Southwest - New Rules for Ticketless Travel Funds Coming January 28, 2011

[piglet33]

No, it means as of the effective date in the title of this thread, you WON'T. Each person's credit can be used ONLY by that person.

I don't think I asked my question right. I know that the credits are for each person, but right now there is a limit of being able to use 3 credits plus a credit card on each ressie. Right now I have 6 $5 credits (2 for each of us). After January, when I go to book a new flight, can I use the 2 credits for each person travelling (totals 6) on the same ressie or is the limit of using 3 credits still going to be in effect?

The three of us always fly together so having them for each person isn't a problem.

Basically, do one ressie like this and pay the balance with a credit card:

Me - use 2 $5 credits
DH - use 2 $5 credits
DD - use 2 $5 credits

Total of $30 in credits to be used as a savings on the new reservation.

I'm sorry if I'm confusing things or are not getting it.

Thanks.

 

[Lewisc]

piglet33--It's not clear if the system will let us use 3 credits per passenger or if we'll have to book each passenger separately.

 

[Lewisc]

If there has been abuse I understand Southwest's change of policey, but this stinks for me. I'm usually in charge of booking flights for other family members and for friends when they travel with us. Most of them wouldn't be able to use the credits because they don't fly often enough, so I generally give them cash and use the credits when I fly.
Not anymore.

SW gives us full credit without any change fee. According to a SW posting on flyertalk the credits were always non-transferable but SWs computer system didn't give them a way to enforce that provision. I'm sure SW assumed a certain % of credits would go unused. Passengers selling the credits on ebay, craigslist and even to friends is probably abuse.

I think a fair compromise would be to let any passenger on the original reservation use the credit but SW isn't making much money and is looking to cut back. Face it free bags sell better then telling passengers they can get away with selling unused TTF.

 

[keishashadow]

No, it means as of the effective date in the title of this thread, you WON'T. Each person's credit can be used ONLY by that person.

There very likely has been abuse. People were constantly selling/auctioning Southwest credits on Ebay, or selling them on Craigslist. That was never Southwest's intent or expectation when they allowed Ticketless Travel Funds to be transferable. They're simply closing another loophole.

Their airline, their rules.

And you still CAN use your family's/friends' TTFs. Simply do it now, before the new rules go into effect.

it was sure nice to be able to sell the credits on ebay though

i do hate to see the idea of 'family credit' being eliminated, wish they'd still allow a pod/original passenger group credit associated with reservation number...probably a logistic nightmare for them to track though

currently, I have over $100 (combined) credits. flight prices keep dropping for my Oct trip. had hoped to use them all to book a dummy flight pre=expiry date (end of March), then pay to extend the credit for next summer's travel if the numbers worked out. wonder if it'll still be a workable 'loophole'

speaking of SWA rule changes:

Southwest has quietly added "mechanical difficulties" to its list of force majeure events/act of God (alongside wars, volcanic eruptions, and riots). In effect, Southwest is saying that if something breaks on a plane, and a flight cannot be completed as a result, Southwest is not responsible for anything beyond a refund and a "good luck." Forget asking for an actual flight homeif it's not to their advantage or compensation for your time that is now standard in the industry if a several hour delay occurs due to mechanical issues.

i brought the following over from an article on a travel site, don't want to post competing website, google the following & full article will probably turn up

Southwest: Mechanical Issues Outside Our Control
July 19, 2010 10:01 am by Carl Unger

Click on over to Southwest's contract of carriage, and sure enough, there it is. In section 6, Southwest says, in reference to force majeure events, that "the sole recourse of any Passenger refused transportation or removed en route will be the recovery of the refund value of the unused portion of his Ticket. Under no circumstances shall Carrier be liable to any Passenger for any type of special, incidental, or consequential damages."

I called Southwest to get a little background on the change, and was told that previously, the airline's contract of carriage didn't define force majeure with the same amount of detail. On June 16, however, the contract was updated, and force majeure was given a list of qualifying circumstances, including mechanical difficulty. Southwest claims its internal definition of force majeure hasn't changed, but that doesn't really matter from a customer's perspective. What matters is what the airline puts in writing, because that's what a customer can rely on for recourse in the event of a cancelled flight. The "update," then, was a de facto policy change.

 

[piglet33]

piglet33--It's not clear if the system will let us use 3 credits per passenger or if we'll have to book each passenger separately.

Thank You! It doesn't look like SW knows either, because they couldn't answer my question when I called. Guess we'll have to wait and see. I really hope we won't have to book each person separately. That will make it hard to do online check-in for each person especially since one of them is a child (that's another can of worms).

 

[Lewisc]

Thank You! It doesn't look like SW knows either, because they couldn't answer my question when I called. Guess we'll have to wait and see. I really hope we won't have to book each person separately. That will make it hard to do online check-in for each person especially since one of them is a child (that's another can of worms).

The people answering the phone don't know. I'm sure the computer people at least know how it should work.

I'm sure posters on DIS or FT will post regarding their experiences.

 

[spinerep]

The people answering the phone don't know. I'm sure the computer people at least know how it should work.

I'm sure posters on DIS or FT will post regarding their experiences.

Has anyone on here used their travel funds to schedule another flight and then had to cancel that flight. Are those funds good again for another year?

I have some funds expiring on 11/3 and I spoke with Southwest Customer Relations today and I have to wait until they expire to request an extension for the funds. They will give me 6 additional months but it will cost me $50 per voucher. So $200 for the four passengers on the original trip.

I am considering scheduling a flight to be completed before 11/3 and then canceling the flight with hopes of avoiding the $200 hit. Any experience with this?

