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Horrible Refund Policy - Don't Book

tisha12281
Explorer C

I normally like to use Southwest because they have direct flights and decent prices (and have continuously recommended them to others) however I had purchased tickets for myself and two friends for a cruise we were going to take for my birthday and since the cruise was cancelled, we are still in the middle of this pandemic and there is nowhere to go I had to cancel the flight. 

They gave me travel funds but not for the full amount that I paid and I have to use them by October 2021.  Considering the  circumstances I don't know if I will be going anywhere between now and then and we are rescheduling our cruise but it will not be until January 2022 (one year later than original) yet I can't use the funds in January 2022 because I booked the flight before that.

There is no telling where we will be with this pandemic in the coming months but they are forcing you to use either fly when you may not be comfortable doing so or loose your money and in my case that is almost $1,000.  Even if I use this credit I then need to schedule some sort of vacation I was not planning to take.

Their policy right now especially with everything going on is horrible and the customer service has been atrocious - I have spoke with at least 4 people and I swear the service gets worse with each call.  I have never been so disappointed and I will not be recommending this airline to anyone else ever again - do not book with them especially not now during this trying time as they are just taking advantage of people right now and it is disgusting.

4 REPLIES 4

Re: Horrible Refund Policy - Don't Book

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

If you cancelled your flight you receive travel funds for 100% of the value of the purchased ticket.  EarlyBird Check-in charges are not typically refunded, but some exceptions have been made this year.  Any refund amount other than 100% of the airfare price is incorrect so either you are the only person that got the wrong refund amount, you did not get a refund for EarlyBrid Check-in, or you are otherwise mistaken.

 

Southwest offered customers several months to extend travel fund expiration out to September 2022 and even exchange travel fund credit into Rapid Rewards points that can be used by anyone without any expiration.  You missed those opportunities so your travel fund expires one year from the date of original purchase.  If you cannot use it before expiration, you then have 6 months after expiration to convert the expired travel funds into LUV vouchers.  There is a $100 reduction in the amount of credit for each travel fund converted and the newly issued voucher is good for 6 months.  You would need to contact Customer Relations (not reservations) to do this conversion or request an EarlyBird check-in credit (if it is still being offered).

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Horrible Refund Policy - Don't Book

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@TheMiddleSeat wrote:

If you cancelled your flight you receive travel funds for 100% of the value of the purchased ticket.  EarlyBird Check-in charges are not typically refunded, but some exceptions have been made this year.  Any refund amount other than 100% of the airfare price is incorrect so either you are the only person that got the wrong refund amount, you did not get a refund for EarlyBrid Check-in, or you are otherwise mistaken.

 

Southwest offered customers several months to extend travel fund expiration out to September 2022 and even exchange travel fund credit into Rapid Rewards points that can be used by anyone without any expiration.  You missed those opportunities so your travel fund expires one year from the date of original purchase.  If you cannot use it before expiration, you then have 6 months after expiration to convert the expired travel funds into LUV vouchers.  There is a $100 reduction in the amount of credit for each travel fund converted and the newly issued voucher is good for 6 months.  You would need to contact Customer Relations (not reservations) to do this conversion or request an EarlyBird check-in credit (if it is still being offered).

 

--TheMiddleSeat


 

FYI: Sounds like they booked in October, so the covid accommodation never applied to them.

 

The OP should be aware that the travel funds are held in each passenger's name. The total of each passenger combined should equal the total amount initially paid for airfare (not including the EBCI fee, if purchased).

 

Re: Horrible Refund Policy - Don't Book

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@chgoflyer wrote:

FYI: Sounds like they booked in October, so the covid accommodation never applied to them.

True, which makes this complaint even more silly since the virus situation and related refund policies were pretty clear in October 2020 when the ticket was purchased.  

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Horrible Refund Policy - Don't Book

dfwskier
Aviator A

Did you book all of this thru Southwest Vacations or did you book your flight with Southwest and your cruise with someone else?