southwest airlines cancellation policy during covid

Southwest airlines cancellation policy during covid update#

But experts say Southwest’s mess is actually the culmination of issues that have been building over several years. In the days since, the carrier’s scramble to recover has been slow and, some passengers argue, largely unsuccessful.

'If flexibility is more important to consumers than it’s ever been and it’s a hallmark of the Southwest brand, we thought ‘we have to be the best on this,' ' he said.A blast of severe winter weather last week caused thousands of Southwest Airlines flight cancellations and spiraled into a complete meltdown of its flight system. Eagle-eyed travelers who notice cheaper tickets can cancel their original itinerary, rebook at the lower price and retain credit for the difference. Green noted that customers can also earn credits if the airfare for their trip goes down. New credits that are issued on or after July 28 will not expire, either.

Southwest airlines cancellation policy during covid update#

'Customers will begin seeing a placeholder expiration date of December 31, 2040, on valid flight credits ahead of additional work later this year that will update technology systems to altogether remove expiration dates on flight credits,' the airline said in a statement. Starting July 28, all existing credits will be extended. '(The pandemic) has lengthened the horizon where customers think ‘what if my plans change?' ' he said. 'If life happens and your plans do change, that money is going to be there for you to use whenever you’re ready to fly.' What changes under the new credit policy? Green said that Southwest heard customer feedback that the old policy wasn't flexible enough. Refundable fares were eligible for cash back, and credits from 'Wanna Get Away Plus' fares were able to be transferred to other Rapid Rewards members.īeen a while since you traveled?: Here's a refresher on those basic economy plane tickets Prior to the announcement on Thursday, existing Southwest credits had to be spent on travel scheduled to be completed within a year of the original date of purchase for nonrefundable tickets. Passengers could use credits toward the value of a ticket for future travel. Southwest, for now, is the only major U.S. Vouchers were also previously available on other carriers, though the terms under which they were issued were more restrictive prior to the pandemic. Airlines issued vouchers for future travel in many cases, instead of cash refunds, when travelers had to change their plans.Ĭredits have been a big part of Southwest's business model for years due to their easier-to-change ticket policies. Its longstanding policies of no cancellation or bag fees set it apart from most of its domestic competitors, which tend to charge extra for changes, luggage and other services.Ĭredits on every airlines: What to know about using your airline vouchers What are flight credits?ĭuring the height of the coronavirus pandemic, more travelers than ever got acquainted with flight credits. The airline has long promoted itself as a customer-first carrier. We are taking care of this for them in the background,' he said. 'The only thing that they need to know is they don’t need to take any action. ' 'Flight credits don’t expire' aligns with the boldness of a philosophy to give our customers definitive simplicity and ease in travel, just like 'bags fly free,' just like 'no change fees,' just like 'points don’t expire – they're a first-in-our-industry combination of differentiators that only Southwest offers,' Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said in a statement.Ĭustomers don't have to do anything to take advantage of the new policy, Ryan Green, Southwest's chief marketing officer told USA TODAY. The airline announced Thursday that the credits it provides when travelers need to cancel their tickets will no longer expire, no matter what kind of ticket they purchased. Southwest Airlines passengers now have extra flexibility when their plans go awry.