Southwest.com blocking access to AwardWallet
Jul 8, 2010, 7:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott // WN, AA, BA, UA, AS // Avis
Posts: 1,314
Southwest.com blocking access to AwardWallet
Anyone else here use AwardWallet to track their reward programs, including SouthWest?
As of this morning, AwardWallet is giving me a message that SouthWest is blocking them from accessing account info...
If this is true, its very disappointing! I've been using AwardWallet for a long time, tracking over 30 different programs, including Southwest (3 accounts, 1 for myself and 2 for employees)... and find it to be an incredibly useful tool.
As of this morning, AwardWallet is giving me a message that SouthWest is blocking them from accessing account info...
If this is true, its very disappointing! I've been using AwardWallet for a long time, tracking over 30 different programs, including Southwest (3 accounts, 1 for myself and 2 for employees)... and find it to be an incredibly useful tool.
Jul 8, 2010, 9:29 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott // WN, AA, BA, UA, AS // Avis
Posts: 1,314
But that wasnt the main point of my original post...
Jul 8, 2010, 10:13 am
#4
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
Jul 8, 2010, 10:59 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott // WN, AA, BA, UA, AS // Avis
Posts: 1,314
I dont wish to get into the details of the employment agreements we have with employees, so I'll amend my previous statements-
1) We dont "own" the credits/rewards or accounts of employees.
2) Is anyone else having this issue with AwardWallet blocking access to their own Southwest account?
1) We dont "own" the credits/rewards or accounts of employees.
2) Is anyone else having this issue with AwardWallet blocking access to their own Southwest account?
Jul 8, 2010, 12:20 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,195
Here's my take on this: If the employer facilitates the entire award being earned (by signing the employee up for RR, always entering the RR #, *AND* discusses this with the employee this up front, then it's no big deal if the employer asks the employee to use it for an upcoming business trip. Legally they are 'property' of the employee, however in practice I'm sure hundreds of small employers do it this way.
The RR/Credit issue can be much more complicated though, if you earned 6 credits from personal use , and 10 from business use.
The RR/Credit issue can be much more complicated though, if you earned 6 credits from personal use , and 10 from business use.
Jul 8, 2010, 12:49 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: WN CP
Posts: 6,360
Jul 8, 2010, 1:26 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,195
It's a shame that those same terms & conditions prevent anyone from writing any awesome little utility to track awards/flight itineraries, scraping data from the site (loging in on our behalf).
It seems that it would be within the terms and conditions, thoguh, for some of the same apps to be written via IMAP access to a mailbox such as GMAIL. The right programmer (is ftnoob listening)? Could scan the box and make a very nice spreadsheet/database report based on reading in any confirmation and cancellation emails found in the box. Maybe even award notification emails.
It seems that it would be within the terms and conditions, thoguh, for some of the same apps to be written via IMAP access to a mailbox such as GMAIL. The right programmer (is ftnoob listening)? Could scan the box and make a very nice spreadsheet/database report based on reading in any confirmation and cancellation emails found in the box. Maybe even award notification emails.
Jul 8, 2010, 2:05 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,082
Jul 9, 2010, 12:12 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX/SMF/PDX/HNL
Programs: Hilton-lifetime diamond, Southwest A+, companion pass
Posts: 1,748
Check with your attorney
Because 99.9% of the travel these employees do (at least on Southwest) is business related (and obviously paid by the company), and as such, any free credits they earn are also owned by the company, and redeemed for company travel.
But that wasnt the main point of my original post...
But that wasnt the main point of my original post...
Any side deal you have with employees to surrender their property may run afoul of labor laws.
Just sayin'
Jul 14, 2010, 1:45 pm
#14
Company Representative - AwardWallet
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: WA, NY, CA
Posts: 27
Yes, SouthWest did contact us and asked us to stop collecting data from their site on the member's behalf.
As more folks voice their opinion on this thread we will share this info with SouthWest in hopes that they reconsider.
Here is the information we are displaying on AwardWallet concerning SouthWest...
As more folks voice their opinion on this thread we will share this info with SouthWest in hopes that they reconsider.
Here is the information we are displaying on AwardWallet concerning SouthWest...
Unfortunately Southwest is not allowing us to pull data from their website anymore. You can update your balance manually and you can use AwardWallet for auto-login.
Southwest on their website state the following: "We like to think of ourselves as a Customer Service Company that happens to fly airplanes". If you can kindly ask Southwest to stop disallowing AwardWallet to pull your reward info we are confident it could go a long way.
You can email or call Southwest at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA.
Southwest on their website state the following: "We like to think of ourselves as a Customer Service Company that happens to fly airplanes". If you can kindly ask Southwest to stop disallowing AwardWallet to pull your reward info we are confident it could go a long way.
You can email or call Southwest at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA.
Jul 15, 2010, 4:15 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: WN A+/CP, UA1K, AA PP; Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, SPG Plat; National EE
Posts: 243
Yes, SouthWest did contact us and asked us to stop collecting data from their site on the member's behalf.
As more folks voice their opinion on this thread we will share this info with SouthWest in hopes that they reconsider.
Here is the information we are displaying on AwardWallet concerning SouthWest...
As more folks voice their opinion on this thread we will share this info with SouthWest in hopes that they reconsider.
Here is the information we are displaying on AwardWallet concerning SouthWest...
Thank you for contacting us. We are forwarding your e-mail to our Customer Relations Department for further review. You should expect a response to your concern within 45 days, and we'll do our best to get back to you as soon as possible. We certainly appreciate your patience.
Sincerely,
Southwest Airlines
Sincerely,
Southwest Airlines