Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Re: No refund - very disappointed

dfwskier
Aviator A

@Lynneg wrote:

Elaine Chao, USDOT, stated on a FOX news May 9 or 10, 2020 that ANY airline flight that was cancelled by said airline, was refundable.  Our flight from FLL to GCM on July 1, 2020 was cancelled and we were told that there were no other seats available for at least 2 days and that our monies were placed in an ecredit account.  Are you not refunding to the credit card as Ms Chao stated?


The airline doesn't   know what you want to do with your funds unless you tell it.. So it puts the funds  in a parking place until you do..

 

You can get a refund by contacting Southwest's Customer Relations Department via Twitter (@Southwestair), or phone at 1-855-234-4654 (Monday thru Friday normal business hours)

Re: No refund - very disappointed

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

"Airlines and ticket agents can offer consumers alternatives to a refund, such as credits or vouchers, so long as the option of a refund is also offered and clearly disclosed if the passenger is entitled to a refund."

 

The airlines defaulting to a credit and only offering a refund if it is requested is clearly a violation of DOT guidelines. As far as I can tell, no airline is compliant with this.

Re: No refund - very disappointed

dfwskier
Aviator A

@bwallet wrote:

"Airlines and ticket agents can offer consumers alternatives to a refund, such as credits or vouchers, so long as the option of a refund is also offered and clearly disclosed if the passenger is entitled to a refund."

 

The airlines defaulting to a credit and only offering a refund if it is requested is clearly a violation of DOT guidelines. As far as I can tell, no airline is compliant with this.


Southwest's contract of carriage clearly states a refund is possible in the event of a flight cancellation (clear disclosure).

 

DOT's exact wording from it's enforcement notice is as follows (bolding is mine):

 

"Carriers have a longstanding obligation to provide a prompt refund to a ticketed passenger when the
carrier cancels the passenger’s flight or makes a significant change in the flight schedule and the
passenger chooses not to accept the alternative offered by the carrier."

 

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2020-04/Enforcement%20Notice%20Final%20April%203%...

 

So as I said upthread, Southwest put's funds into a parking spot, and will refund upon request.  In doing so  the
passenger chooses not to accept the alternative offered by the carrier.

Re: No refund - very disappointed

gecko911
Explorer C

60 - 90 days for a refund is NOT acceptable time frame.

Re: No refund - very disappointed

dfwskier
Aviator A

@gecko911 wrote:

60 - 90 days for a refund is NOT acceptable time frame.


Reports I've heard seem to indicate that Southwest is pretty prompt in providing refunds - not 60-90 days.

Re: No refund - very disappointed

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

All of my refunds with Southwest have been in 3 days.

Re: No refund - very disappointed

gecko911
Explorer C

One customer service rep said 90 days, one said 60 days.  This is for a SW Vacation.  The recording states they are working on refund requests made on March 19th.  Few more than 3 days.

Re: No refund - very disappointed

dfwskier
Aviator A

@gecko911 wrote:

One customer service rep said 90 days, one said 60 days.  This is for a SW Vacation.  The recording states they are working on refund requests made on March 19th.  Few more than 3 days.


Southwest Vacations is NOT Southwest Airlines.

 

edit add:

 

Two items make it clear

 

1) The website is southwestvacations.com not southwest.com

 

2) Southwest is based in Dallas, but to contact Southwest Vacations you write to: Southwest Vacations, Attn: Customer Service, 8969 N. Port Washington Road, Milwaukee, WI 53217

 

You are not the first person to  not notice this distinction.

Re: No refund - very disappointed

1bearlens
Explorer C

We too paid in full for a non refundable ticket to florida to go on our cruise and visit the amusement parks. It was for March 25 to April 4th 2020. That was the time everything closed up in Florida. So we never got to go. Southwest informed me that had to change flights for our return. They cancelled our first return.  Just before our fight, everything was cancelled due to covid 19. Now they will not refund our money over $1200.  This was supposed to be our last trip due to age and health reasons. I now received a email from a Law firm for a class action law suit. I hope we get all of our money back. Sad part is was charged on my Southwest credit card. Paid in full.

Re: No refund - very disappointed

dfwskier
Aviator A

If in fact Southwest cancelled (not you), you are entitled to a refund.

 

You can get a refund by contacting Southwest's Customer Relations Department via Twitter (@Southwestair), or phone at 1-855-234-4654 (Monday thru Friday normal business hours), and demanding a refund.