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How did your airline handle your booking after your cruise was cancelled?


EllieinNJ
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FWIW, every situation is different.  This depends upon:

 

Airline

Sales Channel

Routing

Fare basis/rules

Possible route cancellation

Possible flight cancellation

 

So whatever happens to someone else's flight has minimal relevance at best to YOUR situation.  Also remember - in many cases, the fact that your cruise is cancelled has zero relevance to your air situation.

 

Perhaps providing actual specifics might help in assessing your situation.

 

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Your airline won't care that the reason you're canceling is because you had a cruise booked that got canceled.  For all they care, you could have been going to a wedding or a concert or sporting event, or to spend a week with Grandma.  Go to your airline's website and see what kind of special waivers they are offering. Most are doing something, though it varies from one to the next what the parameters are.....when booked, flight date, itinerary, etc.

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7 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

Your airline won't care that the reason you're canceling is because you had a cruise booked that got canceled.  For all they care, you could have been going to a wedding or a concert or sporting event, or to spend a week with Grandma.  Go to your airline's website and see what kind of special waivers they are offering. Most are doing something, though it varies from one to the next what the parameters are.....when booked, flight date, itinerary, etc.

 

We were booked on a Southwest flight for our cruise. The cruise, obviously, was cancelled and we re-booked for next year. Flights are not yet available so the fare is being held by Southwest in Travel Funds account. When we do fly on the next trip it will be after the funds have expired. I'm trying to find out if Southwest has made any exceptions due to the virus causing the cancellations. I find nothing on the website and have emailed Southwest but have not got a reply. Can you or anyone shed any light?

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2 hours ago, MURCOTT said:

We were booked on a Southwest flight for our cruise. The cruise, obviously, was cancelled and we re-booked for next year. Flights are not yet available so the fare is being held by Southwest in Travel Funds account. When we do fly on the next trip it will be after the funds have expired. I'm trying to find out if Southwest has made any exceptions due to the virus causing the cancellations. I find nothing on the website and have emailed Southwest but have not got a reply. Can you or anyone shed any light?

 

One year from purchase.  Use it or lose it.

 

Southwest has long had the most generous regular policy for changing flights and getting travel credits for passenger change of plans.  They are just continuing it, and logically feel no need to do anything different.

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On ‎3‎/‎18‎/‎2020 at 7:11 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

One year from purchase.  Use it or lose it.

 

Southwest has long had the most generous regular policy for changing flights and getting travel credits for passenger change of plans.  They are just continuing it, and logically feel no need to do anything different.

Have you heard of the "luv voucher" from SW? I had not,  but when someone mentioned I may be able to get one I checked SW site. It only mentions getting one when you get bumped from a flight. Still no reply from SW. Thanks

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On 3/17/2020 at 12:21 PM, FlyerTalker said:

FWIW, every situation is different.  This depends upon:

 

Airline

Sales Channel

Routing

Fare basis/rules

Possible route cancellation

Possible flight cancellation

 

So whatever happens to someone else's flight has minimal relevance at best to YOUR situation.  Also remember - in many cases, the fact that your cruise is cancelled has zero relevance to your air situation.

 

Perhaps providing actual specifics might help in assessing your situation.

 

Status with the airline??

 

Had Polaris P fare (highly discounted non refundable $400 rebook) MIA to SIN and a separate booking SFO-MCO (discounted F non-refundable $200 rebook)).  Agents would only waive rebooking fee.  Went to their CS -- same.  Then through UA 1K voice sent a copy of the cruise line cancellation letter, plus the fact the bookings 1 year limit were may 330 days when the flights opened -- sent on 25 Feb.   7 days later had a refund email.  Surprised yes -- but certainly each persons case is different. 

 

Now that airline is bleeding money??

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1 hour ago, MURCOTT said:

Have you heard of the "luv voucher" from SW? I had not,  but when someone mentioned I may be able to get one I checked SW site. It only mentions getting one when you get bumped from a flight. Still no reply from SW. Thanks

 

Involuntary denied boarding is a different animal from a passenger cancelling their ticket.

