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Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

RareTraveler
Explorer A

We are scheduled to leave on our first family vacation in almost 10 years tomorrow. Received a text that flight was cancelled but when I go on the website, it tells me that I have a flight leaving tomorrow and lists the flight. Same with the app. No email received, however.

 

Also, ,when a flight is cancelled, do they only cancel that leg of the flight? In other words, if I can get to my destination via another airlines, will my SW return flight still be good?

 

Lastly, what are my chances of getting reimbursed by SW for possible loss of prepaid hotel or for the cost of finding alternate transportation?

 

Saved up all year for this trip and kid was so excited.

8 REPLIES 8

Re: Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Your best source of information is what the Southwest app says. The app will show if the flight is canceled, on time, or delayed. Check it often. 

No definitive answer about having a trip home if the outbound flight is skipped. Normally you cannot do that, but it appears to working in some cases during this event. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

jazzpilot56
Adventurer B

Just seconding the advise to check the Southwest mobile app. It gave me heads up the day before Christmas that our flights were canceled. I also receive texts advising of cancelations. Make sure they're configured in your profile and associated with your itinerary. Hope that helps.


- Will (where there's a will there's a way)

Re: Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

RareTraveler
Explorer A

The app doesn't say that it's cancelled but when I look up the flight number, it says the flight doesn't exist. I got 2 texts 8 hours apart saying that my outgoing flight tomorrow is cancelled but it only shows the first leg cancelled. Also got an email telling me to get ready for my flight tomorrow. Very confusing!

 

I went ahead and purchased tickets on a different airline for my family at a large cost to me but they are one way tickets. When I go to cancel on the SW website, it only gives me the option to get flight credits and not a straight up refund even though these were refundable fares. I am still very concerned about how to go about getting a refund for the outgoing flights and making sure our flights from Philly coming back are good. 

Re: Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Requests for refunds and expense reimbursement can be filed here:

 

https://www.southwest.com/traveldisruption/

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

RareTraveler
Explorer A

That does not solve all situations though. We are all aware of that link.

Re: Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

Baymax88
Explorer C

Good luck with your flights. I had a similar issue on the 24th. The agents checking in bags the morning of my flight were moving too slowly and couldn't get everyone's bags checked in despite folks getting lined up for bags 2 hours before departure. I went outside to wait in freezing cold when the line inside the airport wasn't moving. Got near the front only to hear other say they had to be rebooked because it was less than 45min prior to the flight. Got rebooked and got to the layover stop only to see the second leg cancelled. I asked for the refund for my first trip to PHL so I could go to the ticket counter to ask around at other airlines for a flight to PHL, but there was a misunderstanding and the counter agent cancelled our whole reservation. We saw this as we were buying tix to PHL and I had to buy two one-way tix home from PHL on the fly at a steep price...now that flight is cancelled too (tomorrow the 28th). This whole trip has been a huge headache...

I guess you should just leave your reservations as is and keep checking the app to see if the return flight is still good. Don't cancel the reservation cuz otherwise you'll get a travel credit to your SW account for what you spent on the flights and then have to rebook new tix (based on what I've experienced).

Re: Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

CupCrusher40
Frequent Flyer B

yes

Re: Do They Send An Email when Flight Cancelled?

RareTraveler
Explorer A

Just to update in case it helps someone.

 

I called the 855-234-5234 number tonight instead of the 800 number and my wait time was only 44 minutes!! I was able to confirm that I would get a refund for the outgoing portion of our flight and keep the return flight.  (Website was showing all day that the outgoing flight was still happening even though the flight was indeed cancelled) The new itinerary was sent to me and I was told that the refund would be processed within 5-7 business days.

 

The other good thing is that it turned out that the outgoing flights were the pricier of the flights and so, after the refund, the additional cost for our 3 nonstop flights out of DFW on American is only about $400 total which isn't too bad. And I do plan on submitting a request for reimbursement though from Southwest because that is a lot of money for us and not having the extra money is why we haven't had a family vacation in close to 10 years when my son was just a wee baby. I also feel blessed that we were able to get this handled from home since we were notified about 36 hours before our flight got cancelled. Thankful for the small blessings.