year to use them. So we were planning another Christmas trip just like the one that was canceled, just to find out last week that they expire 6/11/2021!!

After 2 emails with no response and several calls being either not answered or on hold for over an hour each time I was finally able to talk to someone that basically said "to bad, our policy is they expire 1 year from date of purchase or you can pay another 100.00 each and try to get them extended. 

I ask if they could even be extended for 90 days and was told "NO, not unless I paid them 100.00 for each ticket"!

I tried to explain that we did not have the vacation time right now and my job is still making people quarantine for 10 days after returning from a trip. we had no plans to travel this summer but did however plan a Christmas vacation.

THEY DID NOT CARE!!

Re: Travel Funds -BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@TPALMER wrote:

I'm a planner so these were booked on 6/11/2020 before covid was controlling our lives.

I was told we would have a year to use them. 


That's correct, travel must be completed before one year from the date of purchase. If you had canceled before September 7 you would have been given an extension that was being offered at the time. I too lost funds for a Christmas trip I canceled, but that is the standard policy for using travel funds. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Travel Funds -BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

tappingmom1
Frequent Flyer B

@TPALMER wrote:

I'm a planner so these were booked on 6/11/2020 before covid was controlling our lives.

 

Hmmm...I'm pretty sure COVID was controlling our lives last June.  Instead of being upset with SWA, maybe the responsibility lies elsewhere.  Just food for thought.

Re: Travel Funds -BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

dfwskier
Aviator A

@tappingmom1 wrote:

@TPALMER wrote:

I'm a planner so these were booked on 6/11/2020 before covid was controlling our lives.

 

Hmmm...I'm pretty sure COVID was controlling our lives last June.  Instead of being upset with SWA, maybe the responsibility lies elsewhere.  Just food for thought.


You are correct. The virus started controlling our live in March, 2020.

 

In my case it was March 12, 2020 -- the day I cancelled a memorial service  scheduled for March 15 that was to be attended by about 150 people. 

Re: Travel Funds -BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

Rylan
Explorer C

southwest obviously doesn’t give a rats ass about its customers from this don’t care policy. They only care about their corporate coffers filling with your money that you can’t use on an actual flight.

Report  them to the DOT for unfair ticketing practices. 

Re: Travel Funds -BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

gsking
Aviator C

No need to spam multiple threads... we get it.   

 

Sorry you couldn't fly for the last year.   The rest of us had no such restriction.   You must have watched too much CNN and not realized that not only were the planes flying,  but doing so safely. 🤷

 

Your loss.   Perhaps open your aperture up next time and don't play into the MSM political agenda. 

Re: Travel Funds -BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee

Hi everyone. This thread has gotten heated, and I want to encourage everyone to refresh themselves on our Community User Guidelines. We want all Members to feel comfortable sharing thoughts and ideas here, and we ask that you follow the Golden Rule and treat other Community Members the way you would like to be treated. Keep your tone positive and your comments constructive.

 

Nicole
Community Manager