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VOUCHER/TRAVEL FUND NIGHTMARE

lmichele
Explorer C

I have reached out to Southwest multiple times now and STILL no one has responded with an appropriate response regarding my particular matter. The only response that I did receive had nothing to do with my ASK. So I will post the issue here to warn others. My children were recently booked on a flight to PHX total price of the ticket was $930.52. The trip had to be canceled because of COVID and I assumed that since I purchased this ticket in Oct 2021 I would have until Oct 2022 to use this very large value. The ridiculous caveat to using vouchers toward these types of trips is NOT SPELLED out very clearly. I put toward this trip a $50 voucher credit that was on my sons account, I had no idea that would negate the FULL value of this ticket to the vouchers expiration date of June 2022----NO ONE WOULD take that risk if they knew that was the case. In my opinion this is criminal, should be an easy fix for Southwest to keep funds separated even when trips are canceled as other airlines do. This method would keep the expiration of the $50 voucher as of June 2022 however leave the remaining balance of $880.52 to expire in the normal Oct 2022 timeframe when the ticket was actually purchased. This trip that was just canceled now has a expedited clock of June 2022---with these kids in school, I do not have another opportunity to book anything before June. I feel Southwest is taking advantage of people here, misrepresenting this fine print when the most ethical thing to do would be to separate the funds out -(different buckets of funds) if the trip has to be canceled---especially during this pandemic. I am appalled that NO ONE has reached out to me regarding this issue and even more so that I was promised when I called in that all I had to do was email the customer support team and that they would call me back or email me immediately. Southwest this is unethical and can be an easy fix regarding mixing funds.

9 REPLIES 9

Re: VOUCHER/TRAVEL FUND NIGHTMARE

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I suggest you read this thread from Monday:

https://community.southwest.com/t5/Travel-Policies/cancelled-travel-travel-funds/m-p/135792/highligh...

 

 In short, the scenario you describe is spelled out pretty clearly in the Travel Funds FAQ.  Sorry you learned the hard way.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: VOUCHER/TRAVEL FUND NIGHTMARE

lmichele
Explorer C

Sorry middle seat I disagree

 

“Spelled out” would prompt you when you apply the voucher with a warning that states in bold prior to confirming with something such as this-

Using this voucher or travel funds will link this reservation and any additional funds you use toward this ticket to the vouchers expiration date of “xyz” should you cancel this reservation regardless of when this ticket was purchased!

 

 

Re: VOUCHER/TRAVEL FUND NIGHTMARE

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Seems a bit much to have every policy explicitly stated for you during every moment of your life, but ok. 

 

You're welcome to submit that suggestion to Southwest, use the contact us link at the bottom of this page and send a message. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: VOUCHER/TRAVEL FUND NIGHTMARE

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

@lmichele wrote:

Sorry middle seat I disagree

 

“Spelled out” would prompt you when you apply the voucher with a warning that states in bold prior to confirming with something such as this-

Using this voucher or travel funds will link this reservation and any additional funds you use toward this ticket to the vouchers expiration date of “xyz” should you cancel this reservation regardless of when this ticket was purchased!

 


 

Actually, it does -- on both the website and the app.

 

Southwest funds.jpgSouthwest funds-app.jpg

 

 

 

 

Re: VOUCHER/TRAVEL FUND NIGHTMARE

parpitt1
Frequent Flyer A

Just curious was the $930.52 purchase a non-refundable "Wanna getaway" fare?

Re: VOUCHER/TRAVEL FUND NIGHTMARE

jksobonya
Aviator A

@lmichele wrote:

 The trip had to be canceled because of COVID and I assumed that since I purchased this ticket in Oct 2021 I would have until Oct 2022 to use this very large value. 

...

I put toward this trip a $50 voucher credit that was on my sons account, I had no idea that would negate the FULL value of this ticket to the vouchers expiration date of June 2022


-----------

 

Your mistake here was not understanding how travel fund expiration dates work. Your initial assumption was correct, your travel funds are valid for one year from the date of booking your flight. *However* if you use travel funds from a previous cancellation to book a new flight, and then cancel that, the new travel funds take the expiration date of the travel fund you applied.

 

--Jessica

My funds are disappearing

kJung
Explorer C

I too have travel funds expiring.  Normally I don't change reservations after making them, but recently SW has been forcing changes, and giving us AWFUL connections, hence the changes to other airlines.  This has happened to me more than twice in recent memory!

 

So, it seems the solution to the problem is to not book on SW until they fix their current flight issues, or improve the possibility of not losing your hard earned money due to THEIR changes.

Re: My funds are disappearing

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@kJung wrote:

I too have travel funds expiring.  Normally I don't change reservations after making them, but recently SW has been forcing changes, and giving us AWFUL connections, hence the changes to other airlines.  This has happened to me more than twice in recent memory!

 

So, it seems the solution to the problem is to not book on SW until they fix their current flight issues, or improve the possibility of not losing your hard earned money due to THEIR changes.


 

If Southwest made any changes to your flight you can request a full refund, back to the original form of payment.

 

Re: My funds are disappearing

rich1954
Adventurer A

Another reason to always try and book with points. I know conventional wisdom says it's a bad idea to buy points because you pay slightly more, up the upside is that it is 100% refundable. I look at it as travel insurance.