list of WN website bugs/issues
#136
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX/SMF/PDX/HNL
Programs: Hilton-lifetime diamond, Southwest A+, companion pass
Posts: 1,745
Booked several trips tonight. Had several "oops" screens in the process:
1. If you have a stored contact number but use ticketless travel funds o"storr vouchers for payment, entering into the TTF screen somehow renders the contact phone number blank. The number still appears, but the system gives an error of "misssing contact number" when you try to make final payment.
You have to re-enter the contact number (over the old stored one). This happened repeatedly.
2. An error of "the stored security code for credit card is not valid" was very strange, since I had booked at least a half dozen flights before suffering this "oops" using the stored Visa card info. Turned out it was the VERY NASTY Southwest system time-out. I had to log in again to complete the reservation.
3. The reservations I booked were a series of one-way tickets to make round trips. When I tried to book a companion pass for each round trip (composed of the two individual one-ways), the companion pass booking engine said "session expired" (when it had not). Tried to log out and log back in again. Got the same error message. I gave up. I will call WN for this booking and run up a bunch of phone time, as soon as I am in a better mood.
Sad that this site is still buggy.
1. If you have a stored contact number but use ticketless travel funds o"storr vouchers for payment, entering into the TTF screen somehow renders the contact phone number blank. The number still appears, but the system gives an error of "misssing contact number" when you try to make final payment.
You have to re-enter the contact number (over the old stored one). This happened repeatedly.
2. An error of "the stored security code for credit card is not valid" was very strange, since I had booked at least a half dozen flights before suffering this "oops" using the stored Visa card info. Turned out it was the VERY NASTY Southwest system time-out. I had to log in again to complete the reservation.
3. The reservations I booked were a series of one-way tickets to make round trips. When I tried to book a companion pass for each round trip (composed of the two individual one-ways), the companion pass booking engine said "session expired" (when it had not). Tried to log out and log back in again. Got the same error message. I gave up. I will call WN for this booking and run up a bunch of phone time, as soon as I am in a better mood.
Sad that this site is still buggy.
#137
Join Date: May 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: WN A+, AA, HYATT DIAMOND, SPG
Posts: 1,125
Booked several trips tonight. Had several "oops" screens in the process:
1. If you have a stored contact number but use ticketless travel funds o"storr vouchers for payment, entering into the TTF screen somehow renders the contact phone number blank. The number still appears, but the system gives an error of "misssing contact number" when you try to make final payment.
You have to re-enter the contact number (over the old stored one). This happened repeatedly.
2. An error of "the stored security code for credit card is not valid" was very strange, since I had booked at least a half dozen flights before suffering this "oops" using the stored Visa card info. Turned out it was the VERY NASTY Southwest system time-out. I had to log in again to complete the reservation.
3. The reservations I booked were a series of one-way tickets to make round trips. When I tried to book a companion pass for each round trip (composed of the two individual one-ways), the companion pass booking engine said "session expired" (when it had not). Tried to log out and log back in again. Got the same error message. I gave up. I will call WN for this booking and run up a bunch of phone time, as soon as I am in a better mood.
Sad that this site is still buggy.
1. If you have a stored contact number but use ticketless travel funds o"storr vouchers for payment, entering into the TTF screen somehow renders the contact phone number blank. The number still appears, but the system gives an error of "misssing contact number" when you try to make final payment.
You have to re-enter the contact number (over the old stored one). This happened repeatedly.
2. An error of "the stored security code for credit card is not valid" was very strange, since I had booked at least a half dozen flights before suffering this "oops" using the stored Visa card info. Turned out it was the VERY NASTY Southwest system time-out. I had to log in again to complete the reservation.
3. The reservations I booked were a series of one-way tickets to make round trips. When I tried to book a companion pass for each round trip (composed of the two individual one-ways), the companion pass booking engine said "session expired" (when it had not). Tried to log out and log back in again. Got the same error message. I gave up. I will call WN for this booking and run up a bunch of phone time, as soon as I am in a better mood.
Sad that this site is still buggy.
I don't think we need to expect that it'll be any different for the near or far future. Their IT dept is absolutely ridiculous.
#138
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
New one (for me, at least):
Booked a flight. Used the "Subscribe to Flight Status Messaging" link attached to the on-screen confirmation, which opens the Flight Status Messaging page and populates the appropriate fields. Entered my phone number and submit.
Oops!
Looks like the pre-populated date field isn't formatted correctly. The one that the website pre-populated for me. To make this easier. <sigh>
Click the calendar icon and correct the problem. Submit.
Oops!
"No flights were found."
<sigh>
Booked a flight. Used the "Subscribe to Flight Status Messaging" link attached to the on-screen confirmation, which opens the Flight Status Messaging page and populates the appropriate fields. Entered my phone number and submit.
Oops!
