Disappointed AList Preferred Traveler

[Mrplay]

I have flown Southwest during Covid last year and the first 4 months of this year roughly 2-3 times a month. I have also been a rewards member since 2000.

I have been very understanding when they made changes or canceled flights in the past and they have accommodated my changes as well.

Now the flights are filling up again and they are less understanding it seems.

I tried to contact Customer Relations last Friday at 4:55 (They close at 6) and they said they were short handed and asked me to email them.  Of course they are closed on the weekend and didn't get a response until today when I called them again.

I had a direct flight tomorrow out of Memphis  and returning the same day in the evening that has been scheduled from landing at 8 to landing at 11:30 and flying out at 5 because they changed to a layover. They have made the changes in the past multiple times over the last year with no additional fees to fly out of Nashville direct so I can make my meetings.  They even made the change last Tuesday without fee changes.  Now they want to charge $350. to make the change for this flight. The same flight they changed for free last week.

I stayed with them when times were tough but when things get going again they want to stick it to you.

Very disappointed and I guess I'll be looking for other carriers in the future for my business if they plan to continue this practice... 

[bec102896 · Accepted solution]

Anytime the airline makes a schedule change to your reservation you are allowed 1 free change which can include your departure and arrival dates as long as the city pairs stay the same and the dates are within 14 days of your original flight. Once you make the 1 free change any extra changes will require a difference in fare to be paid. If after you make a change and they change it again you should get 1 more free change. 

The changes should be made within 3 days of receiving the email telling you that "there has been a change to your upcoming Southwest flight"  

If you didn't make a change after SW made a schedule change You could try calling reservations to see if they can make the change, reach out on Facebook or Twitter in a DM, or use the SW in app chat feature. 

On another note since you are A List preferred if the flight you want to travel on leaves before the one your booked on you can use your free same day standby perk unfortunately this only works for flights departing before your scheduled flight. 

-Blake