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What Happened to Great Customer Service

nnelson97
Explorer C

There is no excuse for the lack of telephone operators currently.  If flights are going to cancelled, or changed than there needs a better way than sitting on hold for hours.  I tried the chat on the app, and no one was available.  So now on hold for well over an hour.  All of this because my flight was changed and my hour layover is not over nine hours.  There is no reason for this, especially when there are direct flights from my two locations.  Why not just eat the extra ticket fairs at this point.  THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR forcing someone to take a 9 hr layover especially in the time of COVID, and even less of one to not answer your customers calls.

2 REPLIES 2

Re: What Happened to Great Customer Service

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

Even in the "normal" pre-COVID world, Southwest's phone lines would often become overwhelmed; when new schedule extensions were released, when there were major weather events happening across the US, or when large sales happened. Now, due to the global pandemic that's far from over, things are certainly not normal anymore. Southwest is losing an average of $17 million every day just keeping it's operations running. Due to the current drastic decrease in travel demand, Southwest recently cut something like 40% of it's flights, as customers such as yourself are discovering. Southwest's systems seem to be pushed past their abilities, with many people reporting changed itineraries that are unworkable, in some cases impossible, and often at a minimum non-ideal.

 

An explanation, not an excuse.

 

The better way to handle adjustments when flight changes are unacceptable is to make them yourself online. The email notification you received should have contained instructions and a direct link, but if not you can log into your account and select the flights needing attention. You should see a banner that advises, "You may change your trip date/time at no additional cost if you stay inside the restrictions below." As long as you select the same departure and arrival airports, you can choose the best flights for your needs, within 14 days in either direction, for no increase in fare.

 

Only if unable to make the needed changes online would you need to speak to a representative. I always recommend using the chat function (when available), or contacting a rep via Twitter or Facebook direct message.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

 

Re: What Happened to Great Customer Service

bec102896
Aviator A

If you have Facebook or Twitter I would reach out to Southwest in a DM on one of those social channels and they should be able to assist. I had a flight changed I did a DM on Twitter and within 10min had the flight I wanted at no additional cost. 

 

-Blake