ORC on Southwest
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
ORC on Southwest
I'm looking at lining up our annual segment run, and the increased likelihood of canceled flights has me wondering if there's an ORC policy for WN. If I have two or more roundtrips scheduled for a given day and one leg is cancelled, will I still get credit for that leg? How about the leg that I won't be able to catch on the way back?
Last edited by synergistic; Dec 12, 2020 at 12:38 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,462
I have never received credit for a leg canceled by Southwest - certainly got my money back but no leg credit. I'm not sure why you think they would do that ?
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
I've never tried nor been in a situation to ask. I know when I used to fly American frequently, I booked 3-4 leg trips out west. If a leg was cancelled, I was usually given a fairly direct (shorter) routing to my destination, and I had to contact AA to be given credit for what I had booked, instead of what I had actually ended up flying. I've seen reference to it on other boards, I don't think it's complete crazytalk to ask if Southwest does anything similar. If I knew how their policy worked - if they have a policy at all - I could more easily make sure that my flights would be protected.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
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I'm looking at lining up our annual segment run, and the increased likelihood of canceled flights has me wondering if there's an ORC policy for WN. If I have two or more roundtrips scheduled for a given day and one leg is cancelled, will I still get credit for that leg? How about the leg that I won't be able to catch on the way back?
Using this example - OAK-PHX-LAS RT, if PHX-LAS is cancelled, you can in fact invoke trip-in-vein to return back to OAK in WN's expense. In that case, you will be credit for 2 flights - OAK-PHX RT. Of course - you will be entitled for a full refund as well.
I could be incorrect. But this is how I interpret the program. So ORC may not be necessary and possible - you always get what you have flown, not booked.
#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: 11,073
Butt in seat is the rule.
You can pay for all the flights you want, but unless your butt is in the seat, no credit.
You can pay for all the flights you want, but unless your butt is in the seat, no credit.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
A-List is not based on "segment" but flight. So while typical airlines will count, for example - OAK-PHX-LAS, as 2 segments, WN will credit this as 1 flight.
Using this example - OAK-PHX-LAS RT, if PHX-LAS is cancelled, you can in fact invoke trip-in-vein to return back to OAK in WN's expense. In that case, you will be credit for 2 flights - OAK-PHX RT. Of course - you will be entitled for a full refund as well.
I could be incorrect. But this is how I interpret the program. So ORC may not be necessary and possible - you always get what you have flown, not booked.
Using this example - OAK-PHX-LAS RT, if PHX-LAS is cancelled, you can in fact invoke trip-in-vein to return back to OAK in WN's expense. In that case, you will be credit for 2 flights - OAK-PHX RT. Of course - you will be entitled for a full refund as well.
I could be incorrect. But this is how I interpret the program. So ORC may not be necessary and possible - you always get what you have flown, not booked.
#7
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
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Well, yes, it's flight based, but you can use multicity to get credit for both flights on two segments instead of getting just the one. We usually do a couple of those enroute to a city where we do a bunch of round trips, or jump between three cities. I was hoping to hear that if I had a multicity from A-B-C, and A-B was cancelled, then they'd fly me from A-C and give me two segment credits. I shouldn't have referenced round trips in the OP, there likely isn't anything to be done in that situation. I'd probably also be kinda screwed if B-C is cancelled, and I'd miss my C-A leg by the time the next flight gets to C.
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
I'm looking at lining up our annual segment run, and the increased likelihood of canceled flights has me wondering if there's an ORC policy for WN. If I have two or more roundtrips scheduled for a given day and one leg is cancelled, will I still get credit for that leg? How about the leg that I won't be able to catch on the way back?
#12
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: 11,073
As the last posted indicated.... trips with multiple flights not booked together do run into problems when one of the flights gets delayed or cancelled.
Still worth taking the chance to get to CP or A-list. We did 4 segments one day year before covid.... BNA-ATL, then ATL to Greenville, SC. Then reverse. Got the 4 segments we needed - cheap. One of us was free due to CP... plus the $5.60 per segment of course. Found an excellent lounge in Greenville that was tied to Amex. Ate LOTS of food and plenty of drinks.
Still worth taking the chance to get to CP or A-list. We did 4 segments one day year before covid.... BNA-ATL, then ATL to Greenville, SC. Then reverse. Got the 4 segments we needed - cheap. One of us was free due to CP... plus the $5.60 per segment of course. Found an excellent lounge in Greenville that was tied to Amex. Ate LOTS of food and plenty of drinks.
#13
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,705
As someone who's done a decent amount of churning, I know very little about segment runs. Can someone explain to me what's being accomplished - are you trying to meet a flights-per-year threshold for companion pass or A-List status by taking a bunch of cheap flights?
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
Fifteen flights cost me about $900, which covered three leisure trips, two cheap round trip segment runs, and one hybrid - a meandering overnight we would not have taken otherwise. We feel we are well compensated for the hassle.
edit: also, yesterday went well after all. The delay cost us a lounge visit, but it was a quick painless run.
Last edited by synergistic; May 5, 2021 at 7:47 am
#15