Cancelling Flight with Companion On WebApp
Dec 28, 2018, 10:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: WN A+, AS MVP75K, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 114
Cancelling Flight with Companion On WebApp
So I recently canceled a reservation from my phone which had my companion on it. The cancellation confirmation screen showed both my itinerary, and my companions as going to be canceled, but it appears it only canceled the companion. No harm as I called Southwest a day after the flight and after I hadn't received my points back and they processed the cancellation without any issues or fuss, but still seems like an issue that should be fixed. Is this a known issue or something I should raise with WN so they can gt it fixed in their webapp?
Dec 28, 2018, 10:35 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,076
Hmmm.... seems like when I tried to cancel a recent flight, it would not let me until I cancelled the companion first.
EDIT - I could not do a CHANGE in flights until I cancelled the CP first.
EDIT - I could not do a CHANGE in flights until I cancelled the CP first.
Dec 29, 2018, 1:39 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
So I recently canceled a reservation from my phone which had my companion on it. The cancellation confirmation screen showed both my itinerary, and my companions as going to be canceled, but it appears it only canceled the companion. No harm as I called Southwest a day after the flight and after I hadn't received my points back and they processed the cancellation without any issues or fuss, but still seems like an issue that should be fixed. Is this a known issue or something I should raise with WN so they can gt it fixed in their webapp?
Since it was a points booking, the no-show policy didn't apply. (It's interesting that the points didn't automatically show back up, even without the cancellation going through, as they should have.) I suspect that if it had been a cash booking your funds would have been forfeited. In the future you'll want to confirm the cancellation prior to scheduled departure.
Dec 30, 2018, 8:19 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: WN A+, AS MVP75K, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 114
Since it was a points booking, the no-show policy didn't apply. (It's interesting that the points didn't automatically show back up, even without the cancellation going through, as they should have.) I suspect that if it had been a cash booking your funds would have been forfeited. In the future you'll want to confirm the cancellation prior to scheduled departure.
Irregardless, it shouldn’t be the responsibility of the customer to make sure Southwests systems are bug free. This is something that needs to be addressed on their end.
Dec 30, 2018, 10:09 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,076
BUT - I think it is crazy that you can no show a flight and still get your miles back. They really should have a policy that requires the passenger to actually cancel and give SW a chance to sell the seat.
Dec 30, 2018, 10:48 am
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
That will likely come in due course, if WN's analysis shows that this is a routine problem. Used to be that all of this simply fed into its overbooking analysis. With that gone, there is a likely cost here and if it's significant, the result isn't hard to predict.
Full fare tickets on most carriers are fully refundable even if not cancelled prior to departure, but those are generally significantly more expensive than the routine. As WN points tickets are not specially priced, it's a risk WN bears.
Full fare tickets on most carriers are fully refundable even if not cancelled prior to departure, but those are generally significantly more expensive than the routine. As WN points tickets are not specially priced, it's a risk WN bears.
Dec 30, 2018, 12:03 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
It's been suggested that full refundability of points bookings (even without cancellation) is a result of a systems limitation, which, if so, I suspect will eventually be "fixed."
The most important thing to keep in mind is that, if this had been a cash booking, it's very unlikely that the outcome would have been positive. Regardless of whether or not their systems work correctly, Southwest puts the onus on cancellation confirmation on the customer, and enforces the no-show policy strictly.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that, if this had been a cash booking, it's very unlikely that the outcome would have been positive. Regardless of whether or not their systems work correctly, Southwest puts the onus on cancellation confirmation on the customer, and enforces the no-show policy strictly.