Missing your flight is a deplorable situation and can lead you to stress. Often, passengers find themselves in such a situation where they are left desolated at the airport. This question comes to the minds of many people: “What Does Southwest Do If You Miss a Flight?” So don’t panic.
To overcome this, passengers needed a desperate solution. So, the airline developed a series of guidelines under the Southwest Airlines missed flight policy. All the policies that will help you improve your flight experience will be revealed in the article below. Apart from that, you will also learn the consequences of missing a flight and the options you are left with. So, without any delay, let’s dive in.
What is the Southwest Airlines Missed Flight Policy?
Southwest Airlines has a well-established and predetermined policy for missed flights and refunds. In case you have already missed your Southwest flight, we have some points that might be of great help to you:
- No-Show Policy: If you decide to cancel your flight booking before the originally scheduled departure time by at least 10 minutes, the airline will definitely cancel your reservation. Nonetheless, Business Select or Anytime tickets will be refunded as Transferable Flight Credit. Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares are not refundable, but you can apply for future travel.
- Southwest Airlines Refund Policy: If your reservation was canceled more than 10 minutes before the flight’s departure time, you can receive a refund via the original form of payment or flight credit. If you are flying with Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares, you can reuse the ticket but can not refund it. On the other hand, Business Select and Anytime fares are totally reusable and refundable.
- Rebooking: Even after missing your flight, you can still reschedule it for the next available flight. It is not certain that you will be accommodated on another flight. If rescheduling is not possible, you might be eligible for a refund or flight credit.
- Waiver of Fees: Southwest Airlines might choose to waive the no-show fee or refund policy in certain situations. If, for example, your flight is canceled due to weather or other circumstances beyond your control, you may qualify for a refund or flight credit.
What Does Southwest Do If You Miss A Flight?
If you have already missed a flight with Southwest Airlines, there are certain things that might happen to you. So, to answer the question- What does Southwest do if you miss a flight? You must be aware of these things in the case of missing your flight:
- The airline authority will first cancel your original and connecting flights, if any.
- Then, you have a valid reason (such as the sudden death of someone or any medical health issue) to miss your flight, or if you have a refundable ticket, you can connect with the Southwest Airlines authority to proceed further.
- If you wish to travel on the current day, you may go ahead with the process of rebooking your flight.
- If a refund is not possible or if you do not intend to reschedule your flight, you will receive travel credit to use for a future booking. Nonetheless, the credit will have an expiration date, which will be determined by the airline.
- In the event that you miss your flight for a legitimate reason but are unable to secure a seat on a later flight, the airline will place you on standby.
- If there are technical issues with the airline, it is possible to miss your connecting flight. In such cases, Southwest Airlines will promptly arrange for you to be booked on the next flight to your intended destination.
- Failing to notify the airline or airport authority in advance about missing your flight will result in being subjected to the “no-show policy.”
Different Ways to Contact Southwest Airlines
There are four different ways through which you can connect with Southwest Airlines:
- Online: If you’ve missed a Southwest Airlines flight and need help, you can visit the airline’s website to find contact options for reaching an agent.
- Call: If you need a quicker reply, you have the option to choose a phone call. Using this will ensure you can receive an immediate response. The phone number can be found on the page below.
- Mail: Feel free to send your concern to the airline’s email address as another option.
- Direct at the Airport: If you’ve missed your flight at the airport, you should look for the Southwest Customer Care department to get your questions answered.
Can I Rebook My Missed Southwest Flight?
Yes, Southwest Airlines does allow you to rebook your flights in some instances where you miss your flight. To rebook your Southwest missed flight, follow these easy ways that are mentioned below:
Online Method
Rebooking your flights via the online method is straightforward, and anyone can do it by following these simple steps:
- Open your browser and visit Southwest Airlines’ official website.
- Following that, you must visit the homepage.
- Find the “flight booking” section and click on it.
- After clicking on the booking section, blank boxes will become visible.
- Make sure to provide the flight details, like the departure and arrival locations, dates, and the number of passengers.
- In addition, please indicate whether you are booking a round trip or a one-way trip.
- Once you have entered all the information, you need to click on the “search” button to view the available flight choices.
- Then, you can freely choose the flight that best fits your needs.
- Following your choice of flight, you will need to continue with the process of paying for the flight (if necessary).
- You will receive a confirmation notification on your registered email ID once the above process is completed. This notification will contain your ticket details and Southwest boarding pass.
Offline Method
If the online process makes you feel uneasy, you have the option to choose the offline method. This approach is simple. You only need to dial the toll-free number provided by the Southwest Customer Care Department and then proceed by following these instructions:
- After that, you will need to listen carefully to the IVR menu.
- Please choose the language you prefer.
- Once you establish a connection, you’ll have to inform them about the missed Southwest Airlines flight.
- After that, you’ll need to give them your flight information, such as your departure and arrival times, travel dates, passenger count, and type of travel (single trip or round trip).
- After providing all the necessary information, you will be required to complete the payment, if applicable.
- Afterward, the agent will furnish you with the ticket information and boarding pass.
How Can You Get a Refund for Southwest Missed Flight?
By adhering to the Southwest missed flight policy and refund policy, you will be able to claim your refunds. Here are the steps you must follow:
- Upon realizing that you missed the flight, immediately contact Southwest customer service without any further delay.
- Once you reach them, you’ll need to clarify the situation or circumstances that led to you missing the flight.
- Afterward, you will need to furnish all your flight information, such as the flight number and travel date.
- Following that, make sure to grasp the refund policy from the agent, and if you meet the criteria for a refund, then move forward with your next course of action.
- After receiving the relevant information from Southwest’s customer service, you will need to proceed with the required steps to request a refund. This could entail completing an online form, sending an email, or adhering to a prescribed process provided by Southwest.
- Make sure to attach all the necessary supporting documentation when submitting your refund request. This helps strengthen your request and speed up the review process.
- Once you’ve submitted your refund request, Southwest Airlines will need some time to review and process it. The timeframe for their response may differ, so remain patient and stay vigilant for updates from the airline through your email or other communication channels.
- Your original payment method will be charged for the refund amount.
Summary:
So your question, “What does Southwest do if you miss a flight?” has been answered well in this article. The airline has a very lenient Southwest Airlines missed flight policy, and every passenger is given an equal and fair chance to board their flight. If in case you have missed your flight and no official is ready to help, we are there. The number mentioned below can connect you to our officials, who will surely help you out.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1) What should I do if I miss my flight and have separate bookings?
If you have separate bookings and miss one flight, it will not affect the other booking. However, if both flights are on the same confirmation number, missing the outbound flight will prevent the return flight from being canceled.
2) Can I use my missed flight funds for future travel?
Yes, if you have a Business Select® or Anytime fare and miss your flight, the funds will be converted into a Transferable Flight Credit™ for future use.
3) How can I avoid missing my flight?
To avoid missing your flight, ensure you arrive at the airport well in advance, check traffic conditions, set multiple alarms, and keep all travel documents ready. Additionally, always cancel or modify your reservation at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure if you anticipate missing your flight.