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Southwest aggressive auto-cancellation for non-overlapping flights

Southwest aggressive auto-cancellation for non-overlapping flights

Old Feb 13, 2019, 11:36 am
  #1  
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Southwest aggressive auto-cancellation for non-overlapping flights

Couple days ago (Monday, Feb 11) I booked two one-ways (identical routes) for Feb 17 and Feb 18. Wasn't sure yet which date I wanted to fly, and I saw that availability was drying up, so hit the trigger on both to cancel one by the end of this week. Figured I would be OK with the auto-cancellation sweeps since these were on different dates, no overlap, and both theoretically possible (both departing AM, could fly back in PM on another carrier and take the next day's flight back out). Also after reading others' experiences on the forum, just to be extra safe, I left my RR# and KTN off the first reservation.

Well last night at ~2 am I got an email saying that the Feb 18 flight had been cancelled -- without explanation, but presumably caught by the duplicate sweeper.

I just confirmed this afternoon that I actually need the Feb 18 flight, so called up Southwest and asked for Feb 18 to be reinstated. I half expected to be scolded by the agent for booking on consecutive days, but instead, after "investigating" why it was cancelled for 10 mins on hold she said she found the "duplicate" flagged by the computer on the 17th (even without my RR#), but was very puzzled and apologized for the auto-cancellation, saying it shouldn't have happened since they weren't overlapping or impossible... and could plausibly have been day trips (or for a mileage run). But, given that the computer didn't like it, she said if she reinstated the 18th without cancelling 17th, it would likely be cancelled again tonight by the sweeper.

Lesson learned... Southwest is getting more aggressive with auto-cancellations of reservations on consecutive days (regardless of whether it's attached to your RR# or not).
BobtheBuilder66 is offline  
Old Feb 13, 2019, 12:15 pm
  #2  
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Originally Posted by BobtheBuilder66
Couple days ago (Monday, Feb 11) I booked two one-ways (identical routes) for Feb 17 and Feb 18. Wasn't sure yet which date I wanted to fly, and I saw that availability was drying up, so hit the trigger on both to cancel one by the end of this week. Figured I would be OK with the auto-cancellation sweeps since these were on different dates, no overlap, and both theoretically possible (both departing AM, could fly back in PM on another carrier and take the next day's flight back out). Also after reading others' experiences on the forum, just to be extra safe, I left my RR# and KTN off the first reservation.

Well last night at ~2 am I got an email saying that the Feb 18 flight had been cancelled -- without explanation, but presumably caught by the duplicate sweeper.

I just confirmed this afternoon that I actually need the Feb 18 flight, so called up Southwest and asked for Feb 18 to be reinstated. I half expected to be scolded by the agent for booking on consecutive days, but instead, after "investigating" why it was cancelled for 10 mins on hold she said she found the "duplicate" flagged by the computer on the 17th (even without my RR#), but was very puzzled and apologized for the auto-cancellation, saying it shouldn't have happened since they weren't overlapping or impossible... and could plausibly have been day trips (or for a mileage run). But, given that the computer didn't like it, she said if she reinstated the 18th without cancelling 17th, it would likely be cancelled again tonight by the sweeper.

Lesson learned... Southwest is getting more aggressive with auto-cancellations of reservations on consecutive days (regardless of whether it's attached to your RR# or not).
I'm sorry, did you just say that WN is currently incapable of allowing you to book those two flights or an itinerary like that? Even with an agent?
That's a pretty serious IT issue.
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Old Feb 13, 2019, 1:07 pm
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Or by aggressive design. Lets face it, it flagged exactly for the reason the OP was trying to do (and most of us want to do) in lieu of the tiny percentage actually doing "half" day trips or a mileage run. I don't like it but sounds like a pretty robust IT issue!
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Old Feb 13, 2019, 1:18 pm
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Not buying that this is CancelBot's doing, sorry. Something else is up, IMO
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Old Feb 13, 2019, 4:34 pm
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Originally Posted by rickg523
I'm sorry, did you just say that WN is currently incapable of allowing you to book those two flights or an itinerary like that? Even with an agent?
That's a pretty serious IT issue.
When I was booking for mileage runs, WN was willing and able to reinstate my flights - but they were 100% unable to prevent them from being autocanceled. Numerous agents offered to flag them to protect them, but they were always canceled again in a night or two. Was really weird but they were always wiling to reinstate, so...
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Old Feb 13, 2019, 4:52 pm
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It looks like a bug to me--especially since they're willing to reinstate. It'd be weird for them to crack down on this scenario for some people and not others. I have currently have duplicate flights booked for consecutive days and haven't gotten a cancellation yet.
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Old Feb 13, 2019, 7:55 pm
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Originally Posted by synergistic
When I was booking for mileage runs, WN was willing and able to reinstate my flights - but they were 100% unable to prevent them from being autocanceled. Numerous agents offered to flag them to protect them, but they were always canceled again in a night or two. Was really weird but they were always wiling to reinstate, so...
Ditto. This is what the agent told me. She could reinstate the 18th and let me keep the 17th but just warned that the system would most likely autocancel again overnight. She did confirm explicitly that it was cancelbot even though she said it technically didn’t violate the policy. Perhaps there is a threshold of trip duration or distance above which cancelbot cancels consecutive day bookings, and below which it doesn’t care.

