It's clear to me that not cancelling a Wanna Get Away fare booked with cash 10 minutes before departure results in a forfeiture of the funds. It's also clear to me that not cancelling a Wanna Get Away fare booked with points 10 minutes before departure, however, does not result in a forfeiture of points; the points are consequently automatically refunded to your account.

What's not clear to me, however, is whether the $5.60 security fee should be refunded as well. In the past several years, I have made numerous award bookings but failed to cancel them. I got the points back but only recently realized that I am not getting the $5.60 security fee refunded.

I spoke to a WN CSR who mentioned that the $5.60 "fare" is not refundable due to my being a no-show, and that the Wanna Get Away fare rules apply to the security fee. This seems reasonable to me, and I'm willing to take this as a lesson in learning that WN points bookings are not truly risk-free refundable fares.

At the same time, though, I feel that the argument could be made that the $5.60 security fee is not a part of the original WN fare and that it is a separate tax used to cover TSA services (which I technically did not use due to not showing up at the airport), and therefore I am entitled to a refund of the security fee, separate to WN policy on the fare component.

Two questions:

1) In practice, can anyone verify that what the WN CSR says is hard policy, or is it worth arguing my point with a different CSR to see if I can get refunds? (I have dozens of no-show points bookings so they add up).

2) In theory (or legally), general thoughts on whether the security fee should, apart from actual WN rules, be fully refundable?

Either way, I've now learned to be sure to cancel points bookings on time! Mainly as a courtesy to WN and other passengers, but if nothing else the $5.60 is surely an added incentive.