Southwest Airways met a rocky finish to 2022 because it canceled hundreds of flights over the Christmas holidays and suffered what might be the most important operational collapse in its historical past.
Now the provider is extending olive branches to varied teams of affected flyers. Along with providing traveler rebates, Southwest additionally awards factors to pick out vacationers and extends the qualification interval (and for choose vacationers, the profit interval) for A-Record elite standing and the Companion Go. A few of this information was first reported by Thrifty Traveler and View from the Wing.
This is what that you must know.
25,00zero Southwest factors as an apology
On January three, 2023, some members of Southwest reported receiving an e-mail titled “A Message from Southwest CEO Bob Jordan.” A number of TPG employees members acquired this e-mail, together with lead reporter Zach Griff, who was touring in a bunch of 4 for the vacations. This is a screenshot of the e-mail Zach acquired:
Zach acquired codes for every of the 4 vacationers in his group. Every of the 25,00zero level codes is value roughly $375 in accordance with TPG valuations. Zach mentioned he obtained codes for 25,00zero bonus factors per passenger plus:
- Full refund for canceled flights.
- $250 per traveler Southwest Journey Credit.
- Reimbursement for last-minute alternative flights on Hawaiian Airways.
It is unclear how Southwest decides which passengers obtain these coded emails. However we suspect that Southwest should still be within the strategy of sending these emails. And it seems like you will get the e-mail even for those who’ve already accepted journey credit, refunds, and expense reimbursements. So, in case your journey was affected by Southwest Holidays operational points and you continue to have not acquired an e-mail, please hold checking again.
Associated: The way to Redeem Factors with the Southwest Speedy Rewards Program
A-Record Extensions and Companion Go
Some Southwest members whose Companion Go, A-Record, or A-Record Most popular standing expired on December 31, 2022 acquired an e-mail about an extension. A Southwest spokesperson advised TPG: “Members who had been affected or had been vulnerable to being affected by the operational challenges acquired an e-mail final week.”
The spokesperson went on to say:
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“For our A-Record, Most popular A-Record and Companion Go Members who haven’t but certified or re-qualified for A-Record, Most popular A-Record or Companion Go to 2023, now we have prolonged the re-qualification date from the top of December (as is typical yearly) till the top of January 2023.”
Subsequently, Southwest is extending the qualification interval via January 31, 2023 for all members who haven’t but certified or re-qualify for Southwest elite standing or the Companion Go by the top of 2022.
Though Southwest is extending the qualification interval for all members, solely choose vacationers will get their A-Record, A-Record Most popular and Companion Go advantages prolonged via January 31, 2023.
Nonetheless, my Companion Go expired on the finish of 2022 and I didn’t obtain an e-mail about an extension, nor do I see an prolonged Companion Go on my account.
I requested Southwest about this and obtained the next response:
“In case you had the Companion Go in 2022 and had been impacted throughout our operational occasion, then your standing ought to be prolonged via January 31. Once you go to make a reservation in January, it is best to be capable of see and have the power so as to add your companion ( tell us for those who do not see it)”.
As such, Southwest is barely extending elite standing and Companion Go advantages via January 31, 2023, for vacationers impacted by the airline’s trip operational points.
Nonetheless, bear in mind that Southwest’s telephone brokers have given some vacationers conflicting data. TPG’s Emily Thompson didn’t have any trip journey booked with Southwest, nevertheless, she was advised by a number of Southwest telephone brokers that her Companion Go, which expired on the finish of 2022, can be prolonged via January 2023. Each brokers defined that the extension it could take just a few days to look on all eligible accounts.
A Southwest spokesperson advised us that solely those that traveled affected by the operational collapse would see elite standing and Companion Go extensions. So, if you did not have reservations to journey with Southwest throughout the affected interval and you do not see an extension in your account, you might solely get an extension to your qualification interval (not your profit interval).
Associated: Questioning what occurred to your favourite Southwest route? That is what it is best to know
How does the elite qualification extension have an effect on incomes the Companion Go?
All Southwest members who didn’t qualify for a Companion Go by the top of 2022 may have further time to acquire a Companion Go legitimate via the top of 2023. In case you had been counting on flights or different actions in late 2022 to acquire a Companion Go, you now have till the top of January 31, 2023 to satisfy the qualification necessities.
You may be questioning what this extension means for those who had been seeking to earn a Companion Go good via the top of 2024 by incomes 135,00zero Companion Go qualifying factors in early 2023. Southwest confirmed to AwardWallet that “all of the exercise you get in January 2023 may even depend towards your 2024 Companion Go (earned in 2023, legitimate via 2024).”
In case you’re seeking to earn the Southwest Companion Go quick, now is a superb time to earn the sign-up bonus on any new Southwest bank card you open in late 2022.
Backside line
Whereas there isn’t any strategy to make up for misplaced time with family and friends on trip, it is nice that Southwest is providing refunds, bonus factors, and standing extensions to passengers affected by its operational disaster. It is the correct factor for the airline to do after ruining so many journey plans over the vacations.
Nonetheless, it’s disappointing that Southwest’s telephone brokers have given incorrect data to some vacationers. These vacationers allegedly referred to as after studying different web sites that Southwest can be extending elite standing and the Companion Go to all members. Nonetheless, a Southwest spokesperson advised TPG that the airline was solely extending elite standing and Companion Go advantages for vacationers affected by Southwest’s operational points throughout the holidays.