![]() I cannot and should not, however, accept the quality of the company’s response. I can give Southwest the benefit of the doubt in assuming that there was nothing it could have done to avoid the malfunction or mitigate its immediate impact. Southwest endured a technological malfunction Wednesday, which led to hundreds of flights being cancelled and many others being delayed. This past week, Southwest Airlines became the newest culprit. They somehow manage to leave me more dissatisfied. Instead of rebounding from errors that adversely affected the customer experience, they somehow manage to exacerbate the problems. As a customer, however, I fully expect companies to right those wrongs.ĭespite my broken record approach to the matter, airlines continue to fail in the latter regard. "If flexibility is more important to consumers than it's ever been and it's a hallmark of the Southwest brand, we thought 'we have to be the best on this,'" he said.I’ve written it before when it comes to the airline industry, and I’ll write it again. Eagle-eyed travellers who notice cheaper tickets can cancel their original itinerary, rebook at the lower price and retain credit for the difference. Green noted that customers can also earn credits if the airfare for their trip goes down. New credits that are issued on or after July 28 will not expire, either. "Customers will begin seeing a placeholder expiration date of December 31, 2040, on valid flight credits ahead of additional work later this year that will update technology systems to altogether remove expiration dates on flight credits," the airline said in a statement. Starting July 28, all existing credits will be extended. "If life happens and your plans do change, that money is going to be there for you to use whenever you're ready to fly." What changes under the new credit policy? "(The pandemic) has lengthened the horizon where customers think 'what if my plans change?'" he said. Green said that Southwest heard customer feedback that the old policy wasn't flexible enough. ![]() Refundable fares were eligible for cash back, and credits from "Wanna Get Away Plus" fares were able to be transferred to other Rapid Rewards members. Prior to the announcement on Thursday, existing Southwest credits had to be spent on travel scheduled to be completed within a year of the original date of purchase for nonrefundable tickets. Passengers could use credits toward the value of a ticket for future travel. ![]() Southwest, for now, is the only major US airline with credits that don't expire. Vouchers were also previously available on other carriers, though the terms under which they were issued were more restrictive prior to the pandemic. Airlines issued vouchers for future travel in many cases, instead of cash refunds, when travellers had to change their plans.Ĭredits have been a big part of Southwest's business model for years due to their easier-to-change ticket policies. What are flight credits?ĭuring the height of the coronavirus pandemic, more travellers than ever got acquainted with flight credits. Its longstanding policies of no cancellation or bag fees set it apart from most of its domestic competitors, which tend to charge extra for changes, luggage and other services. The airline has long promoted itself as a customer-first carrier. ![]() * Covid-19: More than 900 passengers have been banned by US airlines for not wearing masks * Air New Zealand's new credit rules trip up flyers set to attend cancelled events * Air New Zealand reintroduces credit option for domestic passengers We are taking care of this for them in the background," he said. "The only thing that they need to know is they don't need to take any action. "'Flight credits don't expire' aligns with the boldness of a philosophy to give our customers definitive simplicity and ease in travel, just like 'bags fly free,' just like 'no change fees,' just like 'points don't expire – they're a first-in-our-industry combination of differentiators that only Southwest offers," Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said in a statement.Ĭustomers don't have to do anything to take advantage of the new policy, Ryan Green, Southwest's chief marketing officer told USA Today. The US airline has announced that the credits it provides when travellers need to cancel their tickets will no longer expire, no matter what kind of ticket they purchased. Southwest Airlines passengers now have extra flexibility when their plans go awry. Southwest Airlines customers don't have to do anything to take advantage of the new policy.
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