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Southwest just extended the expiration date for cancelled flights as follows:

 

Travel Funds Extension Policy*

With the unprecedented cancellations and airport closings happening around us every day, we understand travel plans are changing for many Customers. So, we are making a temporary exception to our already very flexible travel funds policy. As you know, our current policy outlines that nonrefundable tickets not flown on the travel date, but canceled in accordance with Southwest’s No Show Policy, can be applied to future travel up to one year from the original purchase date, but must be used by the individual named on the ticket.

 

In recognition of the current travel environment, we are extending the expiration date of some travel funds:

 

  • Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021
     
  • Any newly created travel fund because of a flight cancellation between March 1-May 31, 2020, will have an expiration date of June 30, 2021

It will take our Technology Teams a few weeks to make these changes to the expiration date of the funds, and we appreciate your patience while our Teams work quickly to make this happen. This gesture of goodwill gives Customers an additional year to use their funds and take the same trip next year as they were planning to take this year. 

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1 hour ago, cheriberi said:

In recognition of the current travel environment, we are extending the expiration date of some travel funds:

 

  • Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021

 

So, if you have already cancelled your ticket, the extension only applies if the funds were going to expire up through May of this year.  An expiration beyond that date will not be extended, at least for now.

 

1 hour ago, cheriberi said:
  • Any newly created travel fund because of a flight cancellation between March 1-May 31, 2020, will have an expiration date of June 30, 2021

 

This leaves a nice little semantic issue that isn't clear.  That term "flight cancellation" - does that mean that WN cancels your flight or that you chose to cancel out?  Not clear to my eyes.  Hope that it refers to cancelled tickets by both WN and passenger action, but I await clarification.

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On 3/18/2020 at 3:12 PM, MURCOTT said:

 

We were booked on a Southwest flight for our cruise. The cruise, obviously, was cancelled and we re-booked for next year. Flights are not yet available so the fare is being held by Southwest in Travel Funds account. When we do fly on the next trip it will be after the funds have expired. I'm trying to find out if Southwest has made any exceptions due to the virus causing the cancellations. I find nothing on the website and have emailed Southwest but have not got a reply. Can you or anyone shed any light?


Did you insure the cost of the flights?  Can you file a claim for expired, unused tickets?

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1 hour ago, Babr said:


Did you insure the cost of the flights?  Can you file a claim for expired, unused tickets?

Unfortunately we did not. Someone from another post has been very helpful in explaining the LUV voucher sometimes issued by SW. We have to wait for the expiration date [October] and then have 6 months to make the request for the voucher. These requests are granted on a case-by-case basis so we are keeping fingers crossed.

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I bought 8 tickets last May for an April 4-11 cruise, rt from DTW to FLL on Delta.  The cruise was cancelled.  I called Delta and they said that I had to use them by the end of this May, 1 year from issue, but there would be no change fees.  I asked how many people did they expect would be flying in the next 2 months.  The agent actually laughed.  She then said she would talk to a "supervisor".  Next, I was told they would extend the tickets for 45 extra days.  I said that won't work.  She gave me "another number" and said to call and ask for vouchers.

 

I waited to call, since the flight is not until April 4 and the situations are changing so quickly.  Now, I believe, Delta is saying they will give everyone who had a flight in April that want to cancel new etickets good for flights until Dec 31.  Still will not work for us, as this was a long time planned family cruise and we cannot get people back together again the rest of this year.

 

If they were to give me vouchers good for anytime up to next May, I would be happy.  Just really want my money back.  If Delta can ask for billions of dollars in bail out money from the government, then I need my money, especially in these tough economic times.  I am really hoping that flights are shut down before April 4, as planes are flying people all over the country and spreading the virus.  I did have travel insurance that won't pay because we are not flying simply because we have no where to go.  I will call Delta on April 1 and see what I can work out with them.  Maybe the policy will change again by then.

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45 minutes ago, teacherman said:

I bought 8 tickets last May for an April 4-11 cruise, rt from DTW to FLL on Delta.  The cruise was cancelled. 

