unable to cancel flight online 22 hours after booking

[sross222]

Hi,

I thought that I could book roundtrip flights and cancel for any reason within 24 hours of booking for a full refund. When I try to do this online, I am not offered a full refund. For one of my flights - the one that is a WGA fare - I am only offered to "hold for future use", not a refunds.   

Do I really have to call the 800 number to cancel?  (I have been holding for 1 hour so far)

Could this situation be due to the fact that I did make one change to my flights an hour ago? It was a zero cost change.

Thanks!

[chgoflyer]

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@sross222 wrote:

Hi,

I thought that I could book roundtrip flights and cancel for any reason within 24 hours of booking for a full refund. When I try to do this online, I am not offered a full refund. For one of my flights - the one that is a WGA fare - I am only offered to "hold for future use", not a refunds.   

Do I really have to call the 800 number to cancel?  (I have been holding for 1 hour so far)

Could this situation be due to the fact that I did make one change to my flights an hour ago? It was a zero cost change.

Thanks!

---

Yes, it is probably related to the change you made. You'll need to contact Customer Relations.

Contact Customer Relations 

[TheMiddleSeat]

The change could have affected your ability to cancel for a full refund. If you're still on hold try using the live chat within the Southwest app or send a private message on Twitter or Facebook. Response time with those methods is usually pretty good. 

--TheMiddleSeat

[bec102896]

I was informed by a representative on the phone back a year a go that if you make a change to your flight you lose the ability to cancel for a refund within 24 hours. In my case i was trying to change to a cheaper fare within the 24 hours and get the difference refunded I had to cancel get a refund and rebook at the cheaper fare. 

-Blake

[chgoflyer]

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@bec102896 wrote:

I was informed by a representative on the phone back a year a go that if you make a change to your flight you lose the ability to cancel for a refund within 24 hours. In my case i was trying to change to a cheaper fare within the 24 hours and get the difference refunded I had to cancel get a refund and rebook at the cheaper fare. 

-Blake

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I believe this is a systems limitation. While you lose the ability to cancel for full refund online, my understanding is that to be in compliance with the DOT rule, you can still call within 24 hours of booking and receive the refund that way.

Hopefully the OP will come back and let us know how it works out for them.

[DancingDavidE]

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@chgoflyer wrote:

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@bec102896 wrote:

I was informed by a representative on the phone back a year a go that if you make a change to your flight you lose the ability to cancel for a refund within 24 hours. In my case i was trying to change to a cheaper fare within the 24 hours and get the difference refunded I had to cancel get a refund and rebook at the cheaper fare. 

-Blake

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I believe this is a systems limitation. While you lose the ability to cancel for full refund online, my understanding is that to be in compliance with the DOT rule, you can still call within 24 hours of booking and receive the refund that way.

Hopefully the OP will come back and let us know how it works out for them.

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But in the interest of a solution for next time - cancel and refund, then rebook to what you were intending to make a change.

Not exactly sure of the scenario that someone would book, then change, and then want to cancel but to make it cleaner and handle it self-service online next time, cancel, then rebook.

This also used to apply to Business Select fares which lost their refundability if changed but that's rectified now.

[Dashgupta]

You can claim UCC 202 Federal Consumer ContrCt law that allows cancel of any Consumer contract(except automobile purchases) with 72 hours Credit cards know of this lW and will refund you. For a faster but maybe not complete refund? Blake s (Top Contributor) advice Malay be best option SW is trying to survive like rest of airlines but usually like constructive tips to improve their Customet Service. This is their Democratic Forum for improving their Customet Service 

Yes Please Good luck.

Dash

[dfwskier]

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@Dashgupta wrote:

You can claim UCC 202 Federal Consumer ContrCt law that allows cancel of any Consumer contract(except automobile purchases) with 72 hours Credit cards know of this lW and will refund you.  

Sorry, but you are wrong about that. The 72 hour rule does not apply to air travel.

The 24 hour rule from the DOT does.

Anyone that asks for a refund after say 26 hours is not going to get one.

[Dashgupta]

 INo  DFWskisr

are you practicing law without a listener? I just made a suggestion. You are stating tht as a fact. Dealership laws small claims let alone Louisiana with the Napolianic code and many Courts of Equity will look upo.n the 72 hours as an issue of Eauity which will enjoin unjust enrichment. Is SW ❤️Luvs the Customer  and may refund at 72 hours.

Yes Rlease

Dash

[dfwskier]

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@Dashgupta wrote:

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/24-hour-flight-cancellation-rule