Drink coupon changes August 1, 2010
Feb 6, 2012, 5:19 pm
#826
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I emailed customer service last week asking if I could mail in old coupons for new ones. When I had redeemed my RR for a flight last spring, they forgot to send me the drink coupons. I emailed them and they sent me some, but it was after my flight, and I haven't flown WN since. I used this as the basis of my request. Anyway, they replied that they are sending me a drink coupon, but made it clear that they had given plenty of notice about the old coupons expiring.
Feb 7, 2012, 11:11 am
#827
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: STL
Programs: AA mostly
Posts: 150
You don't get drink coupons when you redeem RRs for a flight anymore, even if you redeem an old standard award; that changed with the launch of the new program last March. You are now supposed to receive coupons after you complete 10 paid (non-points or awards) one-way flights.
Feb 7, 2012, 4:11 pm
#828
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors LTDia, Marriott Plat
Posts: 639
I realized I hadn't received any since 10/31 (I fly weekly). I called and they confirmed that I missed at least one cut since then and would send me out a book.
Another issue, the coupons are sent out at the end of the month. If you fly weekly you should receive 1 book after 2 months (16-17 flights), another book after 3 months (24-25 flights), and a 3rd book after 4 months (33 flights). It seems like I don't get that 3rd book - it always seems to average 1 every 2 months. Maybe I'm just crazy...but at least I don't count peanuts.
Feb 8, 2012, 5:01 pm
#830
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
(How's that for a single paragraph that references three different threads?)
Feb 9, 2012, 3:31 pm
#832
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 465
Not true. I am sure there are some that do, but monsters are not doing well. with or without coupons. They will most likely be gone in the future.
Feb 9, 2012, 9:31 pm
#833
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,700
I as an adult heavy drinker of straight vodka, had one once and puked. I used to trade my coupons in and take them home for my teenage son who enjoyed them...
Feb 10, 2012, 6:44 am
#834
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,198
Provisioning: Sure
Mgmt: We don't want to give any away even though they cost us the same as our alcohol products.
Proviosioning: Umm. Ok. But won't that affect our true demand #s and reduce our distribution volume compared to our other premium drinks? What about our preprinted coupons?
(1yr later) Provisioning: Hey, Monsters aren't selling well.
Mgmt: Shocking. It must just be a terrible product, let's pull it, they had their chance.
Feb 10, 2012, 12:21 pm
#835
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,625
However the real problem was incompatibility of a premium non-alcoholic drink with Southwest's (and other airlines') inventory system. FA's are prohibited from drinking alcohol on duty, so the inventory system need not police that against FA "shrinkage". However there is no ban on consuming non-alcoholic drinks on duty. FA shrinkage became a problem and there was no solution that was both customer-friendly and cost-effective.
Too bad Southwest didn't level with us about this at the time it made the coupon change. Most of us would have been sympathetic.
Feb 10, 2012, 12:51 pm
#836
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Funny stuff.
However the real problem was incompatibility of a premium non-alcoholic drink with Southwest's (and other airlines') inventory system. FA's are prohibited from drinking alcohol on duty, so the inventory system need not police that against FA "shrinkage". However there is no ban on consuming non-alcoholic drinks on duty. FA shrinkage became a problem and there was no solution that was both customer-friendly and cost-effective.
Too bad Southwest didn't level with us about this at the time it made the coupon change. Most of us would have been sympathetic.
However the real problem was incompatibility of a premium non-alcoholic drink with Southwest's (and other airlines') inventory system. FA's are prohibited from drinking alcohol on duty, so the inventory system need not police that against FA "shrinkage". However there is no ban on consuming non-alcoholic drinks on duty. FA shrinkage became a problem and there was no solution that was both customer-friendly and cost-effective.
Too bad Southwest didn't level with us about this at the time it made the coupon change. Most of us would have been sympathetic.
Here's why I believe it's not true:
1) Restricting them from coupon usage doesn't change whether or not the FAs take them; they're still subject to FA shrinkage.
2) It's much more probable that, due to the fact that they could be dispensed unopened and taken off the plane, they were simply being redeemed with coupons at a much higher rate than Southwest expected; leading to higher rates of costs in both provisions and coupon redemption.
Feb 10, 2012, 2:08 pm
#837
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,625
But the shrinkage is traceable. No record of cash sale = shrinkage. No ability to claim you comped a drink when you actually just reallocated a drink coupon to the Monster you drank.
Feb 10, 2012, 4:28 pm
#838
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I suppose Monster being essentially in their own category could make them uniquely traceable, in theory. I've been told that right now there is no inventory control that links alcohol served to either coupons used or monies collected. Does anyone know if there is a system in place for tracking Monster inventory against credit card charges?
Feb 10, 2012, 6:04 pm
#839
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 465
I suppose Monster being essentially in their own category could make them uniquely traceable, in theory. I've been told that right now there is no inventory control that links alcohol served to either coupons used or monies collected. Does anyone know if there is a system in place for tracking Monster inventory against credit card charges?
Last edited by DontCallMeShirley; Mar 21, 2012 at 11:30 am
