Travel Funds specific to Kauai

[TheMiddleSeat]

@thieu11 Southwest is not going to extend the expiration date of your travel funds.  After they expire you can send a message asking that they be reinstated as vouchers.  The value of each travel fund will be reduced by $100 each during this process.  You have 6 months after the travel funds expire to request the conversion and then once you get the vouchers they will expire 6 months later.  In the meantime enjoy the $150 voucher you are being sent.

--TheMiddleSeat

[jksobonya]

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@aespin28 wrote:

I had purchased tickets for my family to come visit me in San Francisco a while back before the outbreak occurred. Southwest is now taking a hard stand on not refunding my tickets. They would only give them back as a credit in the passengers name (which I purchased the tickets with my own card) 

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This is standard practice. Southwest does not give refunds on Wanna Get Away fares. If you cancel your flight, you are given the balance as a credit to use within 1 year since the date you purchased the airfare. That's pretty generous considering Southwest does not charge any cancellation fees, like all other airlines do, ironically up until now. The other airlines are enacting no cancellation fees which Southwest has always done. 

--Jessica

[MGC]

SAME here.   Flying into New Orleans in 10 days.  New Orleans has 6 new cases today, all in the service area.   THEY ARE PUTTING PROFITS BEFORE PEOPLE.

[MonicaSW]

Jessica, its good to know that Southwest has a generous cancellation policy. But, this is an economic hardship situation for most of us. For people like us you have contract jobs, no job, no money! We are worried about our future. In this dire circumstances, do you think a travel fund would help?  We expect South West to empathize with his customers and not hide behind policy.

[jksobonya]

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@MonicaSW wrote:

Jessica, its good to know that Southwest has a generous cancellation policy. But, this is an economic hardship situation for most of us. For people like us you have contract jobs, no job, no money! We are worried about our future. In this dire circumstances, do you think a travel fund would help?  We expect South West to empathize with his customers and not hide behind policy.

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Monica - believe me, I know all about contracts! I am a contractor and my current end date at my company is 3/31. I've been told since the start of the contract that it was always likely my contract would be extended (or even better, a permanent position!) but I have yet to receive an update, and I have 2 weeks left. I am trying not to worry too much about it and just let the dominos fall one way or another. Worse case scenario, I'll be unemployed for awhile. I should still be able to collect unemployment while I look for another job 🙂 

Regarding Southwest, if they make any updates to any of their policies, I am sure that an announcement will be made. 

--Jessica

[Jiggy]

We have a  youth group going to NY. I agree with Southwest that they are safe from the virus. However, we are not safe from NY (who currently is under a State of Emergency) deciding to quarantine certain areas or possibly closing airports and having our children stranded there for up to 14 days. We are a lower income group in Mississippi and air travel in the next 10 months for these kids with a voucher is very unlikely. Also, they did fundraisers to pay for the tickets. Morally it feels wrong to raise funds for an organization and use for personal use. I know this isn't Southwest's problem but this is a situation to break policy.

[saltmanone]

I assume your purchase was a group one. I agree with you ,one hundred percent.. I have kind of the same situation. Although we are not kids. We are senior citizens and purchased as group. I feel we are being discriminated against due to  our age. Please see my blog under travel policies.

                                                              Saltmanone              

[jackbtxlbk]

While Congress is planning to bail out the airline industry during this crisis, what are you planning to do to help us, your loyal customers? 

[tommer78]

I am not understanding the replys in this chain given the federal mandate below....4/3/20 USDOT order requiring refunds NOT travel vouchers. Does not specifically list SWA and their "Wanna get away" fares as an exception for all airlines!

https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-issues-enforcement-notice-...

[chgoflyer]

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@tommer78 wrote:

I am not understanding the replys in this chain given the federal mandate below....4/3/20 USDOT order requiring refunds NOT travel vouchers. Does not specifically list SWA and their "Wanna get away" fares as an exception for all airlines!

https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-issues-enforcement-notice-...

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The DOT guidance only applies when the airline cancels the flight, not if the customer does.

Most of the comments in this thread are applicable to that situation. Also note that most were written days or weeks ago and this is a fast changing situation, so it's always best to seek the newest information.