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Never experienced a canceled flight before--any advice?

avicci
Explorer C

So my 6pm flight from Vegas to Dallas on Sunday was delayed multiple times and then canceled right around midnight (I was already at the terminal, bags were already checked, etc). The line to talk to a person was truly a quarter mile long and I was exhausted so I didn't bother with it.

My job gives me really cheap hotel discounts, so I got on the discount site and booked a room for myself just to get out of the airport and get some sleep.

Mostly I'm annoyed because I had a direct flight originally and they rebooked me to a flight with a layover. I departed Vegas around 9 am and didn't get home to Dallas until after 6 pm. Then they lost my two checked bags, which I wouldn't have checked if I knew I would be changing planes since they were both small.

The baggage stuff was resolved, but I'm now wondering if Southwest can retroactively reimburse my hotel and maybe compensate me in some way for the miserable delay/cancelation/rebook process? I'm not usually one to be this person (I work in hospitality myself and I know stuff happens that's out of your control), but I've never had this happen to me before and I don't know what you can do/if there's anything to be done when a flight is canceled.

Thank you for any advice!

4 REPLIES 4

Re: Never experienced a canceled flight before--any advice?

dfwskier
Aviator A

What are you trying to accomplish by copying and pasting malyaa's post?

 

https://community.southwest.com/t5/Check-In-Boarding/Never-experienced-a-canceled-flight-before-any-...

Re: Never experienced a canceled flight before--any advice?

VetteLady
Explorer C

My husband and I were on a flight from Denver to ft Lauderdale to catch a cruise ship for  transatlantic cruise April 15. We were supposed to ONLY have a short layover in Nashville. Not 5 minutes after we landed we were in formed that we needed to get our personal things, get off the plane, go see a gate agent ,this flight is CANCELLED! in that order. Since there weren't any more available flights  that night( we tried) we were booked on one the next morning but the arrival time to FLL was iffy. We are both 75 years old, (what did they want us to do???sleep in a chair or on the floor?)so after talking to the gate agent, she said to get a hotel room. We did and want SWA to reinburse us for the hotel since they were100 % responsible for the flight being cancelled. . So far, they have given us 2 vouchers which is fine and good, but they need to take responsibility for their actions, and in our book they ARE  NOT. The vouchers are worth more than the cost of the hotel. For years, we have defended SWA anytime anyone has had a negative comment about them. We are still "fighting" with them about the cost. Right now, I can say SWA customer service SUCKS, they don't care about stranded passengers. They just think that the vouchers will smooth over any hard feelings, ane we will continue to fly with them! but in this house that is NOT the case.They are other airlines that will get me to where I want and need to go. BTW....once we finally got to FLL, and the cruise port, we were the last two passengers to board.

Re: Never experienced a canceled flight before--any advice?

dfwskier
Aviator A

@VetteLady wrote:

My husband and I were on a flight from Denver to ft Lauderdale to catch a cruise ship for  transatlantic cruise April 15. We were supposed to ONLY have a short layover in Nashville. Not 5 minutes after we landed we were in formed that we needed to get our personal things, get off the plane, go see a gate agent ,this flight is CANCELLED! in that order. Since there weren't any more available flights  that night( we tried) we were booked on one the next morning but the arrival time to FLL was iffy. We are both 75 years old, (what did they want us to do???sleep in a chair or on the floor?)so after talking to the gate agent, she said to get a hotel room. We did and want SWA to reinburse us for the hotel since they were100 % responsible for the flight being cancelled.

 

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Southwest may not be 100% responsible for the cancelled flight. Now if the plane broke or they ;didn't have a crew,

then yup Southwest is 100% responsible.. However if  was an act of God, ie bad weather for example that caused the cancellation, then only God is responsible.  Do you know why the flight was cancelled?

 

 

. So far, they have given us 2 vouchers which is fine and good, but they need to take responsibility for their actions, and in our book they ARE  NOT. The vouchers are worth more than the cost of the hotel.

 

Would you have been happier if SW had paid for the hotel and not given you the vouchers? Come on, Southwest made you more than whole.

 

For years, we have defended SWA anytime anyone has had a negative comment about them. We are still "fighting" with them about the cost. Right now, I can say SWA customer service SUCKS, they don't care about stranded passengers. They just think that the vouchers will smooth over any hard feelings, ane we will continue to fly with them! but in this house that is NOT the case.They are other airlines that will get me to where I want and need to go. BTW....once we finally got to FLL, and the cruise port, we were the last two passengers to board.

 

Well, I am happy to hear that you made it to your cruise. This type of thing happens on every airline, and they all would have treated you about the same way that Southwest did.

 

I guess I'd advise that you complain in writing. You might get another voucher. No airline, including Southwest, would give you cash. To compalin, click on "contact us" below and pick the e-mail option.

 

Good luck

Re: Never experienced a canceled flight before--any advice?

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@VetteLady This is why travel insurance is available and credit cards offer trip delay coverage.  When planning big trips it's worth looking into options to protect you.

 

--TheMiddleSeat