Southwest Unused Funds -anyone who can help clarify?

[Belle72]

I have $700 worth of unused ticketless travel funds on a reservation# that just expired Nov 13. I had the credit because I switched to lower ticket prices when they became available-- I think I switched 3 or 4 times. I was told to call when the tickets expired to get a 6 mo extension. I was told they would deduct $50 per person (we are a party of 4) which means I would have $500 remaining under this confirmation # to use within 6 months.

I just got off with a customer service rep who told me that I would be charged $50 for each ticket exchange and $50 for each person which according to her left me with about $16 for each person.

Is this the policy now? I do understand it is a courtesy but I was counting on it. Hoping it was just the customer rep I got

 

[gmeh1]

I have $700 worth of unused ticketless travel funds on a reservation# that just expired Nov 13. I had the credit because I switched to lower ticket prices when they became available-- I think I switched 3 or 4 times. I was told to call when the tickets expired to get a 6 mo extension. I was told they would deduct $50 per person (we are a party of 4) which means I would have $500 remaining under this confirmation # to use within 6 months.

I just got off with a customer service rep who told me that I would be charged $50 for each ticket exchange and $50 for each person which according to her left me with about $16 for each person.

Is this the policy now? I do understand it is a courtesy but I was counting on it. Hoping it was just the customer rep I got

Call back and speak to someone else, this does not sound right.

 

[wdw nut]

I had about $320 credit from a past trip from SW the same way by changing flights for a lower price. They were a total pain to use. They were from 4 people for 2 flights so thats 8 $40 credits. WHen I went to book a flight online (you know the web only price), SW limits the number of payment types to 4 one of which had to be a credit card for the balance. So if I booked the round trip, they would only allow 3credits and the credit card. I split the departure and return to two separate transactions which left me with 2 unused credits. I guess I could have done another split, but if the flight got overbooked, they bump a res number, so there was a chance of being split.

Bottom line, they are a total pain. I think they know people do this and try to make it back through restrictions and fees...

 

[Belle72]

Thanks for the quick responses! I will try to call back--should I ask for a supervisor?

 

[gmeh1]

Thanks for the quick respones! I will try to call back--should I ask for a supervisor?

If you don't like the answer from the next CSR you speak to, by all means ask for a supervisor. Let us know how you do.

 

[gmeh1]

I had about $320 credit from a past trip from SW the same way by changing flights for a lower price. They were a total pain to use. They were from 4 people for 2 flights so thats 8 $40 credits. WHen I went to book a flight online (you know the web only price), SW limits the number of payment types to 4 one of which had to be a credit card for the balance. So if I booked the round trip, they would only allow 3credits and the credit card. I split the departure and return to two separate transactions which left me with 2 unused credits. I guess I could have done another split, but if the flight got overbooked, they bump a res number, so there was a chance of being split.

Bottom line, they are a total pain. I think they know people do this and try to make it back through restrictions and fees...

There are not that many restrictions and NO fees unless you wish to have the credits extended for another 6 months.

 

[Belle72]

Feeling heavy hearted after trying to straighten this out. My reservations are all under the same confirmation number. I spoke to a supervisor who told me that my ticket numbers changed each time I rebooked at a lower price. I will be charged $50 per change (or ticket), plus $50 per person to extend my credit. This is all under the same confirmation number. The only number I was given to identify my available funds. The savings when I rebooked under each person was $50 or less each time so they deduct the $50 from the $50 savings and it leaves me with $0. But I was never given a seperate credit statement tied to ticket numbers- only a total under the conf #.


The most awful part is that I had called before they expired and was told that I had to wait until they expired to extend the credit. That I needed to understand that even though they were under the same confirmation I would be charge $50 per person. I understood that-- they only used my confirmation number- that is what they used to look up the information, nothing was said about ticket numbers. I feel like they asked me to wait until it expired to extend the credit and then told me I can't use it because it expired and I had switched to lower fares four times (that is how I got the $700 credit).

Anything else I could try?

I would have used this money earlier if I was told that those were the rules.

 

[gmeh1]

Feeling heavy hearted after trying to straighten this out. My reservations are all under the same confirmation number. I spoke to a supervisor who told me that my ticket numbers changed each time I rebooked at a lower price. I will be charged $50 per change (or ticket), plus $50 per person to extend my credit. This is all under the same confirmation number. The only number I was given to identify my available funds. The savings when I rebooked under each person was $50 or less each time so they deduct the $50 from the $50 savings and it leaves me with $0. But I was never given a seperate credit statement tied to ticket numbers- only a total under the conf #.


The most awful part is that I had called before they expired and was told that I had to wait until they expired to extend the credit. That I needed to understand that even though they were under the same confirmation I would be charge $50 per person. I understood that-- they only used my confirmation number- that is what they used to look up the information, nothing was said about ticket numbers. I feel like they asked me to wait until it expired to extend the credit and then told me I can't use it because it expired and I had switched to lower fares four times (that is how I got the $700 credit).

Anything else I could try?

I would have used this money earlier if I was told that those were the rules.

Oh, that is a bummer. The only thing I could think of is write a letter to corporate and explain that you were not made aware of all the rules and ask if you can have a one time exception. I believe the corporate HQ's address is on their web site.

 

[Lewisc]

I suggest posting in the Southwest forum of flyertalk.

 

[Belle72]

I will try a letter to corporate, thank you gmeh1.

Hi Lewisc. Thank you. I will post in the Southwest forum- does the airline check out those complaints?

Don't think I will be able to swing Disney without the funds from these tickets so I am really bummed. But grateful for the advice I have been given here on DIS--hoping something may work.

It just isn't right. I was trying to follow their rules and called to double check. I spoke with the supervisor of customer service. They apologized for me getting the wrong advise but say that there is nothing they can do. I had really liked Southwest before this- they always seemed very helpful all around. I find it hard to believe that they will not take some responsibility for the bad advice- and for tying everything to the confirmation # (emails sent to me, the only number they ask to identify me when I call, etc...) and then to say that it is all tied to ticket #. I had never once been requested to provide ticket numbers or had been told/emailed that I had credit on a ticket #. All the credit was tied to my conf #.

 

[Lewisc]

SWs employees, in an official capacity, participate in flyertalk.

It will definitely cost at least $50/ per passenger to extend your credits. I don't know if you can get the additional per ticket fee waived. Did you call the 800 number or SW customer service.

 

[Belle72]

customer service- even spoke with two supervisors... Totally expected and understood the $50 per person fee, that is in the rules and was told to me when I called before the credit expired. Customer service told me to wait until the expiration date to extend the credit- now that the expiration has come they say they are expired and I should have/could have used them before but they cannot do anything now.