SWA Refund info: for those whose rates dropped

[ushkina]

There seemed to be some confusion on whether SW can refund the price difference to your credit card or just give you a SWA credit to use with the future flights with them.
Well, I just called SWA Customer Relations (214-792-4224) and asked them about it. I told her different people seemed to have different experiences when they asked for a refund. The lady said whether the price difference can get refunded or just a SW credit can be given depends on several conditions:
- did you change the flight dates when you rebooked at the lower rate
- did you change the flight times when you rebooked at the lower rate
- did your class of service change. I did not quite understand how this works, but it seems like different tickets can have different class of service, even though their rate appears to be the same? Did not quite understand this one.

But the bottom line is: call them (call Customers Relations directly at 214-792-4223) and find out whether they can refund the price difference back to the credit card or not in your specific case (you need to have a confirmation number when you call). Good luck! I got my refund!

 

[DMRick]

I got my refund!

None of the above LOL! Nothing ever appears to be different on mine..and I still got just credit, not credit card..but I'm a happy camper..I get to go on another vacation. As I mentioned on other threads, it's a great company to give us anything.

 

[ushkina]

Did you call Customer Relations people, the department that process refunds?

 

[DMRick]

Did you call Customer Relations people, the department that process refunds?

I'm not sure if you are talking to me..but I did the last time there was a drop (this time I booked after the drop). I was told these were non refundable tickets and that unlike other airlines, they are willing to give me aircredit. Which I was happy with.

 

[jimmiej]

I was told I could only get a credit

Anyways, I sold my credit at 1/2 price to a co-worker. Got some of my $$$ back...

 

[leebee]

I called SW several days ago, as soon as I heard of the airfare price drop. They refunded my money to my credit card. I had no change of date, flight, or ticket category. I was very pleased because our tickets are from 6/16-6/30, and the price drop ending date is 6/17. Agent said it was no problem, she could refund $$ for the leg of our trip that DID fall within the discount period! I'm pleased...this means another night on-site!

 

[dmure]

I also called and was told I would have it credited back to my cc. However I was so excited I forgot to ask when the credit would be posted. Does your travel have to be complete or is it applied right away? Do I have to mail anything in to them or do they just take care of it?

 

[ushkina]

It should be posted before you complete the travel, no need to send anything. It takes up to 10 business days, that's what they told me today - I called to find out about the status of my refund processing. If you don't see your refund on the credit card, call customer relations again to make sure they are processing it.

 

[dmure]

Thank you so much. I was going to call today but thought maybe I should just give it time to process. If I don't have the credit in approx 10 days I will call again. I did get the name of the rep who said she would credit my card. Thanks again for the info.

 

[angey77]

I will also post this on another SWA thread going on, but if you have a previously booked flight, CALL NOW AND CHECK THE RATES!!!
My flight was not listed online for the super-low rate. In fact, none of the flights for the day I was traveling were.
Sooo, I called SWA anyway and asked if my flight qualified for the lower rate. Turns out it did! Went from $84 total to $49! I will get a SW credit since it was non-refundable, which I will use in December. The woman on the phone was so nice and she even pulled up my Rapid Rewards number so I could get credit for my flights.
I LOVE SW!

 

[DMRick]

I was reading SW mission statement and found the following (I wanted to know at what point before your flight can you cancel, since my daughter has an ill fil and wants to leave her options open), and it's pretty clear on the fact you get air credit only when the fair goes lower. So for those who got credit on credit cards, I still think you are lucky. Here is what it says and I gave the url, so people will have this in case they ever have SW questions..it's on page 5. It's a pdf, so I can't copy and paste.:

http://southwest.com/about_swa/customer_service_commitment/customer.pdf

Doris

 

[ushkina]

Thanks for posting it, but I can't seem to find where it says about this particular case (fare going down) - could you please quote it? I could only find the paragraph that discusses the case when a customer does not use his/her non-refundable ticket and it says that in this case a customer will get a SW credit. I could not find any place where it says what happens if fares go down.

 

[ushkina]

I just checked my credit card account and saw that SW refunded the price difference to my credit card! Good luck to everybody trying to get a refund!

