ChrisVegas77

There is a key gap in this part of the story. Specifically, did Southwest offer you a ticket on a "next available flight" at no additional charge, which you refused?

If they did offer you another flight, and you declined to accept it because you prefer to travel in October rather than on the "next available flight", then I'm afraid you have no recourse in the matter.

The CoC does not explicitly give you the power to choose which flight you are accommodated on, only a choice between being accommodated on another flight, or receiving a refund.

The text "we ... will assist you by arranging to transport you to your destination on another Southwest flight with available seats" implies that THEY get to choose which flight they put you on.

You might then have the right to request to reschedule that flight within 14 days of the initial offer under the SODA policy (which is strictly about "Customers' abilities to get to/from a particular airport" for flights that are still scheduled, not about any cancellation or rescheduling of flights themselves).

If they offered you a flight, and you turned it down along with any other flight within 14 days of their offer, then I'm afraid you are out of luck.

Often1

Bottom line for OP is that his flight was cancelled. He is entitled to a full refund. WN will also get him on the next flight with availability.

WN is a cr*p*y carrier, but in this instance, it is just fine.

Kacee

IRROPS handling is one of its more glaring weaknesses.

jeffandnicole

From the OP's quote of the CoC, and his stated opinion:

I don't find a month out to be a reasonable period of time. For most people, if a flight is cancelled, they need to get to their destination ASAP. This contract is to assist them to get them to their destination in a reasonable amount of time.

The OP had an event rescheduled, well outside the original time frame of the event. A reschedule of an event a month or more away doesn't fall under the reasonableness of what the contract is written for.

And as such, a specific amount of time doesn't need to be written into the contract. If it did, it would probably be within 24 hours or so of the original flight. Not a month or more.

When a fairly large portion of the country has been hit by 2 hurricanes, there are going to be a lot of people out a lot of money. There will be contractor scams, insurance issues, job loses, mortgages not paid, and a whole host of other financial issues. Consumer affair reports will be inundated with hundreds or thousands of people trying to get money back on these scams or concerns.

A person wanting to rebook a flight a month out for the original price he paid will be so far down on the list of issues, the reporter will probably delete the message before it's even read.

ursine1

14 days is reasonable, but a month is not?

In the aftermath of a hurricane?

I doubt they'd be dumb enough to specify that, as WN getting someone onto a rebooked flights during IROPS within 24 hours is the exception these days (even when not following a major weather event).

jeffandnicole

If the airport and surrounding area was destroyed, as you try proclaiming by saying "in the aftermath of a hurricane", then maybe more time is reasonable. The vast amount of damage is basically downed trees and some minor debris.

The majority of people need to reschedule their flights within a few days or a week to get to or from their airport. Taking advantage of the cancelled flight to rebook a month out for a rescheduled event? As Southwest said, they're not going to accommodate for such a reason.

NextTrip

Besides, what if the event was rescheduled for six months out, or a year out? Is that the airlines responsibility? How about the event planner rescheduling for a sooner date? Why is the airline supposed to be "on the hook" and not the event planner?

ursine1

FYI: Delta and American's waivers allow rebooked Florida travel through September 30, Frontier's until October 15, and United's through November 17.

Interestingly, not many carriers pin the time period for new travel to the original date, as Southwest does with it's 14 day limitation. Most just set a period for allowable rebooked travel to take place.

In retrospect, it sounds like United would have been a much better choice for the OP in this situation.

As I mentioned earlier, at least the OP will get his points back. If you used travel funds and they expire soon (before you're able to reschedule) you'll lose those funds, as the refund is back to the "original form of payment."

elevatorgeek

If you book with travel funds and the flight is cancelled, can you get a refund to your credit card?

ursine1

No. You get travel funds with the original expiration date.

Refunds are made in the form of original payment, except for Southwest gift cards. Those are refunded as travel funds with a one-year expiration from the date of booking.

birdiedouble

I could see how open ended rebooking would start a whole new strategy of speculative bookings.