Looks like the pre-populated date field isn't formatted correctly. The one that the website pre-populated for me. To make this easier. <sigh>
Click the calendar icon and correct the problem. Submit.
Oops!
"No flights were found."
<sigh>
#139
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Quick, irritating response
So I submitted the error above via the customer service page of the website. Here's the reply I received:
Flight status messaging can only be scheduled for flights that are within 11 days?! Is that new? I've never encountered that before.
If so, why would they even have the direct link from the confirmation screen? Why would the calendar on the messaging screen even go out past 11 days?
<sigh>
Flight status messaging can only be scheduled for flights that are within 11 days?! Is that new? I've never encountered that before.
If so, why would they even have the direct link from the confirmation screen? Why would the calendar on the messaging screen even go out past 11 days?
<sigh>
#140
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX/SMF/PDX/HNL
Programs: Hilton-lifetime diamond, Southwest A+, companion pass
Posts: 1,745
So I submitted the error above via the customer service page of the website. Here's the reply I received:
Flight status messaging can only be scheduled for flights that are within 11 days?! Is that new? I've never encountered that before.
If so, why would they even have the direct link from the confirmation screen? Why would the calendar on the messaging screen even go out past 11 days?
<sigh>
Flight status messaging can only be scheduled for flights that are within 11 days?! Is that new? I've never encountered that before.
If so, why would they even have the direct link from the confirmation screen? Why would the calendar on the messaging screen even go out past 11 days?
<sigh>
Sheesh. Just and asterisk and a comment that the feature does not work 12+ days before the flight would save a lot of frustration.
Or, why doesn't the error message actually explain the error?
Last edited by ftnoob; Mar 15, 2012 at 4:49 pm Reason: tidy things up a bit
#142
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,458
Because then we would not have anything to talk about. Obviously Brian has made it clear to Victor who has made it clear to IT guys that they need to include some bizarre errors.
#145
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX/SMF/PDX/HNL
Programs: Hilton-lifetime diamond, Southwest A+, companion pass
Posts: 1,745
#147
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: PDX
Programs: HHonors Gold since '02, Hertz President's Circle since '07
Posts: 3,226
Email I just sent to Southwest
It continues to amaze me how bad your website is. The thing needs a complete overhaul: it is slow, clumsy, and disorganized. Issues have been well documented on FlyerTalk and other online forums.
This is especially confusing to me considering how remarkable Southwest Airlines is in providing outstanding customer service in ALL other areas of the business. I have no complaints with Southwest except for the website.
Most of your employees are top notch -- with the sad exception, it seems, of the web design and development team. :-(
This is especially confusing to me considering how remarkable Southwest Airlines is in providing outstanding customer service in ALL other areas of the business. I have no complaints with Southwest except for the website.
Most of your employees are top notch -- with the sad exception, it seems, of the web design and development team. :-(
#148
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: PDX
Programs: HHonors Gold since '02, Hertz President's Circle since '07
Posts: 3,226
My issue today was I refunded a refundable fare (getaway but within 24 hours of booking) and clicked the option to get the refund.... and it deposited it to travel funds!
So I had to call to get the refund. Such a waste of time and the expense of a telephone rep having to do something I already told the website I wanted to do.
User error is possible, perhaps I misclicked. But there was no confirmation page before committing the error. And when I looked up the travel funds, they were listed as refundable, but I didn't see any option to request a refund of refundable travel funds online.
Then another issue is with the email I got. Even though the second line says "Your reservation has been cancelled." the first line says "You're all set for your trip!" That's plenty ambiguous.
Further ambiguity occurs down the email, where it shows the purchase price being charged to my credit card. There is no clear mention of whether it has been refunded to CC or travel funds.
You can do better Southwest. I know you can. Every time I fly I'm impressed with your hiring decisions and employee culture -- again, in all areas outside of web development.
So I had to call to get the refund. Such a waste of time and the expense of a telephone rep having to do something I already told the website I wanted to do.
User error is possible, perhaps I misclicked. But there was no confirmation page before committing the error. And when I looked up the travel funds, they were listed as refundable, but I didn't see any option to request a refund of refundable travel funds online.
Then another issue is with the email I got. Even though the second line says "Your reservation has been cancelled." the first line says "You're all set for your trip!" That's plenty ambiguous.
Further ambiguity occurs down the email, where it shows the purchase price being charged to my credit card. There is no clear mention of whether it has been refunded to CC or travel funds.
You can do better Southwest. I know you can. Every time I fly I'm impressed with your hiring decisions and employee culture -- again, in all areas outside of web development.
#149
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,458
Sure hope this isn't an indication that they are getting rid of refundable within 24 hours of booking.
#150
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: PDX
Programs: HHonors Gold since '02, Hertz President's Circle since '07
Posts: 3,226
The option for a refund was there, which I remember selecting. And then they were deposited as refundable funds. Finally, getting a refund was quick and easy over the phone.