Last edited by BobtheBuilder66; Feb 13, 2019 at 8:02 pm
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Old Feb 13, 2019, 8:42 pm
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Originally Posted by kennycrudup
Not buying that this is CancelBot's doing, sorry. Something else is up, IMO
I would agree with the above. On several recent occasions (within the past month), ive booked flights to the same destination departing consecutive days without issue. No auto-cancellations. Even without a return flight booked prior to the second flight.

It is totally logical/legitimate that many folks fly the same route two days in a row.
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Old Feb 14, 2019, 1:21 am
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Originally Posted by chuckworth
I would agree with the above. On several recent occasions (within the past month), ive booked flights to the same destination departing consecutive days without issue. No auto-cancellations. Even without a return booked prior to the second flight.

It is totally logical/legitimate that many folks fly the same route two days in a row.
Ive had the same experience in the past, no problems with consecutive bookings, albeit on shorter routes this one is relatively longer, east coast to vegas (~7hr total journey). Hence my surprise with this cancellation... all I can do is relay what the agent told me. Who knows exactly how the cancelbot runs.
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Old Feb 26, 2019, 7:47 pm
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Wondering aloud whether booking a "return" flight in between the two one-ways would cause the auto-cancel to leave both of them alone.
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Old Feb 26, 2019, 9:35 pm
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Originally Posted by mstrbldr
Wondering aloud whether booking a "return" flight in between the two one-ways would cause the auto-cancel to leave both of them alone.

I think that, if there is enough time for a return flight in between the others it wouldn't be necessary to actually book it.
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Old Feb 27, 2019, 6:24 am
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Originally Posted by ursine1
I think that, if there is enough time for a return flight in between the others it wouldn't be necessary to actually book it.
I could see theories why it would be necessary: Such as a divorced parent being forced to fly with their children to an airport, dropping the kids off, flying back home, then needing to fly out the next day to pick them up (or take another trip for another reason). Or business reasons. Or who knows why. I'm sure these reasons are infrequent and time wasting (businesses do that often to their employees), but in theory if a return trip was booked, it demonstrates that both outgoing trips are valid.
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Old Feb 27, 2019, 7:17 am
  #13  
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For all the speculation here, it seems to me that the algorithm and the practice have changed a bit over time. Nobody here can predict what it might be tomorrow and what exactly the triggers are. One possible explanation of variance is that the algorithm looks at the loads and does not act until the seats are likely to become needed. If that is the case, the opinions here are even more speculative because nobody knows what the load on a given flight will be a week from now.

The solution if one has to purchase tickets which may push the envelope a bit is to call in and assure that WN is satisfied and has made PNR notes to the effect that the tickets are not speculative.
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Old Feb 27, 2019, 7:56 am
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Originally Posted by Often1
The solution if one has to purchase tickets which may push the envelope a bit is to call in and assure that WN is satisfied and has made PNR notes to the effect that the tickets are not speculative.
I'd invest little faith in the "PNR notes" scheme. The system that can be short-circuited is more apt to crash. Assurances on the phone are nebulous. They can, with some effort, reinstate your original reservation at the original price. But that's not a manual override.
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Old Feb 27, 2019, 8:15 am
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Originally Posted by Often1
The solution if one has to purchase tickets which may push the envelope a bit is to call in and assure that WN is satisfied and has made PNR notes to the effect that the tickets are not speculative.
We have multiple accounts that the phone reps can't really do anything to stop it, although a previous note may help resolution of the issue.
It seems it may be purposeful and if those people who are having the issues have in the past made a habit of double booking then cancelling, Southwest may be tracking that.

Last edited by nsx; Feb 27, 2019 at 10:17 am Reason: formatting
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