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Don't get ill during a flight

SWA9159
Explorer C

Had to cancel the last leg of my flight due to a headache and now being penalized by "no show" policy.  I let a customer service agent of the situation after the first leg of the flight.... well before the 10 minute requirement and she said "no problem."  Now I am not receiving credit for any of the flights toward my A List. Blake in Customer service accused me of trying to get a cheaper fare by skipping the last leg.  Basically called me a liar. Said I would have had to cancel the last leg before I got on the first leg - when I didn't feel ill!  I have told so many people about how great SWA is - and I can't believe that they would risk losing such a long term customer over something so petty.  Spent 15 minutes waiting on hold to talk with the A List customer service and then 40 minutes having Blake talk to me in a condescending way.  So disappointed in SWA - don't think it is the same company that it was in years past.

6 REPLIES 6

Re: Don't get ill during a flight

Passenger1C
Aviator C

@SWA9159  did you speak to anyone else at SW after your interaction with Blake?  If you truly felt that you were being talked down, you should have. My suggestion if you are still not satisfied with the answer given to you is to reach out to SW on Twitter. Every time I have reached out on Twitter, I get an immediate and fair response. 


SWA Passenger, Community Champion

Re: Don't get ill during a flight

bec102896
Aviator A
Solution

@SWA9159 

 

First off sorry to hear you fell ill mid trip that's not fun I'm also sorry to hear Blake accused you of skipping the last leg because it would be cheaper to get to a city (unfortunately people do that so I could see why he might think that) either way he should not accuse you of something right off the bat especially since your an A List Customer. 

 

If you haven't reached out to customer relations I recommend you do that by calling 855-234-4654 or as mentioned by @Passenger1C you could also reach out on Twitter.

 

Hope your able to get your A List credit 

Blake (A List passenger) 

Re: Don't get ill during a flight

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@SWA9159 wrote:

Had to cancel the last leg of my flight due to a headache and now being penalized by "no show" policy.  I let a customer service agent of the situation after the first leg of the flight.... well before the 10 minute requirement and she said "no problem."  Now I am not receiving credit for any of the flights toward my A List. Blake in Customer service accused me of trying to get a cheaper fare by skipping the last leg.  Basically called me a liar. Said I would have had to cancel the last leg before I got on the first leg - when I didn't feel ill!  


I hope this can be reonciled. That is a strange accusation, I haven't heard of hidden city ticketing being common on Southwest since the pricing is very straightfoward based on distance and demand, if you were buying flights before they start selling out it would be rare to find a connection cheaper than direct to that intermediate location. It seems to largely be an A+B+C pricing model. 

 

Maybe "Customer Service Blake" was concerned that you changed your mind to stay in the connecting city last minute, which would require a change and the current price was higher than when you originally booked the whole flight with both legs so it would have been a cost increase to stay there by officially changing the flight. 

 

Maybe it would help when you reach back out to explain the connecting city wasn't your destination and whatever you did after that to get home or eventually get to where you were going.

 

Anyway - in addition to what "Community Forum Blake" @bec102896  and @Passenger1C said, try specifically at the customer relations number for action after a flight.

 

Unfortunately if you did stay in the connecting city due to the illness, it probably is correct per the terms that due to the unfinished leg you don't get the A-list credit until it is resolved that the first person was supposed to change your flight, if they could. Since the cost may have been more to make a day-of change, in effect the staff may have offered the no-show option instead of current cost. I'm not sure if they have the ability to change it without a fee if the current cost is much higher. 

 

While you are standing there too ill to fly wouldn't be the best time to hit you up for current price of the flight either to make the change. 

 

One last point - hopefully this was a one-way flight or else this will affect your RT leg as well. (Always book one-ways.) I think the staff wouldn't have let you no-show the first part of a RT flight though if they new your later segments would be canceled but make sure if you have future travel that you are still setup.

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Don't get ill during a flight

dfwskier
Aviator A

@DancingDavidE wrote:

@swa9159

 


I hope this can be reonciled. That is a strange accusation, I haven't heard of hidden city ticketing being common on Southwest since the pricing is very straightfoward based on distance and demand, if you were buying flights before they start selling out it would be rare to find a connection cheaper than direct to that intermediate location. It seems to largely be an A+B+C pricing model. 

 

Actually, I see cheaper hidden city fares fairly frequently. It normally happens on   routings where SW doesn't offer non stop service, but the competition does. So Southwest matches the competition's fare with a connection, and viola, the hidden city fare is cheaper.

Re: Don't get ill during a flight

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@dfwskier wrote:

 

Actually, I see cheaper hidden city fares fairly frequently. It normally happens on   routings where SW doesn't offer non stop service, but the competition does. So Southwest matches the competition's fare with a connection, and viola, the hidden city fare is cheaper.


 

I see what you mean, there would be a driver there that would leave an opening for pricing to diverge from A + B = C. I still wouldn't do it since I want to get the points.

 

OP may be have been unlucky then to fall ill in a city where Southwest would have already noticed some percentage of people tending not to make it onto their connection. 

 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Don't get ill during a flight

rshef
Explorer C

I've always found it best to go directly to one of the desks at the airport and inquire there. Since the manager is likely the only one that can do anything about it, you may want to find out who that is and try to start there. Managers usually support their employees of they're following protocol. If that doesn't work, go to the next terminal and do the same at the Southwest desk. 

 

Be respectful and friendly. Even if they say that can't help you, they can at least direct you to the best place for resolution, maybe even an executive desk phone number.

 

Persistence has always worked for me. This is also from my personal experience after flying for thirty years at least twice a month.

 

Having said that, I realize the airlines have changed a lot. They used to be very helpful. I believe the Internet is a major factor. Everyone hears about and even sees things you would never have seen before. Both parties' perceptions are jaded.