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cancelled flight after was assured it would not cancell

Norak13
Explorer C

1 week ago I contacted SWA to move my flight because my plane appeared to be one of the impacted flights.  I was assured by the reservationist that my flight was not impacted.  Today when I check my early bird check in I was notified  my 6am flight on Monday morning is cancelled. No email to let me change your flight just canceled.  I rebooked to a flight a day earlier but was informed I couldn't get early bird check in because that is required 2 days in advance.   Most disappointed in the fact that you did not tell me the truth about my flight when I proactively called to get it changed and then lost my early bird check in.  As an airline that prides yourself on customer service you failed miserably.  My advise to anyone that has a flight booked on a 737 Max 800 no matter what letter it has behind it change it NOW.  do not let the reservationist tell you your plane is not the one impacted.  Now I have an additional hotel night to pay for because I was not told the truth when I contacted you proactively.  

2 REPLIES 2

Re: cancelled flight after was assured it would not cancell

dfwskier
Aviator A

Sorry to hear about your experience. 

 

I've had what you described happen to me. The reality is that no airline can provide a 100% guarantee that a cancellation will not happen. All it can say is that it is not currently cancelled and it knows of no CURRENT reason for it to be cancelled. CIrcumstances change, and flights are sometimes cancelled as a result of those changed circumstances.

 

The airline has known since 3/13 that the Max8s would not fly for some undefined amount of time.

So when you were told the flight would not be cancelled, the airline believed that it had a replacement plane for the flight you were scheduled to take. Perhaps circumstances changed..

 

As far as EBCI goes, that happens automatically 36 hours before scheduled flight time. EBCI passengers are checked in in the order of time of EBCI purchase. The closer the purchase is to 36 hours, the less the value of EBCI. In your case, EBCI would have had no value as your EBCI purchase time would have been the time you changed to your new flight.

 

I'd suggest calling customer relations at 855-234-4654 and requet an EBCI refund. 

Re: cancelled flight after was assured it would not cancell

SWDigits
Aviator A
I agree with @dfwskier to get in touch with Customer Relations, also available via Twitter (@Southwestair).

See this link for context:
https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/Submitting-a-Suggestion-and-or-Complaint/ta-...

Also one technical note to avoid confusion as aircraft type was referenced in the original note (for others who read this post in the future). Southwest currently has three variants of 737 aircraft in their inventory:
1. 737-700
2. 737-800
3. 737 MAX 8

Note that it's confusing because two of the aircraft variants have an "8" in there but the "-800" and the "MAX 8" are not the same aircraft.

This is a page with MAX 8 FAQs:
https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Southwest-Stories/Boeing-737-MAX-8-FAQs/ba-p/88171

Double check what notification method was selected when the tickets were booked as the MAX 8 FAQs page states:
How will I know if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
In the event of a flight delay or cancellation, Customers are notified via the method selected during booking (phone, email, or text). Customers can proactively track the status of a flight using our Flight Status Tool on Southwest.com

Customer | Home airport DCA