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Southwest Airlines Community

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

dfwskier
Aviator A

I understand how frustrating this is for you.

 

You can always appeal to SW customer service:

 

https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/Submitting-a-Suggestion-and-or-Complaint/ta-...

 

Keep watching. Things are evolving in the industry on an hour by hour basis. Things may change.

 

Remember that you are guaranteed a refund if SW cancels your flight. So if you have not already cancelled, you might want to wait to see what happens.

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

KF99
Explorer C

I have been a member of the rapids rewards program for well over 15 years and have always been more than satisfied with their policies until now.  I can't express how frustrated I am especially in a time where everyone is losing their employment and Southwest won't issue refunds.  Here is the situation - back in January I purchased tickets for two minors, 5 and 7 coming from MD to FL.  MD issued a stay at home order so there was no way they were going to travel.  I called Southwest and go the "no can do" on a refund of funds totaling over $700.00.  I was told to cancel and funds would be held in minors names.  Really???? Who knows when they will be able to travel again.  The flight was then cancelled earlier this week altogether and government has put a mandatory refund policy in place for cancelled flights.  I called again and am being told because I proactively cancelled the reservation that they still will not give a refund even though flight cancelled and minors are involved.  I am highly disappointed in Southwest's lack of empathy in this situation for a flight that ended up getting cancelled less than a week after I cancelled the reservation due to a "stay at home" order. 

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@KF99 Painful way to learn that it's best to wait until the last minute to cancel your flight. I've seen it said many times here in the Community since Southwest started talking about adjusting their schedule because of the virus. Thankfully you should have until June 30, 2021 to travel with the travel funds you were issued.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

snaflyer
Explorer C

My kids are in the same situations with you.  They are in military and their leave was cancelled due to this pandemic and cannot travel well into 2021 due to orders.  Since they booked “wanna get away fares” to coming home pre deployment leave for $650 each in February, they will lose almost $1300 travel funds in February 2021.  Just like you, they cancelled their reservation when they found out their leave was called off and later they found out the flights they booked were cancelled by Southwest after all.  My kids explained their situations with Southwest but no luck at this point. 

We are very disappointed how Southwest handling.  We had many good experiences with them up until this time.  Mean time, I cancelled my flights for last month with American Airlines and received full refunds and I have reservations for May with United and they are giving us up until August 2022 to travel if we decided to rebook with no fees. 

Southwest policy of completing travel before 12 months from the date of original ticketing  is too restrictive for what we are all expecting now. 

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@snaflyer Travel funds created during this time are already being extended until June 30, 2021 so you do have some extra time. I'm guessing you purchased a refundable farewell from American, no airline is providing cash refunds on non-refundable tickets unless the airline cancels the flight. You would have received a cash refund from Southwest since they did cancel your flight if only you had just waited instead of canceling the reservation yourself.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

mestiene
Explorer C

I wouldn't call that a solution!  I also cancelled a flight and Southwest won't refund or extend my voucher.  I find it ridiculous that the CDC was advising against flying and yet Southwest's response is "there's nothing we can do"  Of course, there is something they can do!  Refund my money or extend the voucher.  I purchased the tickets at the very beginning of the pandemic when no one realized it would go on this long.  

Very frustrating!!!

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

dfwskier
Aviator A

@mestiene wrote:

 

You did buy a NONREFUNDABLE ticket. No one forced you to do that.

 

With cheap fares come restrictions.


 

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

Jc1lg2
Explorer C

My husband and I are unable to use a large amount of our travel funds which are expiring on 4/1/20. We paid in conjunction with a LUV gifted to us by Southwest for an issue with our flight in 2019. 

However, with Coronavirus a both of us having pre-existing health conditions that put us at serious risk we had to cancel flights. Also we work for the Attorney Generals Office and we have been asked to reconsider any personal Domestic flights. Our agency is has put into effect emergency policies for their employees right now. 

Anyhow, we have no problem with losing the LUV funds we were given but would ask Southwest to consider extending travel funds at least a year out from this outbreak and not just date of purchase and other restrictions.

 

 

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

bec102896
Aviator A
Solution

At this time southwest hasn’t announced any plans to extend travel funds. You can however reach out to southwest though one of these methods: Submitting a Suggestion and/or Complaint and they can look at your individual situation and maybe they can help. 

 

-Blake 

Re: Unable to refund even with the Coronavirus

joeatch2
Explorer C

You can't issue a cash refund but you can certainly take my cash bailout from the federal government?  Interesting!  I WANT MY REFUND!!!!