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Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

tisha12281
Explorer C

and if you didn't cancel prior to September you only get the 12 months so anyone that cancelled later in September, November, December (hoping things would get better) are all SCREWED with 12 months where other airlines are providing more time (until 2022 for things cancelled now) or providing no expiration at all

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

wjamr
Explorer C

Airlines and corporations now make calls based on their preferences not science? I find this policy pathetic and it is the last time I will ever use Southwest again. They went from one of my favorite airlines to my least favorite. States still had travel bans and vaccinations weren't even accessible to the majority. My tickets were purchased in October for Dec 2020. I canceled them on December 10 as travel to MA was not only banned, it would put my family at risk. (Very few were vaccinated) Now I have to use these funds by October or they keep $100. Pathetic that these multimillion dollar corporations offered essentially nothing for support and are allowed to get back to essentially control prices which continue to increase. I mean really I already paid for the tickets and now they just essentially pocket my hard earned $100 because i didn't use the funds (not by the time I originally wanted) but by the time they were purchased. When we as pathetic sheep continue to bow and mindlessly get in line to serve these corporations, it really is essentially our fault. Boycott Southwest until they work collaboratively with their customers. They can't survive if we don't submit to their corporate tyranny. No one is asking for anything unreasonable....we just went through a pandemic....and still are!!!

 

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

dfwskier
Aviator A

@wjamr wrote:

 

YOU knowingly bought a non refundable ticket during the heart of the pandemic  -  YOU made a bad  decision. Live with it.

 

Why should the airline bail you out because you did that?  After all non refundable means - NON  REFUNDABLE.

 

The rules are clear. You agreed to them when you bought your ticket: any travel funds expire one year from the date the ticket was bought.

 

And about that $100 - EVERY other airline  would keep ALL of your money. At least Southwest lets you keep everything above $100.  

 

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

rlw120653
Explorer B

patricia2020,

 

I am in the exact same situation as you describe. I have around $257 in Travel Funds due to expire  January 18. There is no way I will be traveling by then.

I have reached out  to four different Customer Reps, with all the same response - No Way, not budging from their policy. I too was unaware of the Sept. 7 deadline to be able to extend them further.

I tried to work with them, offering to accept a six-month extension, even a three- month extension. Also, to convert them to Points (which they are not eligible for, not sure why).

I understand it is a rough time for airlines, but to continue to gain their customer's business and loyalty down the road, there must be some flexibility in policies in these unprecedented times.

From reading this forum the past couple of months, I am also aware of the $100 charge to convert the funds to a LUV certificate after they initially expire. I repeat, in these unprecedented travel times, there should be better flexibility. Southwest has always been my go to airline for trips south and out west. Step up, Southwest, and show why you are the best.

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@rlw120653 wrote:

I repeat, in these unprecedented travel times, there should be better flexibility. Southwest has always been my go to airline for trips south and out west. Step up, Southwest, and show why you are the best.


As you acknowledge in your post, Southwest did offer flexibility.  Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and the extension is no longer available.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

jacksycz
Explorer C

If they didnt offer you a refund initially on those tickets, you can demand one via the FAA's order on April 3, 2020. see here: U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Enforcement Notice Clarifying Air Carrier Refund Requiremen...

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

gsking
Aviator C

Nope. 

 

The airline didn't cancel the ticket.   Sorry.   You need to read your link. 

 

" when the carrier cancels the passenger’s scheduled flight or makes a significant schedule change and the passenger chooses not to accept the alternative offered by the carrier.  "

 

I mean,  come on, man.   That link is so 2020.  The ticket was purchased about 6 months AFTER that,  and it's now almost a year later. 

 

I've flown almost 100k miles since Covid.   If you can't find a reason to fly ONE flight, you really shouldn't be buying airline tickets.   That's like someone with a peanut allergy demanding a refund on an open jar of Skippy. 

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

Cfspawn
Explorer C

Southwest cancelled our flight in the height of Covid, provided a one time chance that expired in Dec that I didn't see, to exchange funds for non expiring points that now expire in Sept. 

 

The comment about can't find a flight you shouldn't be buying tickets is moronic. Just because you don't fly all the time you believe you can't buy tickets. How absurd. In our case we planned a trip to meet half our family traveling for other reasons and bought tickets for the other half for a rather large trip to a place that is still to restrictive to visit. So we are stuck with 2/3rds the tickets we need to go to a place we still can't visit freely, and don't have the time or money from all the work schedules to coordinate another trip just to burn tickets. Half those tickets are minors and can't fly alone.

 

Skippy here apparently believes his situation, circumstances, and opinion are all that matters. Seems like an ignorant and self centered response to me.

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@Cfspawn If Southwest canceled your flight you were, and may still be, eligible for a refund back to the original form of payment.

 

For all other refund requests, including refund exceptions for nonrefundable travel:

You can write our Refunds Department:

Southwest Airlines

Refunds Department

P.O. Box 36649

Dallas, Texas 75235-1649

 

 

Special notes about writing or calling us

All refund requests submitted in writing to the Refunds Department must include your unused ticket information or proof of purchase and/or the confirmation number.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Covid-19 Refund Policy is lacking. Southwest needs to re-evaluate !

Cfspawn
Explorer C

Thank you very much, I will look into this. I appreciate the reply.