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2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

Nicoledanielle
Explorer B

Like most 2020 brides, I needed to cancel my wedding and honeymoon due to Covid-19. I was suppose to fly Southwest to Cancun in July of 2020 for my honeymoon. As you could imagine, we were devastated to have to cancel due to the global pandemic. We then tried again for November 2020 to fly to Hawaii using out credit, however, once again due to Covid-19 and the travel ban to Hawaii, we were forced to cancel yet again. We postponed our wedding to July 2021 and I went to rebook our same Cancun honeymoon trip with Southwest, only to find that our travel funds expire at the end of January. Being the amazing company that I THOUGHT Southwest was, I called and asked if I could use the funds for my July 2021 Cancun honeymoon. I spoke with Eric 57 who was sweet enough to transfer me to the executive office and wait on the line. I then spoke to Tanisha (140514) who was as rude as can be. I was quite literally in tears speaking to her on the phone. As if 2020 brides have not been through enough, I was hoping for some human kindness. She told me the only option was to let our funds expire and pay $100 each for an extension. I have been a loyal customer to Southwest my entire life and I am beyond surprised and disappointed in their customer service. I understand Covid is not Southwests fault, but it is not mine either. I truly wish I could have had my July 2020 wedding and honeymoon as planned. I am simply asking for a 1 year extension so I can go on my honeymoon this year in July.

14 REPLIES 14

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Not the news you want to hear, but the information you have been presented is correct.  At this time there is no way to extend travel funds further.  An extension was available for some time during 2020, but that opportunity has come and gone.  As you were informed, you can get a 6 month extension after the travel funds expire.  You have 6 months after expiration to complete the extension so essentially you can get up to 1 year past the expiration of the travel funds to use.  This seems to meet your request for a 1 year extension and would allow you to travel in July using the voucher if you handle the dates correctly, but it will cost you $100 per travel fund.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

Nicoledanielle
Explorer B

I am wondering why an extension was not provided to me on 2020 then like you say there should have been? I understand that there was an extension and that has come and gone, I am simply asking them to go back and provide that extension to me. The extension should have been made to me when I cancelled my July trip in March of 2020 (the heart of the pandemic). 

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Thanks for clarifying your original cancellation date, that wasn't clear to me in the first post.  There have been some cases when people cancelled during the extension period, but did not wait long enough for the expiration date to be updated by the system before booking another flight so the extension was never applied to their travel fund.  Did you book the new flight shortly after cancelling the first?  If perhaps this is the case you would need to work with Customer Relations and state that you believe that's what happened.  Being very clear about when you originally booked, when you cancelled, then when you booked again will be helpful.  As said before, your original post was not clear so if I were a rep reading that I would not know how to help you.

 

Contact Customer Relations 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

bec102896
Aviator A

The extension was for travel funds created by the customer or Southwest by canceling a flight between March 1st and September 7th 2020. Those funds would be extended until September 7th 2022 however once those funds are applied to a new reservation they will expire 1 year from the date you apply those funds to a new reservation or September 7th 2022 (whichever is sooner). 

 

If you cancelled your flight in March your funds should have been extended. You would need to Contact Customer Relations so they can investigate. If you have the email where you cancelled the flight that could help since it would have a date on it. 

 

-Blake 

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

Nicoledanielle
Explorer B

Thank you. I went back and looked at my cancellation email and I officially cancelled my honeymoon on 4/21/20. That falls between the time period you are talking about. I should have at least one year, but they are only giving me until 1/25/21 to actually complete my travel. 

 

I am also a teacher and there is no way I should be traveling out of the country right now. I am trying my best to keep myself and my 200 students safe. 

 

Overall, I am extremely disheartened with Southwest and their unwillingness to make things right. 

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@Nicoledanielle wrote:

Thank you. I went back and looked at my cancellation email and I officially cancelled my honeymoon on 4/21/20. That falls between the time period you are talking about. I should have at least one year, but they are only giving me until 1/25/21 to actually complete my travel. 

 

I am also a teacher and there is no way I should be traveling out of the country right now. I am trying my best to keep myself and my 200 students safe. 

 

Overall, I am extremely disheartened with Southwest and their unwillingness to make things right. 


 

To be clear, you cancelled the November rebooking on April 21, 2020? And you didn't rebook again using those funds?

 

If so, your funds should have been extended through September 7, 2022.

 

I'd suggest you reach out to Customer Relations (not the regular phone line) and ask them to investigate this for you. Your best bet might be to contact them via Facebook or Twitter direct message.

 

Contact Customer Relations 

 

Please do come back here and let us know how it works out for you!

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

Nicoledanielle
Explorer B

Yes, that is correct. 

 

I have reached out via every social media platform (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) along with may others as well. I was even transferred to the executive office when I called. It seems they are unwilling to be flexible during a global pandemic. I am still in utter shock as Southwest was my favorite airline. I never even considered flying with anyone else, until this. My next step will be reporting to the DOT, refuting though my credit card company, and/or possibly reaching out to lawyers as what they are doing is wrong to not only me, but many customers. 

 

Thank you for your help!

 

 

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I feel your pain and tried to offer some suggestions on how to fix things, but I will say that crying to credit card companies or government groups and lawyers is pretty ridiculous.  You purchased a non-refundable ticket with terms that dictate how cancellations are handled.  Southwest has followed all of those terms and offered additional flexibility that they didn't have to.  I understand you are disappointed, but you have no case for further action.  Also, other airlines have handled this situation the same way as Southwest or with even less flexibility so just be warned the grass is not always greener.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: 2020 Honeymoon Forced Cancel and Expired Travel Funds

Nicoledanielle
Explorer B

Actually you are wrong as other airlines are offering extensions. Honestly you can't make a person be empathic, so I understand your point of view and why you feel that way. None the less, thank you for taking the time out of your day to respond to help offer a solution.

 

Southwest did reach out just now and make things right with me, so a big thank you to Colton!!!