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

The funds will expire one year from the original date of booking, regardless of subsequent flights you book. Further, if you combine funds from several unused reservations and consequently cancel the new reservation, all the funds will now bear the earliest expiration date.

Has anyone on here used their travel funds to schedule another flight and then had to cancel that flight. Are those funds good again for another year?

I have some funds expiring on 11/3 and I spoke with Southwest Customer Relations today and I have to wait until they expire to request an extension for the funds. They will give me 6 additional months but it will cost me $50 per voucher. So $200 for the four passengers on the original trip.

I am considering scheduling a flight to be completed before 11/3 and then canceling the flight with hopes of avoiding the $200 hit. Any experience with this?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

No, the credit will expire on the original expiration date, no matter how many times you use it and cancel it. It will still on expire a year from the original purchase date, unless extended.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

If they are just looking at names (not DOB) and you are a 'Jr" or named after your grandparent (as I was) then you'e be goo to go I would think.

 

[Jestocost]

The funds will expire one year from the original date of booking, regardless of subsequent flights you book. Further, if you combine funds from several unused reservations and consequently cancel the new reservation, all the funds will now bear the earliest expiration date.

Not only that, but if you use two credits with two different expiration dates to book a flight and then cancel you will get a new combined credit with the earlier expiration date. I found that out the hard way.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Isn't that what I wrote?

Not only that, but if you use two credits with two different expiration dates to book a flight and then cancel you will get a new combined credit with the earlier expiration date. I found that out the hard way.

 

[Jestocost]

Isn't that what I wrote?

DISing+Poker+World Series=Reading comprehension fail.

 

[denisenh]

thank goodness i saw this thread, it reminded me to use my travel funds...

so i am trying to use five hundred thirty six dollars in travel funds that expire feb 20 2012. I decided to book a trip and freeze my butt off for a long weekend in fort lauderdale in january 2012.

earlier this year using my debit visa i booked flights for me, 2 of my teens and 1 of their friends for a trip to MCO that they decided that they didn't want to go on (me and my oldest went to LAX instead).

Now I can kiss the remaining travel funds $$ adios, well, three hundred and whatever dollars. i was able to use two hundred and whatever $ of it. i am not happy about this. seriously, why even bother with swa. it was so nice before.
(i thought the OP new SWA rule was effective jan. 28 2012)

i better just hang it up and go to bed, between the snow and now this i am ready to have a full blown fairy fit.

 

[vacation_junkie]

thank goodness i saw this thread, it reminded me to use my travel funds...

so i am trying to use five hundred thirty six dollars in travel funds that expire feb 20 2012. I decided to book a trip and freeze my butt off for a long weekend in fort lauderdale in january 2012.

earlier this year using my debit visa i booked flights for me, 2 of my teens and 1 of their friends for a trip to MCO that they decided that they didn't want to go on (me and my oldest went to LAX instead).

Now I can kiss the remaining travel funds $$ adios, well, three hundred and whatever dollars. i was able to use two hundred and whatever $ of it. i am not happy about this. seriously, why even bother with swa. it was so nice before.
(i thought the OP new SWA rule was effective jan. 28 2012)

i better just hang it up and go to bed, between the snow and now this i am ready to have a full blown fairy fit.

This policy has been in effect for almost a year now...as per their website...

Anytime
These fares are refundable and changeable and may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines for the originally ticketed passenger only.

Wanna Get Away
Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines for the originally ticketed passenger only.

 

[DebbieB]

thank goodness i saw this thread, it reminded me to use my travel funds...

so i am trying to use five hundred thirty six dollars in travel funds that expire feb 20 2012. I decided to book a trip and freeze my butt off for a long weekend in fort lauderdale in january 2012.

earlier this year using my debit visa i booked flights for me, 2 of my teens and 1 of their friends for a trip to MCO that they decided that they didn't want to go on (me and my oldest went to LAX instead).

Now I can kiss the remaining travel funds $$ adios, well, three hundred and whatever dollars. i was able to use two hundred and whatever $ of it. i am not happy about this. seriously, why even bother with swa. it was so nice before.
(i thought the OP new SWA rule was effective jan. 28 2012)

i better just hang it up and go to bed, between the snow and now this i am ready to have a full blown fairy fit.

This change puts SW the same as most other airlines. I lost money on USAirways when my niece cancelled a trip and I could not rebook her within a year.

 

[gmeh1]

This change puts SW the same as most other airlines. I lost money on USAirways when my niece cancelled a trip and I could not rebook her within a year.

No, actually it does not. With other airlines, you can use your unused ticket and rebook, pay the difference in flight fares AND pay a change fee. With SWA, you can use your unused ticket and pay no fee, but perhaps a difference in flight fares.

 

[DebbieB]

No, actually it does not. With other airlines, you can use your unused ticket and rebook, pay the difference in flight fares AND pay a change fee. With SWA, you can use your unused ticket and pay no fee, but perhaps a difference in flight fares.

I was only referring to the fact that the credit can only be used by the person originally ticketed on most airlines. It cannot be used by another person on SW or most other airlines. SW used to allow it to be used by anyone.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

I was only referring to the fact that the credit can only be used by the person originally ticketed on most airlines. It cannot be used by another person on SW or most other airlines. SW used to allow it to be used by anyone.

As I said previously,,,"If they are just looking at names (not DOB) and you are a 'Jr" or named after your grandparent (as I was) then you'e be good to go I would think."

 

[Huff]

We may have a problem come this January. We booked our trip with plans to take a close friends daughter. Theres a strong chance she may not be able to go and most likely would not in the next year (they are moving out of country). If that happens we'd take someone else but SW won't allow transfer of ticket to someone else. So maybe out the cost of her ticket.