 

I am really hoping that flights are shut down before April 4, as planes are flying people all over the country and spreading the virus.  I did have travel insurance that won't pay because we are not flying simply because we have no where to go. 

Let me see if I understand this.

You purchased 8 tickets at the cheapest price available. Non refundable. The airline website asked you before you checked out if you wanted to insure these tickets. You chose No

Ship has happened and the airline is going above and beyond by offering flight credits. That's not good enough either. You wish economic devastation on the entire airline industry and every employee in the industry simply because you didn't plan properly.

 

WOW!!

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For Klfrodo:

 

The original poster asked how the airline handled our tickets once our cruise was canceled.  I took the time to give a response showing the original action by the airline and how their policy has changed quite a bit in the last 2 weeks.  I am hoping they will continue to change their policy as more cruises are canceled and many more people are affected.  I am also stating my belief that when the medical experts at daily White House briefings continue to say that we all need to stay at home for about 3 weeks, I do not understand how the government continues to allow airlines to move people all over the country.  We are told "not to do non-essential" travel.  So, are people saying their vacations are absolutely essential?

 

I tried to give information concerning the original posting?  Have you?   I know your area has been hard hit by this virus.

Please stay safe.

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You bet you could go (buy cheapest, no refund ticket rather than fully refundable ticket or insurance).  You can't (country effectively on lock-down).  You lose (your money).  What have I mis-stated here?

 

It's not your fault that you can't go, but it's also not the airlines fault. Why should they pay when you had the opportunity to hedge your bet?

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28 minutes ago, teacherman said:

  Have you?   I know your area has been hard hit by this virus.

Please stay safe.

So far we have had to cancel 4 flights.

Myself, a RT ticket for work related business.  I work at hospitals repairing medical equipment. As my fellow co-workers go out on business, training, vacations/ or now sick because of the virus, I fly in to backfill. Work had me cancel this trip.

My wife and daughter had a cruise planned out of New Orleans. They had to cancel that trip. In both cases, Alaska Airlines issued credits for future flights. Will we use those flights? I have no idea.

However, with all honestly, I can guarantee that I would much rather lose a few hundred dollars for tickets that I won't use, than see the entire airline industry be shut down.

Yes, there is a lot of "essential" travel that is very important to the overall economy and is essential to life as we now know it. Flights don't carry just people, flights carry cargo to include food, water, and essential medical supplies.

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Thank you for sharing how the airlines have handled your cancellations.  That is what was originally asked for.  I tried to do a nice thing for my family and take them on a family cruise.  It has not worked out for us.  I do not know if we will be able to do this again.  If it should work out that I eventually lose all of the money, I will simply look at it as a bad investment on family fun that did not work out for us.  This is a very bad situation that is happening in our country and the rest of the world.  But, as always in a bad and unexpected, situation, there will be financial "winners" and "losers".  This pales in comparison to the people who are losing their lives or suffering the loss of family members.  As I previously said, stay safe.

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On 3/17/2020 at 12:21 PM, FlyerTalker said:

FWIW, every situation is different.  This depends upon:

 

Airline

Sales Channel

Routing

Fare basis/rules

Possible route cancellation

Possible flight cancellation

 

So whatever happens to someone else's flight has minimal relevance at best to YOUR situation.  Also remember - in many cases, the fact that your cruise is cancelled has zero relevance to your air situation.

 

Perhaps providing actual specifics might help in assessing your situation.

 

We have a United one way economy L flight from Seattle to Newark on May 10, 2020.  Since I posted, United has changed my nonstop flight to a 45 minute layover in DC.  Could this be grounds for cancelling and getting a refund?

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16 hours ago, teacherman said:

new etickets good for flights until Dec 31.  Still will not work for us, as this was a long time planned family cruise and we cannot get people back together again the rest of this year.

 

If they were to give me vouchers good for anytime up to next May, I would be happy.  Just really want my money back. 

 

While it's disappointing that you cannot all find a date later in the year to get together, vouchers are typically issued in each passenger's name, meaning your group should still be able to use their vouchers, they just have to go on separate trips since you can't coordinate.  I realize that's not what you planned, but the money doesn't have to go to waste entirely.

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