Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

SWA should change their policies during Emergency.

lobf99
Adventurer C
7 REPLIES 7

Re: SWA should change their policies during Emergency.

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Lol, why single out Southwest when their cancelation policy is still better or the same as every other domestic airline? 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: SWA should change their policies during Emergency.

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee
Solution

We understand your frustration @lobf99, and while we’re unable to refund any nonrefundable, Wanna Get Away fares, we intend to continue as a low-cost carrier throughout this unusual time and beyond. That goal remains possible as long as we don’t position ourselves to have to recover from offering wholesale exceptions to our fare policy. It’s important that we walk the line between flexibility and good stewardship of our resources. While we won’t be offering refunds of our nonrefundable fares, we’re happy to ensure each Passenger is maximizing the use of their travel funds. Please click here to see the latest update on travel funds. 

 

Nicole
Community Manager

Re: SWA should change their policies during Emergency.

lobf99
Adventurer C

Thanks, Nicole.  The change that SWA just announced is probably acceptable for some people.  Not helping me as my travel funds expire in June.

My ask to SWA is to CONTINUE to listen to each customer’s unique situation and apply some judgement accordingly.  We are on a National Emergency and it’s time to raise to the top with our behaviors and policies.   Not applicable to me, but I’ve heard of people in their 80’s traveling for granddaughter’s college graduation that will cancel.  This person most likely will not travel again, if that’s the case, do the right thing by refunding that person money or allow transferring to a different traveler/name.  This is just one example of an exceptional situation that should be considered.

 

Again, thanks for adjusting a little bit to the state of emergency.   We will go thru this together!

Re: SWA should change their policies during Emergency.

lobf99
Adventurer C

@NicoleAshley Nicole,  Can you help clarify your new policy that you are directing me to?  I've read multiple conflicting information. It seems SWA is being very crafty with their new policy and even their employees are confused.  I got an answer via Twitter different than what I was told over the phone. SWA is trying to help some customers, but is handling this very poorly. 

 

It seems SWA is dividing customers with cancellations between March1-May31, 2020 in two classes:  "newly created" travel funds vs "already existing" travel funds.  I booked a trip in June 04, 2019 for December 2019 travel, I had to cancel that trip.  I used those travel funds for a trip in April 2020 (prior to the June expiration).   We are in a National Emergency so I will have to cancel my trip.  My expiration is still June 2020 because this is not a "newly created" travel fund.  Is this for REAL??

Re: SWA should change their policies during Emergency.

281823636
Explorer C

Very frustrated: I cancelled a "refundable" reservation due to a cancelled business conference (d/t Covid) and was told by Southwest that they could only offer a travel credit that must be used within a year. I do not typically fly with Southwest (probably not in 10 years) and want my money back! Completely agree with other writers, Southwest needs to change their refund policies during this time. 

Re: SWA should change their policies during Emergency.

dfwskier
Aviator A

What exactly did the airline tell you?

 

What type of refundable fare did you book?

 

 

Re: SWA should change their policies during Emergency.

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee
Solution

Our Business Select and Anytime fares remain fully refundable. As a peer-to-peer support forum, we aren't equipped to assist you with your reservations here, but we encourage you to reach out via the options in the link below. Our Customer Service Representatives will be more than happy to pull up your reservations and explain what's going on with your specific situations. Thank you.

 

Submitting a Suggestion and/or Complaint

Nicole
Community Manager