Southwest Airlines’ passengers can no longer skip a flight without penalty.
Welcome to the airline’s new “no show” policy.
Under rules that began Friday, travelers must use, change or cancel nonrefundable fares at least 10 minutes before departure or lose the value of the entire ticket. That includes unused legs of a trip and the return flight.
“It’s in the customers’ control,” Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins. “They just have to let us know.”
Until now, Southwest passengers faced no penalty for missing a flight. It still doesn’t charge high change fees — up to $450 per person — like many other airlines.
The number of passengers who don’t show up for a Southwest flight is “a minority of customers, but some people do it habitually,” Hawkins said.
The new policy will help the Dallas-based airline better predict available seats, reduce the number of empty seats on flights and keep core fares low, he said. Southwest announced the change in April.
It won’t make much of a different for Barry Conroe, chief technology officer of a staffing company in Dallas who flies three times a month on Southwest and Fort Worth-based American Airlines. He still thinks Southwest has one of the best overall fee policies “hands down” among airlines.
“I’m in Denver flying standby on American and it’s $75, but on Southwest I can change at a moment’s notice for no fee,” Conroe said Friday. “That is a huge discriminator on a positive side for Southwest.”
Debbie Davis, a travel agent for AAA Texas in Dallas, has received no customer complaints about Southwest’s new policy so far, but it just started.
“My experience in 10 years as a travel agent, mostly everyone calls us to cancel,” Davis said. “Southwest’s policy is no show, so as long as you cancel ahead of time you’re OK.”
Southwest’s new policy affects tickets bought on or after May 10. It excludes military fares, senior fares or travel during certain unusual situations, such as bad weather.
Customers who cancel nonrefundable fares before departure can reuse those funds toward future Southwest travel. And customers with refundable, round-trip fares can request a refund or hold funds for future travel.
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The per-person fee charged by major airlines to change a nonrefundable fare:
Southwest Airlines — No fee, but if travelers don’t use, change or cancel an unused ticket before departure, they’ll lose the value of the entire fare.
American Airlines* — $75-$200 for changes made before the travel day or up to $75 for same-day changes.
US Airways — $150-$450
Delta Air Lines* — $150-$300 and up to $50 for same-day changes.
United Airlines* — $200-$300 and up to $75 for some same-day changes.
*Fee varies depending on location and type of ticket; some fares carry no