Refundable fares now remain refundable; was: CoC changes 12-6-2016 effective 5-9-2017
Jan 13, 2017, 7:06 pm
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I edited my original post just after it was posted to make it clearer that this applied to an bookings for travel after May 9, 2017... but perhaps that wasn't clear.
My understanding (which may or may not be correct) is that all dates opened with the May 9 schedule release are being booked on the new system. And that each new schedule release will be as well, until eventually there are no dates being booking under the old one.
In practice, this means that {edit} for any ticket purchased to fly {/edit} after May 9, 2017, in order to maintain refundability, you should never change a BS (or any other refundable) fare, but instead always cancel and create a new booking.
Jan 14, 2017, 2:18 am
#32
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,036
No argument with any of that, but my post was meant to raise the question of what is happening now with the simultaneous use of the old and new booking systems. I think that what is happening now with the dual systems in place can give us insights about the policy versus system limitation questions.
Jan 14, 2017, 4:58 pm
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Understood. More info is needed, but I believe the new disclosure shows (and new policy applies) when booking any reservation for travel May 9 or later, which are processed under the new system.
Hopefully we'll get some more data points here.
Hopefully we'll get some more data points here.
Jan 14, 2017, 5:16 pm
#34
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,941
I didn't get any disclosure recently when I changed my points booking in April.
Feb 22, 2017, 11:10 pm
#35
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 4
Any additional data points?
I have a reservation in late May that is not offering me a refund of my $5 security fees (only the option to bank the funds for later). I have not modified the reservation in any way. Anyone still getting only the one option for flights after 5/9/17?
Feb 22, 2017, 11:20 pm
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Last edited by ursine1; Feb 23, 2017 at 2:14 am
May 11, 2017, 2:33 pm
#37
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado
Programs: Lifetime UA 1K, Lifetime Hilton Diamond, Lifetime Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,261
I book BS all the time so I can cancel.
I guess with this policy everyone will just cancel and then rebook the new reservation. Seems pretty stupid and likely to open up other carrier options.
Even the newest of these airline reservation systems seem archaic monoliths that take forever to add one new capability.
I guess with this policy everyone will just cancel and then rebook the new reservation. Seems pretty stupid and likely to open up other carrier options.
Even the newest of these airline reservation systems seem archaic monoliths that take forever to add one new capability.
May 13, 2017, 7:27 pm
#38
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: SWA A-List Preferred, AAdvantage Lifetime Gold, SkyMiles, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 12
This really makes me angry. If you originally purchase a refundable, "unrestricted" fare and change it to another refundable fare, then you should be able to get a refund. Isn't that the point of purchasing a refundable fare?
As far a blaming the new reservation system, I can't believe that this is difficult to program. They did it in the old system.
So now when I purchase a ticket on my company credit card, change it, and later cancel, I'm going to have to turn in a receipt and explain why the fare isn't refundable. This is going to hit my department as an expense, even though I didn't take the flight.
I realize I can just cancel the ticket and book another one. But doesn't SWA have to pay another credit card processing fee? If they had a way to see your ticketless funds balance, like Virgin America does, then maybe I wouldn't be so angry. This just feels like bait-and-switch.
As far a blaming the new reservation system, I can't believe that this is difficult to program. They did it in the old system.
So now when I purchase a ticket on my company credit card, change it, and later cancel, I'm going to have to turn in a receipt and explain why the fare isn't refundable. This is going to hit my department as an expense, even though I didn't take the flight.
I realize I can just cancel the ticket and book another one. But doesn't SWA have to pay another credit card processing fee? If they had a way to see your ticketless funds balance, like Virgin America does, then maybe I wouldn't be so angry. This just feels like bait-and-switch.
May 14, 2017, 7:13 am
#39
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL DM & 5MM, WN
Posts: 1,451
For what it is worth, I was a no-show for a flight BWI-KCI on May 10 when booked BS. My own fault, I had changed plans and completely forgotten about this segment.
Funds were converted to travel credit, as the new policy indicates. The agent did put me on hold for about three minutes and came back with that all arranged.
Funds were converted to travel credit, as the new policy indicates. The agent did put me on hold for about three minutes and came back with that all arranged.
May 14, 2017, 7:30 am
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,176
I wonder if the new more restrictive "cancellation of duplicates" policy means you can book a new identical cheaper BS ticket while hanging onto the old one, and only then cancel the latter.
May 14, 2017, 9:01 am
#41
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
I'm not used to seeing identical BS routes changing much in price, but cancellations don't seem to be automatic - I suspect they search and delete in batches.
May 18, 2017, 5:57 pm
#42
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Waxahachie, TX
Programs: WN 3 Million Miler, MR Lifetime Titanium, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, AA Silver, United never again
Posts: 509
Has anyone heard of an update when changing using points?
The fares are sky high around the holidays, so I used a whole bunch of points to buy tickets for the entire family. For me it doesn't matter but for kids and grandkids that seldom fly it would be a bummer to lose those points, in case there is a fare change at some point.
The fares are sky high around the holidays, so I used a whole bunch of points to buy tickets for the entire family. For me it doesn't matter but for kids and grandkids that seldom fly it would be a bummer to lose those points, in case there is a fare change at some point.
May 24, 2017, 8:38 pm
#44
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: WN A+/CP
Posts: 143
I had a RT points reservation. I no-showed for first segment and both outbound and return segments were cancelled and the points were refunded about 2 hours after noshow flight departure. Used travel funds for 11.20 fee so I can't comment on refundability of the taxes. The 11.20 did go back to travel funds.
May 25, 2017, 1:43 am
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I had a RT points reservation. I no-showed for first segment and both outbound and return segments were cancelled and the points were refunded about 2 hours after noshow flight departure. Used travel funds for 11.20 fee so I can't comment on refundability of the taxes. The 11.20 did go back to travel funds.
No Show Policy: If you are not planning to travel on any portion of this itinerary, please cancel your reservation at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight. Customers who fail to cancel reservations for a Wanna Get Away fare segment at least ten (10) minutes prior to travel and who do not board the flight will be considered a no show, and all remaining unused Wanna Get Away funds will be forfeited. All remaining unused Business Select and Anytime funds will be converted to reusable travel funds for the originally ticketed Passenger only. If you no show your reward travel reservation, the points will be redeposited to the purchaser’s Rapid Rewards account. Any taxes and fees associated with your reward travel reservation will be held for future use in the form of reusable travel funds under the name of the traveler(s).