Travel funds for Pet tickets, right?

[Mdbball02]

my lil dog is traveling with me and last I checked, I’m paying for her ticket. She has no job, nor a SW Rewards account!  Soooo, why won’t SW allow me to use MY travel funds to purchase the ticket at the gate?  They are already charging $95 each way, twice my $59 fare BTW, so let me use up some of my travel funds for her ticket, right??? She’s an emotional support animal that used to fly for free. I’m willing to pay to bring her, but adjust the policy and let me use my travel funds to bring her. He’ll, if I was stuffing a bag of shoes under the seat in front of me you wouldn’t charge me anything extra. Because there’s a dog in the bag, it’s $95!?!?  Travel funds are mine, and I should be able to pay for My dog who cannot pay herself. She wouldn’t BE on the plane without me!

[DancingDavidE]

This is a customer to customer forum, so you best bet to put in this suggestion officially would be to use the Contact Information to reach out to Southwest directly.

I don't know the ins and outs of the ticketing system on why this would or wouldn't make sense. I'm assuming there is some hiccup with the travel funds being tied to a person and can't be used for separate fees although the request in general seems reasonable.

Southwest doesn't necessarily want travel funds hanging out there as an obligation either, but they may just be hamstrung by the ticketing software.

Can you use LUV vouchers to pay for it usually?

[chgoflyer]

Travel funds are restricted to use by the originally named passenger only, so you can't use them for someone else -- or for a pet. Southwest only accepts credit cards for payment of the pet fee, LUV Vouchers, gift cards, travel funds and cash are not accepted. The pet fee is fully refundable, however, should the planned travel be cancelled after check-in and payment of the fee.

I'll echo the comments above -- you'll need to reach out to Southwest directly if you'd like to make sure your suggestions are heard by the correct people.

(With regards to why the pet fee is [currently] $95, even on a less expensive flight: be aware that the fee functions primarily as a deterrent, or limiting factor, to help ensure the plane isn't filled with pets.)

[parpitt1]

Per SWA policy, changed last year after the US DOT made regulations changes due to extensive abuse by the flying public, "Southwest Airlines® will only allow service dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability to travel with the Customer. The types of disability include a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability and only dogs will be accepted (including those for psychiatric service) — no other species will be accepted as a trained service animal. "

If you have the correct documents and your dog is trained it still flies for free.