mile ho

I am 100% for cracking down on ANYONE who is forging drink coupons. It's dishonest; it's theft; it's stealing. Period.

But I did not steal or forge my drink coupons and don't think it is right at all to start imposing expiration dates on my unused, WN-issued, totally legit drink coupons. There's got to be a way around this without messing with those of us who are simply long-term honest pax.

I didn't understand why they stopped the Monster Drinks for coups.. but maybe it was because WN already knew that folk were printing their own coupons and taking those drinks off the plane a few or more at a time since they are non-alcoholic. Could this be the reason they stopped the Monsters?

DontCallMeShirley

Honestly I don't know why in the world they chose to do that with the Monster drinks. I very rarely even sell one and am a little suprised that we are still going to carry them. I think I have probably sold less than a dozen since we began carrying them. I don't have an answer for you, I just have to follow the rules.

As far as the rest, I just don't know what to say except I want a job at a company that is making a lot of money. I don't want to see nickle and diming either on things like bags. I don't think we will ever charge for 2 bags (hopefully). I know that we offer a great product as far as performance and I am happy to be a part of that.

Let's face it. Liquor is a HUGE profit in any industry and God knows the airline industry needs all the help we can get.

On a lighter note, Diet Dr. Pepper is coming back to an airplane near you! Wooohoo

kennycrudup

That's already started; I was on 2472 (SJC-SEA) this morning and took BS since it was only ~$20 more 'cause of the short notice. My BS coupon had today's date on it, and since y'all stopped offering the Monsters, what use do I have for a drink when I'm headed to a client's at 0900? Called out upon leaving the gate on arrival if anyone wanted it, and gave it to a guy who looked like he'd put it to good use.

I've only been flying WN since late January- I'm only 4 trips away from A-List, but already there's been two devaluations (Monsters, and this- I did like to save my infrequent BS coupons to have a couple of beers on the way home Fridays) which makes me wonder if I've been shooting at the right target. What's next? Bag or change fees?!

(... and while I'm venting, there's ~$500 of unused tickets in the system under my RR account- do I understand that I've got to do the homework myself to figure out what PNRs hold them, there's no way on the WN website to do this?)

kennycrudup

Agree on both. Hell, if WN has a mechanism where I can earn free WiFi, I'll never complain about a drink again!

jrpaguia

Thanks, man...much obliged! ^

No....that wasn't me.

Correct. The website will only confirm the amounts and expiration dates for each individual PNR. It doesn't have the ability to show you running totals associated with your RR number.

jco613

Just for the record...I read Southwest's drink coupon just now (the unexpired one) and all it says about changes is "Southwest Airlines reserves the right to discontinue it's drink coupon service at any time". As far as I am aware, this is NOT Discontinuing the program. Therefore, I could see this becoming a legal issue. On a side note, it also says "1 Coupon = beer, wine, mixed OR SPECIALTY NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK. Technically, isn't that a violation of the contract as it is printed by the company that I can get any alcoholic/non-alcoholic drink? So I say, on September 1, 2011 we all get Monster Energy Drinks with coupons!

lougord99

I would like to apologize to the board if my post had anything to do with the BS we are suddenly receiving from corporate.

So here is where we stand.

Because WN came up with an amazingly ill-conceived means of giving BS customers a free drink coupon, they are blaming the customer and penalizing everyone who buys a BS ticket and so devaluing that BS ticket.

WN now claims that policy which has been in force for many years ( expiration dates on drink coupons do not count ) is no longer in force with 5 days notice. This ignores the fact that I have acted on this policy and can no longer count on any other policy being in effect with less than 5 days notice of change.

WN changes a policy that I had 1 year to use my daughter's TTF's with 6 months notice. As far as I am concerned, this is illegal and someone should take them to court. Actions occur based upon the knowledge at the time. If I have 1 year to use a credit when I create that credit, then you cannot suddenly make that credit good for 6 months.

Policies change. The ill will that the unreasonable short notice of these policy changes will not go away.

The BS that we are getting from corporate only makes it that much worse.

nsx

Don't even think about that. Customers will end up paying for the legal expenses of BOTH sides! And all we'll get for it is (maybe) a book of drink coupons or a single-use 10% off a round trip. No thanks.

FLYERIL

Will I get a lime with the Corona I'm planning on ordering on my next flight? I haven't flown since Corona was added.
I need to plan ahead if I'm going to use all my coupons before they expire before the non-existent expiration date.

joshua362

So fire the moron who effectively gave the keys to the candy-shop away. Replace it with a chit only obtained at boarding. Problem solved.

Did he/she also come up with the idea to put a bar code on the coupon presumably to have each one scanned and accounted for as a deterrent? Can't imagine the labor costs of that one if it was actually done.

Now the poor FA's are going to have to be enforcers and check expiration / fly dates on those tiny, crumbled and badly torn coupons while juggling 137 drink orders? Why isn't your union up in arms about this??

Again, just has to be a better way without pissing off your highest paying customers!!!

I do hope all this free market research over the last few days flows backwards into HQ. They would be fools to ignore it. It couldn't be valuable unless you paid an MBA consultant for it, right?

philemer

Another reason to avoid WN. Tight-arses!

PHLflying

I called customer relations today to confirm this news, and I was advised that likely in future drink coupons, the reward recipient's name will be printed on the coupon and possibly their RR number as well. That they may or may not be transferrable (I have to imagine they are - so on the 30 minute in the air flight, they now need to check ID?)

Guess that's to cut down on e-bay/craigslist sales/giveways. And not sure how I feel about the idea of putting the RR number on the coupon - even if I use it myself, that's not a number I want just floating around out there (though its on your BP that gets scanned at the gate and then who knows what happens with it)

And just how much time/money will be involved in printing the name. Sheesh...


With this and the TTF changes, I feel the party is ending at WN...

bdraco

I still have 8 1/2 books of the old style coupons. I guess I will be handing them out tomorrow night at LAS. The TTF changes were already pushing me out the door, thanks for the SHOVE.

dlaue

I have ~50 drink coupon books, including ~20 of the "Tails of Southwest" ones with expiration dates printed on them.

I will be handing those out Thursday at SMF and at LAX.

The others have no expiration date printed on them. Thus, they should be honored forever. Anything less is a bait-and-switch tactic and unfair competition to those businesses who issue unlimited coupons and who actually honor them.

That's pretty simple. WN needs to check with its attorney firm regarding class action liability.

Ugh!

travel.flier

I have about 30 books of coupons so if anyone is in the Sunnyvale area and can use some before the weekend, email me [email protected] and you can come pick them up.

I wish there was more notice, flew WN recently and would have made better use for me and the whole plane.

I agree the worst part of this is the devaluation of the brand. You can't trust a company that prints one set of rules, then changes it after the fact.