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Southwest Airlines Community

COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

jr13160
Adventurer C

Dear Southwest Airlines 

My experience with this situation I am about to tell you has been nothing but frustrating as a dedicated Southwest Customer for many years.

I am writing to you today to request that all my travel funds are returned to my credit card for my recent flights which needed to be canceled due to pandemic of COVID-19.  Regardless of being booked as a Wanna Get Away fare or not we were left a choice but to cancel our trip. My husband who has a low immune system due to a rare blood cancer and Multiple Sclerosis was advised to cancel our trip by medical professionals, plus the government suggestion by Anthony Fauci, Director of National Institute of Health stating we should not travel at all if not urgent or immune system low. 

As of today March 19th 2020, the government is estimating this Coronavirus will continue to last for at least up to 18 months or more.  In that time, I cannot use my travel funds since it will have expired and I will be out $525.00 since we will be unable to fly to ANY destination by the expiration date.  It is truly wrong of Southwest to not refund my card with these funds or at least keep my funds in my account with no expiration date since I will use them, but cannot use them until this COVID-19 is no longer a threat and we are okay to travel. I am very upset that this is not being taken to heart with customers who canceled after the breakout of the virus. I will be writing a formal complaint requesting this, but Southwest needs to change the policy on Wanna Get Away fare travel funds until this COVID-19 virus is contained properly and we are advised it is safe to travel. 

12 REPLIES 12

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

jksobonya
Aviator A

Hello,

 

When did you book your flight? If you need to cancel, travel funds are good for one year since the day you booked your flight, so you may still have many months left to use them.

 

--Jessica

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

jr13160
Adventurer C

This has nothing to do with it. I had booked a vacation package and am aware of fare refund policy on Wanna Get Away fares-but given the circumstances it is different situation. There should be NO expiration date at this time. 

According to CDC and Dr. Fauci NIH director this may last up to 18 months or more. Therefore Southwest will keep my money. They should at this time not give us an expiration date or refund our money. I personally am not getting a bailout by the government, but SW airlines will. 

I plan on rebooking but cannot rebook if there is a threat to my husbands health. My travel date was March 17 and I should be able to use my funds. This is unfair since it is NOT my doing I have had to cancel flight-It is a PANDEMIC not under my control. They should not give an expiration date. 

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

dfwskier
Aviator A

Please try to be patient. All airlines are struggling to understand the path forward on a whole lot of things. Things are changing hour by hour.

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

lennies5
Explorer C

I agree totally. My ticket was purchased before all of the virus stuff came up.

 

And now unable to fly to my destination I can only receive a refund inform of a new ticket.  12 months to use this, and this could go on for 18 or more month.  

 

I plan on righting in about this as well.  I will do whatever I can to make there ineffective policy in this matter known to everyone I can.  Social media word spreads fast.  Guarantee this is something our government would like to know about.  

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

dfwskier
Aviator A

Do what you feel you need to do  

 

 

Be aware of the fact though that American, United, Delta,Spirit, Frontier, et all  passengers would kill

to have their airlines' policies on non refundable travel funds be as good as Southwest's. They are not.

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

gsking
Aviator C

As expected, Southwest relaxed their expiration deadlines.  As usual, they exceed every other airline's customer service.

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

mymoney
Explorer C

We booked a flight in December for a May cruise. The cruise is now cancelled and I would like a refund. We purchased Wanna Get Away tickets and a future credit will do no good since I have now lost my job. I agree that if Southwest takes public funds they should at least offer refunds to individuals who request them.

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@mymoney wrote:

We booked a flight in December for a May cruise. The cruise is now cancelled and I would like a refund. We purchased Wanna Get Away tickets and a future credit will do no good since I have now lost my job. I agree that if Southwest takes public funds they should at least offer refunds to individuals who request them.


 

Wait and see if Southwest cancels the flight(s), if so you are entitled to a full refund. If they don't, just cancel the flight(s) yourself at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure and you'll receive travel funds good until September 7, 2022.

Re: COVID-19 Refunds for all Flights

hcis07053
Explorer C

Travel funds is quite different from cash refund though. You can't use travel funds for groceries, which is really what you'd need in this pandemic times.