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Refund

gingers36
Explorer C

Very disappointed with Southwest Airlines. I am very high risk due to Covid 19. I purchased tickets for a trip in March of 2020. Then Covid hit. I cancelled and rebook for October, hoping things would be better. Thay are not and cases are very high where my destination is. I called to see if I could get a refund. At first I was told yes you qualify for a refund I will be happy to process that. Then was told I could not get one due to the fact I purchased tickets with a "credit", not a credit card.  

So I know have travel funds I probably cannot use as they expire in May 2021. I told them my concern and they said they would be happy to extend them for 100.00 per ticket. So my now 406.00 in travel funds will be down to 206.00 which I will have until September of 2021 to use. I have to call to request the extension before they expire as it could not be done today. 

Needless to say I am done being a Southwest Airlines customer. I had terrible customer service. I wasnt even offered travel points and I checked and they are not eligable. My daughter called and they offered an extension until September 2022 and they converted them to travel points, as she had tickets as well. No charge to her at all. 

If I use the funds, which I doubt due to covid, this will be the last time I use Southwest Airlines. 

These are different times and it is hard for some people, especially having autoimmune disorders like myself. I was hoping they would make this right, but was very disappointed. At least my daughter got a good outcome. 

 

5 REPLIES 5

Re: Refund

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

If you had cancelled the flight before September 7 the travel funds you would have received would expire in September 2022 or they could have been converted to Rapid Rewards points as your daughter was able to do.  Since you cancelled after September 7 you then have 1 year from the original date of purchase to use the travel funds.  You did buy a non-refundable ticket, I'm not sure why the anger is directed at Southwest when, despite the ticket being non-refundable, they did provide options to extend travel fund expirations and convert travel funds to points and, even after missing those options, you still have many months to use the credit.  This is the same option that other airlines were following, cash refunds were not widely available unless the airline cancelled the flight.  You would be stuck with a credit with other airlines too.

 

If both travel funds are in your name the best option would be to purchase a flight/trip as close to the $406 amount as possible, then cancel that right after purchase so you are issued one travel fund in the larger amount.  Then you can pay just $100 to convert the travel fund into a LUV voucher.  This voucher can then be used by anyone within 6 months.  Typically this conversion process occurs after the travel funds expire so it's interesting that you were told you could do it beforehand.  Since you are looking for more time, I would hold off on doing anything until you get closer to the travel fund expiration (May 2021).

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Refund

gingers36
Explorer C

My Daughter cancelled this morning via phone and was given the points credit to use through September 2022. She did not do this prior to September 7th. She does not have to pay to extend them. The tickets were for me and my Granddaughter. I was told I would get the refund, then told no. Customer service should be consistent. Like I said I am no longer a customer of Southwest.

Re: Refund

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I don't believe you are comparing apples to apples, but the conversation lacks details and you don't seem interested in learning more about the situation. Farewell 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Refund

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@gingers36 wrote:

My Daughter cancelled this morning via phone and was given the points credit to use through September 2022. She did not do this prior to September 7th. She does not have to pay to extend them. The tickets were for me and my Granddaughter. I was told I would get the refund, then told no. Customer service should be consistent. Like I said I am no longer a customer of Southwest.


 

I suspect you or your daughter are mistaken, as cancelling today would absolutely not generate funds with a September 7, 2022 expiration.

Re: Refund

ipsedixit
Frequent Flyer C

@gingers36 wrote:

My Daughter cancelled this morning via phone and was given the points credit to use through September 2022. She did not do this prior to September 7th. She does not have to pay to extend them. The tickets were for me and my Granddaughter. I was told I would get the refund, then told no. Customer service should be consistent. Like I said I am no longer a customer of Southwest.


Bye

 

More snacks for me