Flight Change - Refund?

[Bowen9475]

I had a non stop flight on Southwest that was just changed to a flight with 1 stop. Does this change entitle us to a cash refund as opposed to airline credit?

 

[e_yerger]

As far as I know, you're only entitled to a refund if the flight is cancelled. I have one leg of my round trip flight cancelled, so I was able to get a refund of the whole trip.

 

[Bowen9475]

Technically, my flight was cancelled and I was rebooked onto another one.

 

[e_yerger]

I mean, yes but they do not considering it cancelled since they were still able to offer you the service.

The refund comes from the airlines not offering you the service.

 

[starry_solo]

did they change the flight number too?

 

[Bowen9475]

Yes. New flight number.

 

[spiders]

The flight number is irrelevant. The fact that they converted your itinerary from non-stop to connecting is usually considered a significant change. You should call them and request a refund if that is what you actually want.

 

[kaytieeldr]

They cancelled your specific flight, but not your overall itinerary. If you read the Terms and Conditions of your fare, all the airline guarantees is to get you from your starting point to your destination on the given date. Now, if they substantially changed the time, you might be able to get a refund. But just subbing one flight for another, within a reasonable time frame, unlikely.

 

[DLgal]

Is the change acceptable to you? If not, you are entitled to a refund according to the Department of Transportation. Their law specifically states that the CONSUMER gets to determine whether the new flight is acceptable or not, not the airline.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

They cancelled your specific flight, but not your overall itinerary. If you read the Terms and Conditions of your fare, all the airline guarantees is to get you from your starting point to your destination on the given date. Now, if they substantially changed the time, you might be able to get a refund. But just subbing one flight for another, within a reasonable time frame, unlikely.

That is inaccurate. If the airline cancels a flight and the passenger is unhappy with the proposed replacement flight, the passenger is entitled to a full refund to the original form of payment.

This is from the Department of Transportation (DOT):
Passengers are often entitled to a refund of the ticket price and associated fees when the airline is at fault.

• Cancelled Flight – A passenger is entitled to a refund if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the passenger chooses not to be rebooked on a new flight on that airline.
  

 

[choirfarm]

Yes, you get a refund. American changed my itenirary and gave me a refund.

 

[jo-jo]

I had non stops on SW that way back when..started at 12 :30 ish pm, then was moved to 11:15 am(which was ok with me) and it now 7:30 am. Return flight went from 10:25 am, to 8:30 am.
Last week I was told only credit . Both flights are still non stop. But both are now too early for us, even if we were still going. For us to use those flights, we'd have to get up at 4 - 4:30 am. Not the way we want to start or end a vacation.

Yesterday I just wrote again, asking since the flights were changed so much, doesn't that make a difference? I'm waiting for a response.

The reason I would like a refund vs. credit, I don't see us taking more than one flight in the next year and I feel our flight in Nov won't cost as much as the one we cancelled.

Edit....I had written was told only" refund", but really meant "credit", but you all read what I meant and not what I wrote, right????


Update- I got a call from SW today and she agrees that since they changed the flights, I can get a refund.

 

[Bowen9475]

I had non stops on SW that way back when..started at 12 :30 ish pm, then was moved to 11:15 am(which was ok with me) and it now 7:30 am. Return flight went from 10:25 am, to 8:30 am.
Last week I was told only credit . Both flights are still non stop. But both are now too early for us, even if we were still going. For us to use those flights, we'd have to get up at 4 - 4:30 am. Not the way we want to start or end a vacation.

Yesterday I just wrote again, asking since the flights were changed so much, doesn't that make a difference? I'm waiting for a response.

The reason I would like a refund vs. credit, I don't see us taking more than one flight in the next year and I feel our flight in Nov won't cost as much as the one we cancelled.

Edit....I had written was told only" refund", but really meant "credit", but you all read what I meant and not what I wrote, right????


Update- I got a call from SW today and she agrees that since they changed the flights, I can get a refund.

Has all your communication with Southwest been through writing or have you tried to call? If written, how are you contacting them, email?

 

[elle101me]

Has all your communication with Southwest been through writing or have you tried to call? If written, how are you contacting them, email?

I had to contact them last Saturday and used Facebook messenger. They got back to me within 5 minutes.

 

[jo-jo]

Has all your communication with Southwest been through writing or have you tried to call? If written, how are you contacting them, email?

I emailed asking about if I would get credit or refund. Does it make a difference since flights were changed. They emailed back with the since you bought "get away" fares, you can only get credit.
I wrote again, and I said I'm asking again and then gave details of how much flights changed. Then I got phone call a day or two later.

Update, it's only been a few days and I got the credit posted on my credit card already. SW person said it would take a few weeks.

 

[brockash]

I had a non stop flight on Southwest that was just changed to a flight with 1 stop. Does this change entitle us to a cash refund as opposed to airline credit?

Yes, just call. SW has been really good about this kind of stuff in the past in my experience. Just so you know; if you do plan on taking a flight from the same departing/arriving origins in the next 60 days; you can change you current flight to that for no additional charge; even if the new flight is more. Just wanted to make sure you knew, as that has actually worked out better for us in our current situation than just a refund.

 

[brockash]

I emailed asking about if I would get credit or refund. Does it make a difference since flights were changed. They emailed back with the since you bought "get away" fares, you can only get credit.
I wrote again, and I said I'm asking again and then gave details of how much flights changed. Then I got phone call a day or two later.

If you want a refund; call. Generally speaking they've been pretty flexible and have almost always given me exceptional customer service. When writing; you're basically just getting an automatic reply.

 

[nkereina]

I had to contact them last Saturday and used Facebook messenger. They got back to me within 5 minutes.

Surprisingly, social media direct messages have elicited the best responses from SWA that I have seen so far. They are generally quick to respond - within minutes was also my experience. I also was offered a LUV voucher or RR points for the value of my EBCI on a flight I had to take travel funds for. When I requested the same over the phone before messaging them, the phone rep told me she hadn't heard compensation for EBCI was something they were offering and she couldn't help me.

 

[Bowen9475]

I wrote to Southwest through FB messenger, got a response within minutes, and they are refunding the entire purchase price to my credit card. So happy with the results!

 

[elle101me]

I wrote to Southwest through FB messenger, got a response within minutes, and they are refunding the entire purchase price to my credit card. So happy with the results!

That’s exactly what I did last Saturday. Quick and easy! If you had paid for EBCI, did they mention anything about that being refunded? I forgot to ask and I’m still waiting for my refund to go back to my card.