 

[Disneycrazymom]

When did the rate drop? I cannot see any difference on the web site. Angey, are you travelling before Aug? That must be why I do not see the sale. Boy would I like to find that $49 fare!

 

[DMRick]

could you please quote it? I could only find the paragraph that discusses the case when a customer does not use his/her non-refundable ticket and it says that in this case a customer will get a SW credit

I don't why it's so important to you that you prove I'm lying. I obviously cannot copy and paste, as it's a pdf file..however, it says. "no cash refunds or credit card adjustments are made on any amounts paid for nonrefundable tickets." Obviously (to me) you wouldn't need a refund if your new fare is more..just less. This is where I was referred, when I talked to SW and told them others have been given credit on cards, and I had never had that experience. Perhaps that is the part they were referrign to..since I didn't see anywhere else where it said THEY WOULD give me credit card credit. I'm happy for those who got the credit, and they are happy it was posted here to try..but obviously, if you have been following all of the threads, not all of us have had that experiece. Do you think I should threaten them with my Uncle Alfredo, if they don't give it to me, just because they did to you Geesh..they told me no, even if I qualified under the reasons you posted..they told me NO! Just like when you call Disney and some CM's tell you one thing..I don't think the other people are lying. I think that is what they said. However, I don't need to keep calling back to find the SW employee who will give me the credit..because I go often, I'll just use it later. OK?
Keep in mind, by the way, that you already got your credit posted. Others have been told it wouldn't be posted (those that were told they would get it) until after their trip...so sometimes people are told different things than other people...doesn't mean one person is lying..it just means they were told something different. So to me the moral of the story is..SW is wonderful and gives us either credit for future travel, or credit on our cards. Either way, it's darn nice of them, and I'll take it in either form.

 

[angey77]

Disneycrazymom,
The rates dropped on April 1 (of all days....haha) and are supposedly good to book through April 7.
The flight I booked is for May with a return in June. My $35 credit I received will be used in the future when I book December.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thank-you. I think $208 is the best I can do right now. I'll keep hoping though!

 

[mikkiblueeyes]

I just got off the phone with Customer Relations at Southwest. (I promised not to give out the wonderful person's name who helped me so she wouldn't be loaded down but that anyone at Customer Relations can help you) I told her how I was given a credit voucher but that some people were getting the credit put back on their credit cards. She put me on hold (I would've stayed on hold for hours for her answer) and when she came back she said that because it was a "fare saver" and that the only thing that had changed was the price lowering, they could credit my card but only when I returned. I thanked her over and over again and said do I need to call when I get back and she said no, that a reminder will pop up on her screen the day after I get back and she will take care of it then!!!! YEAH!!!

Thank you all so very much for this board and this post!!! I told her how there have been nothing but nice things said on this board for Southwest!!!

Isn't this great how people want to share information like this instead of keeping it for themselves?? You guys are the best.

Michelle

 

[ushkina]

DMRick,
It would never even occur to me to suggest that you or any other people who could not get a refund are lying! Of course they are NOT lying, they called SW, talked to an agent and that's what they were told.
What I am trying to understand is whether you and others just spoke to an agent that was not knowledgable enough about the refund policy or whether people who got refunded were just lucky. I want to know the truth, whatever it is - and if I am not eligible, I do not want the credit. I don't see where in the rules Refund policy is discussed for this particualr case - when the price of the promotional fares drops.
That's why I called Customer Relations and told them that there has been some confusion about the refund and told them that the answers the agents give were inconsistent. I did not ask for a refund, I just wanted to know what is their refund policy for such cases. She told me that depending on the circumstances people may or maybe not be eligible for a refund, and the way to find out is to call them. I happened to be eligible and came to this board to post about what I was told. Several agents I talked to before told me contradicting things, that's why I suggest to call Customer Relations directly. Given that people are getting such mixed responses, I assume that maybe
there is no fixed rule no how to handle it in this case ..

 

[Free4Life11]

Wait you can get a refund? What if the fares are still unavailable?

We booked the next tickets up because the promotional fares were unavailable. Well the promotionals rates dropped and they are still unavailable...can we get a refund?

Can you only get a refund if you booked the promotional rate? Does it ahve to be "available"?