mile ho

Probably too soon, but I am wondering if anyone has heard anything about Southwest reducing the number of points needed for status, extending status and of course, the number needed for the CP, especially since they increased the requirement by almost 15%. Maybe even extending the expiration on TTFs?

Thoughts?

NoStressHere

I would expect some promotions and/or extensions, or something.

Then again, if you read these boards, some think they will cut values of current points.

Who knows?

NOTE; They have already made if very easy to cancel/change existing reservation for March and April.

worldwidedreamer

It will be hard for me to maintain A-list if the current situation continues much longer. As a San Franciscan, I can't really even leave my house let alone take flight!

synergistic

For my part, I have stopped chasing CP, even though I could still be racking up the hotel points. Hard to spend an extra $100 a night to earn points towards a CP of questionable value =/

nsx

I reached 25 flights this week. Reaching my planned 100 flights seems infeasible now.

mile ho

Southwest is a more than reasonable company and I would be shocked if they don't do something quite drastic on this front. Most of their real flyers are going to be severely handicapped in making their status. CC earners won't have it nearly as bad, but those who are providing the revenue via flying are going to have a very hard time making it, especially since they decided to raise the CP number to 125k.

But I do have faith that Southwest will make it right on our behalf.

NoStressHere

I agree. But - I do not expect anything right away since it is only March, and we have no idea how long and how severe this entire thing will be. The extension of travel funds so far is a great move.

nachosdelux

Got an email from SWA today, here is a part of it:

A-List Preferred, A-List, and Companion Pass Qualification

I know many of our A-List Preferred, A-List, and Companion Pass Members–or those working to qualify for these benefits–have questions about how the current environment may impact their ability to qualify for status this year. While I don't have an answer for you today, we are closely monitoring this situation, and we will follow-up at the appropriate time on how we will address this situation.

Ryan Green
SVP & Chief Marketing Officer

LegalTender

Announced at the appropriate juncture, in the fullness of time and on mature consideration.

What other airlines do will guide this. Although CP is an exclusive sweetener.

toomanybooks

WN has always been reasonable and fair IMO. They have bent rules for me. They don't screw us for every nickel. On the occasions where they mess up (like changing the CP requirements on 1/1 that year), they are willing to reconsider and compromise.

That goodwill is why they will make it and certain other airlines I could name very well may not.

ursine1

I would tend to agree with this. Southwest has always been more-customer friendly than other carriers, and even when odd circumstances happened, they were generally fixed in the customer's favor after contact with Customer Relations. Southwest even went as far as to reimburse customers for alternate travel costs after their notorious systems/operational meltdown in 2016, something I never thought they would do.

But these are unprecedented times.

Right now it remains unclear if the blanket refusal to grant WGA refunds for flights they've cancelled is due to customer service confusion or instead reflects policy changes handed down from management. Hopefully we'll know more soon. It's entirely possible that the latter is true, and was instituted as an act of self-preservation. It may take much more than goodwill for them to "make it."

toomanybooks

WN seems to me the best-run airline. Never bankrupt, profits virtually every year going back to the 70s, did not spend every dime they had and every dime they could borrow buying in stock, very well capitalized...

If they go under, all of them go under.