I experienced this recenty. I had some reward tickets booked for travel in early June, and a few weeks after booking the cost decreased so I changed the flight (selecting the very same flight with the change) to take advantage of the lower cost. When I cancelled the flights, the only option I had for the security fee was to hold for future use. I called SWA, and the rep told me that since I changed the ticket, the security fee was no longer refundable. If I had not changed the ticket, the security fee would have been refundable. The SWA rep also mentioned this refundable / hold for future use change was due to a new system... A new system should never dictate a policy change unless the policy change is something management evaluated and accepted as part of the new system implementation. I personally believe this was a policy change, and had little to do with a new system... If the new system was purchased off the shelf with this code and SWA didn't realize it, then shame on SWA. The issue I have is that the fees held for future use can only be used on a ticket for the same passenger as the original ticket. In my case the reward tickets were for someone else, and most likely I will not have the opportunity to use the funds in the future.
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