I really don't know where else to vent my frustration with the NEW rapid Rewards policy! So.. Today I tried to use a RR ticket again, only to be told there were no more searts available!!! I have been able to use 1 ticket since this was intstituted - on the 4th of July, when no one was flying!!! My request was a flight on September 30th at about mid day to KC from Chicago. The flight status on the internet indicated that the really cheap flights were sold out, but there were still 3 categories being sold!
I feel the new way of doing the RR is descriminating against SW most valued customers. For over 15 years I have been touting SW's RR program to anyone who would listen - the best thing out there - if there is a seat available on the plane to be sold, it can be yours!!! Blah, blah, blah!
No one will tell you how many seats are available - and my feeling is that when the "cheap" seats are sold out, SW declares there are no more available RR seats, so that we are forced to pay more for our flights!!! I feel that SW has figurted they will make more money this way. Why do we want another American Airlines or Delta type program? SW hooked us with their RR program and now they are letting us down!!
I know that the blackout dates were sometimes a pain, but the majority of us expected this and consequently, we PURCHASED these seats well ahead of time and used the RR tickets for last minute travel, or schedules that were uncertain.
As a self-employed individual, these tickets were a life saver to me to be able to get onto a plane the next day and fly to wherever I had to go at the last minute. These tickets were also excellent for family emergencies etc.
If enough people feel the way I do, PLease contact SW and let them know. Now when I get on a SW flight, I let everyone know about the changes to the program and to make them aware that they will be terribly shocked when they go to use one of these tickets which they have been saving for that emergency situation - and they cannot use it!!
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