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VOUCHER

Josh10k
Explorer C

My flight from Austin to Orlando was delayed due to maintenance on the plane.  A 1am arrival was not a good thing for the 85-year-old friend who was meeting me; I explained that and was offered and given and hotel voucher for the Marriott, but on arrival the hotel made me use my credit card.  They made a copy of the voucher and told me I'd have to ask SW for reimbursement.  I sent SW an email via their website two days ago but haven't heard back.  If I'd used my hotels.com account rather than accept their voucher, I could have paid a lot less than the $230 the Marriott charged me.  Does SW have a procedure for dealing with these vouchers?  It appears the website only deals with other types of vouchers.  Thanks much in advance for any guidance you can provide!

8 REPLIES 8

Re: VOUCHER

dfwskier
Aviator A

I suspect that it is Marriott that made the mistake.

 

Airlines have agteements with hotels that allow the airlines to provide hotel vouchers to passengers. The airlines have negotiated rates with those hotels. The hotels charges the airlines those negotiated rates when hotel vouchers are used. Passengers pay nothing.

 

I'd call Marriott and speak to a customer servide rep and ask that Marriott reverse the hotel charge and accept the hotel voucher as it should have done. I'd escelate to a supervisor if needed.

 

Protesting the charge to your credit card company, providing an explanation, and forcing Marriott  to defend it's position would be another avenue. 

 

The strange part of the story is that the hotel made a copy of the voucher. Why would it see a need to do that if was not going to accept the voucher as payment.

Re: VOUCHER

basslaw2010
Frequent Flyer B

Southwest generally does not reimburse for hotels.  If an agent gives you a hotel voucher, it usually is a discount voucher.  Since your flight was delayed due to a mechanical issue, you will probably only get a Southwest voucher to use on a later flight.

Re: VOUCHER

dfwskier
Aviator A

@basslaw2010 wrote:

Southwest generally does not reimburse for hotels.  If an agent gives you a hotel voucher, it usually is a discount voucher.  Since your flight was delayed due to a mechanical issue, you will probably only get a Southwest voucher to use on a later flight.


Actually there are two kinds of hotel vouchers. The ones one can get after an "act of god" (that you have to ask for) provides a hotel discount. The other one, that one gets after a "non act of god," provides a no cost hotel room.

Re: VOUCHER

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Can you post a snapshot of your voucher @Josh10k  - that might be helpful for what our next advice would be.

 

My take on the situation was that this may be one of the "discount" type vouchers since they were still going to deliver you to the destination, unless the staff member you were talking to specifically said that they would pay for the whole room.

 

Also verify that they charged you the $230 and were not using the card for incidentals and a temporary hold that would be be released - you may not know this for sure until a few days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: VOUCHER

dfwskier
Aviator A

@DancingDavidE wrote:

 

 

My take on the situation was that this may be one of the "discount" type vouchers since they were still going to deliver you to the destination, unless the staff member you were talking to specifically said that they would pay for the whole room.

 

 

You might be right about that. I missed the part about the traveller deciding to not take the flight, and instead deciding to take a flight the net day. That could very well mean it was a discount hotel voucher.

 

  

 


 

Re: VOUCHER

SWDigits
Aviator A
Solution
I don't know how the vouchers work on the back end between the hotel and Southwest, but if the hotel made a copy of the voucher I wonder if they are somehow "double dipping" by taking payment from both Southwest and the customer?

I'd loop in the Southwest Customer Relations Team by phone (1-855-234-4654) or on Twitter (@Southwestair).

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

Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: VOUCHER

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@dfwskier wrote:

@DancingDavidE wrote:

 

 

My take on the situation was that this may be one of the "discount" type vouchers since they were still going to deliver you to the destination, unless the staff member you were talking to specifically said that they would pay for the whole room.

 

 

You might be right about that. I missed the part about the traveller deciding to not take the flight, and instead deciding to take a flight the net day. That could very well mean it was a discount hotel voucher.

 

  

 


 


I had one once in Nashville due to weather cancelation, the discount was okay but for most tech-saavy travelers I agree with @Josh10k that you could probably find as good of a deal or better, plus staying somewhere that makes sense with whatever points/mileage programs you prefer to use as a first option instead of what happens to be close and has an airport shuttle.

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: VOUCHER

Josh10k
Explorer C

Thanks for all these suggestions!  Will try to take a phone photo of the voucher, which looks like a SW ticket, and the Marriott bill and get it to SW on Monday.  Will also try calling Marriott and seeing if they didn't follow procedure.  Stay tuned!