WN's new reservation system aggressively cancels duplicate bookings
Jul 27, 2017, 6:18 pm
#256
Join Date: May 2002
Location: St Louis, MO
Programs: AA L.T. PLT
Posts: 3,297
Jul 27, 2017, 7:11 pm
#257
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,462
The bottom line is: we don't know what their algorithm is, and if you book 2 flights that you don't plan on taking both, you run the risk of auto cancellations even if it is possible through super-human efforts to take both.
Jul 27, 2017, 7:22 pm
#258
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Correct. We don't know. From my experience the cancellation does not touch flights on different dates.
Jul 28, 2017, 12:06 am
#260
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
While the CoC says Southwest may cancel "reservations that it believes, in its sole discretion, were made without intent to travel," that's not something that can actually be programmed.
What the system can be coded to automatically cancel is "multiple reservations for the same Passenger departing from the same city on the same date, or any multiple reservations containing conflicting or overlapping itineraries (such as departures for the same Customer from multiple cities at the same time)."
For reference, here's the full policy:
What the system can be coded to automatically cancel is "multiple reservations for the same Passenger departing from the same city on the same date, or any multiple reservations containing conflicting or overlapping itineraries (such as departures for the same Customer from multiple cities at the same time)."
For reference, here's the full policy:
Prohibition of Multiple/Conflicting Reservations: To promote seat availability for our Customers, Southwest prohibits multiple reservations for the same Passenger departing from the same city on the same date, or any multiple reservations containing conflicting or overlapping itineraries (such as departures for the same Customer from multiple cities at the same time). Furthermore, without advance notice to the Passenger or purchaser, Southwest may cancel such reservations, or any other reservations that it believes, in its sole discretion, were made without intent to travel. With the exception of Southwest gift cards, funds from proactively cancelled reservations by Southwest will be returned to the original form of payment. Reservations paid for with a Southwest gift card will have the amount applied from the gift card held as travel funds for use by the Customer on a future Southwest Airlines flight.
Aug 11, 2017, 10:39 am
#261
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
FYI: Previously, a rep had stated that the system auto-cancels the "most expensive" reservation. Saw today that a rep now says that the one retained is the "most recent" reservation, meaning the oldest one is cancelled. Not sure if either is correct, or if either rep knows what they're talking about... so take with a grain of salt.
Aug 11, 2017, 11:42 am
#262
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
It seems to me than WN is trying on various algorithms for this effort. It is not under any obligation to to so and can always fall back on the COC provision which permits WN to do anything reasonable.
WN has a goal which is to cut back inventory spoilage not to monkey around with its passengers. So, perhaps the RM/IM people will take a look at the results from these and figure out what works best to reduce inventory spoilage.
The fact that something does or doesn't work today, doesn't say much about tomorrow.
WN has a goal which is to cut back inventory spoilage not to monkey around with its passengers. So, perhaps the RM/IM people will take a look at the results from these and figure out what works best to reduce inventory spoilage.
The fact that something does or doesn't work today, doesn't say much about tomorrow.
Aug 11, 2017, 12:43 pm
#263
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
Has anyone had any luck getting WN to reinstate/keep autocancelled bookings? I think I'm going to take a run at status, but the cheapest way for me to do that is to fly two round trips in a day from the same airport - pretty sure one set will get cancelled even if they don't conflict with each other. I will definitely fly both sets, but I'm not sure 'segment run' is a good enough excuse to get them to reinstate me if I get cancelled
Aug 11, 2017, 2:26 pm
#264
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
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Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
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Posts: 21,624
Aug 15, 2017, 7:58 pm
#266
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
I think cancellation is midnight central Time 24 to 48 hours after your suspect booking.
Aug 15, 2017, 9:48 pm
#268
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Aug 20, 2017, 1:30 pm
#269
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: Southwest RR, DL SkyMiles, AAdvantage
Posts: 130
Let's say I have a $300 credit currently on WN. If WN returns the money to the original form of payment with the exception of a Southwest gift card as was quoted earlier, couldn't you make two conflicting reservations and have one cancelled automatically and get some money back to your CC?
Aug 30, 2017, 9:10 am
#270
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
New data point: Friend with multiple one-ways for this weekend (2 outgoing to different destinations Saturday plus 2 returning from those destinations on Monday) had one of each cancelled. One was the more expensive but earlier booked flight, the other was the cheaper but most recently booked option. All were WGA on points. So, if there's any sort of algorithm in place, good luck figuring it out.