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Re: Max 8 Cancellations

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@WindyIsle wrote:

...or provide some form of compensation for our trouble (free round-trip tickets).  This is a HUGE deal; having your flights cancelled and being told that there are no other flights available for three days! 


Tickets (in the form of LUV vouchers) are your best bet in this case, I'd suggest waiting a little bit for things to settle down so that you can take some time with the person that answers at customer relations and after emotions have settled down.

 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@DancingDavidE wrote:

@WindyIsle wrote:

...or provide some form of compensation for our trouble (free round-trip tickets).  This is a HUGE deal; having your flights cancelled and being told that there are no other flights available for three days! 


Tickets (in the form of LUV vouchers) are your best bet in this case, I'd suggest waiting a little bit for things to settle down so that you can take some time with the person that answers at customer relations and after emotions have settled down.

 

 

 

 


 

I think it's important to manage expectations here.

 

Southwest isn't generally making offers of goodwill in this situation, as the grounding is something that is out of their control. Some persistent customers however are receiving small vouchers 

 

I have some friends who I've been helping through this situation, and after contacting Customer Relations (they were not proactively contacted as sometimes happens after mechanical cancellations) they were given $100 vouchers each. Their original one-way tickets (to be refunded) cost $249, overnight hotel cost $140, and rebooking on Delta cost them $700+.

 

 

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

rissag
Explorer C

I have been told since I was fully refunded .... I do not get anything!  

But that still does not get me my cruise money back!

AND I STILL NEED A COPY OF THE EMAIL THAT WAS SENT OUT ON MARCH 15TH!

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

SWDigits
Aviator A
Hi @rissag, for the most part we are all other customers here. I know in one of your other posts you stated, "And now I am left to fight the Cruise Insurance to get a full refund." Are you able to share the cruise line and/or the insurance provider? It really seems like that is the place to go for the cruise portion.

Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@rissagdo you mean the general letter to all customers? (I got mine on March 14th.)

 

I don't know what the cruise line wants exactly - if they are willing to accomodate weather as being out of your control, then this also would seem to be in the same category of out of your and the airlines' control.

 

Anyway, this one:

A message from our CEO

Since Sunday, we have been continually working with the FAA, Boeing, and others within the U.S. government, regarding the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft type that was involved in the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident on March 10. This afternoon, the FAA issued its order to ground the MAX, with our knowledge and support. We have removed the 34 MAX aircraft from service; they will remain out of service until the FAA rescinds this order. With more than 750 aircraft in our fleet, more than 95 percent of our aircraft are unaffected by this order.

Safety is our top priority. It always has been. It always must be. Our commitment to the Safety of our Employees and our Customers is unwavering and uncompromising. U.S. airlines operate within the most advanced, regulated aviation system in the world and nothing is more sacred to all of our Southwest Family Members than the trust our Customers place in our airline every day, on every flight. You have our commitment to minimize the disruptions to our Customers' travel plans, while adhering to the FAA's requirements and ensuring the Safety of our fleet.

Southwest® has a long history with the 737 and a stellar safety record. Our experience with the MAX, along with the other U.S. operators, has been phenomenal. We've operated over 40,000 flights covering almost 90,000 hours. There is a ton of data collected, which we continuously monitor. In all of our analysis since our first flight in 2017, or that by our U.S. counterparts or the FAA; nothing has presented any flight safety concerns. It is also important to add that all Pilots at Southwest are deeply experienced and highly trained, as are our Mechanics who are highly experienced and trained to safely maintain every airplane in our fleet.

I realize this disruption may inconvenience our Customers during this busy spring travel season, and we will do everything in our power to mitigate the impact to our operation. For that, I offer my sincere apologies. To support our Customers, we are offering flexible rebooking policies for any Customer booked on a cancelled flight.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will provide frequent updates to you as this story develops.

For more information, go to Southwest.com/MAX8.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

rissag
Explorer C

The memo I am referring to had a reddish/pinkish background.  It was full page.  I was on my account on March 13th.  I was told it went out to 3000 customers.  I was also told that I was not able to have a copy sent to me.  I asked why.  He, Dallas Headquarters rep, told me that I could not have it.

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

SWDigits
Aviator A
@rissag, following up on the post from @DancingDavidE, these are the direct html links:

"A message from our CEO, Gary Kelly":
https://www.southwest.com/html/air/737-MAX-8.html?clk=737MAX8_190313

News release titled, "Statement Regarding the Boeing 737 MAX 8"
https://www.southwest.com/assets/pdfs/air/news-release-MAX-8-190313.pdf

Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

WindyIsle
Explorer B

Thanks for the suggestion.  I will follow through on that in a week or so.  I want to get a letter out to SW corporate, some executives, anyone of consequence...  Is that even possible?  Does anyone have any mailing or super-secret email addresses? 

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@WindyIsle wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion.  I will follow through on that in a week or so.  I want to get a letter out to SW corporate, some executives, anyone of consequence...  Is that even possible?  Does anyone have any mailing or super-secret email addresses? 

 

I don't have that information handy, but you should be able to find that via internet search. It has been true in the past that written communication received a better response than online. Good luck, and please do come back and let us know how things turn out for you.

Re: Max 8 Cancellations

maggie1954
Explorer C

I understand and understood all what you noted.  What I am hearing is American is giving notice of fllight cancellations weeks in advance whereas WN is several days. I think we know that the plane will not be in service until at least early to mid-May, therefore I hope your flight schedule is set until at least that time period and not just several days at a time.  My thanks for your great product!