For years, Southwest Airlines has accepted all types of drink coupons on our planes – regardless of their expiration dates. Rapid Rewards coupons. Business Select coupons. Old Company Club coupons. Coupons from the 80s, coupons from the 90s. And we’ve done so for all the right reasons. However, in an industry where the competition is always knocking (or banging) on the door and where watching the bottom-line is more important than ever , we owe it to our Employees, Customers, and Shareholders to find ways to operate smarter. We’ve reached a point where being so flexible with drink coupons has put us in a position of having far too many in circulation. To help purge the system of these excess coupons, we will start enforcing expiration dates on coupons over the course of the next year.
Beginning today, Southwest Airlines will only accept Business Select drink coupons on the day of travel which allows Customers to use the coupon for the flight it was purchased . This has always been the intent of the coupon, but starting today, August 1, 2010 we’ll begin universally enforcing it. Business Select Customers may use their drink coupon on a connecting flight, as long as it is used on the day of travel printed on the coupon.
Also, Rapid Rewards drink coupons earned with an Award will soon have a new look and will include an expiration date that is one year from the date of issue. Rapid Rewards will communicate with Members as the transition approaches. Not to worry, we’re giving Customers a full year to use those tan paper drink coupons without expiration dates. We will continue to accept these drink coupons, whether purchased or earned with a Rapid Rewards Award, until August 31, 2011.
We're proud to have some of the lowest prices in the air for liquor, beer, and wine. Customers may still purchase an alcoholic beverage or Monster drink with a credit or debit card. And of course, all other non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are free. And don't forget, when you fly Southwest, bags fly free and we don't charge a change fee.
Comments
I trust Southwest!
THANKS SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT FOR SLAPPING YOUR VALUED LIFE LONG CUSTOMERS IN THE FACE. THE SAME LIFE LONG CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE HELPED PAVE THE WAY FOR SOUTHWEST TO BE IN BUSINESS. NOW THE COUPONS I HAVE AQUIRED OVER THE YEARS BEING A VALUED CUSTOMER ARE WORTH NOTHING. THE DAYS OF CONSUMER LOYALTY ARE OVER.
How do you justify imposing an expiration date on a coupon that was issued WITHOUT AN EXPIRATION DATE? I'm not asking what's your business need. I'm asking how you think this is an acceptable - or even legal - thing to do. These coupons do not expire on August 31, 2011. They do not expire at all. Explain to me how you claim any right or ability to not accept them on September 1, 2011.
Thanks for giving us such a big heads up on enforcing the expiration date. There is nothing like finding out on the day you are going to do it. I guess this part of now doing so for all the wrong reasons. I understand the need to enforce published expiration dates, even with no notice, but what is the rationale of putting an artificial expiration date on something that never had one? This definitely doing something for nothing close to "for all the right reasons". This change along with the change on the use of ticketless travel funds (TTF) to not allow reuse by anyone but the original passenger are not very customer friendly policies nor in keeping with Southwest's company culture. I would ask what is next, but I am afraid that my suggestions would be implemented. As a customer, Rapid Rewards member, Companion Pass holder, and a stock holder, I am very disappointed in the recent changes that are being implement "to operate smarter" and watch the bottomline. What may save a little money in the short run will end up causing major loss of money in the long run when customers, especially the loyal repeat ones, leave for this continued mistreatment.
Thank you for the advanced notice on this major change in unwritten policy, I always enjoy learning about things when it is no longer possible to act to mitigate the impact. I guess that no notice, customer-detrimental changes are part of not doing "so for all the right reasons". While I understand the underlying reason for the enforcement of actual expiration dates and even imposing one on the abused Business Select coupons, I do not see the rationale for imposing an artificial expiration date on those non-reproducable drink coupons that had none to begin with. That is definitely a slap in the face of your frequent customers, Rapid Rewards members. This along with the recent changes to ticketless travel fund (TTF) usage to be limited to only the original passenger are definitely customer unfriendly and counter to Southwest corporate culture. I would ask what is next, but I am afraid that my ludicrious suggestions would be implemented. As a customer, Rapid Rewards member, Companion Pass holder, and a stockholder, I find all of these recent changes to be anything but "done so for all the right reasons" nor watching the bottom line. For whatever small amount of money made in the short run by these changes, it will not make up for the long term losses caused by the loss of customers, especially the loyal and repeat ones who have seen this airline become no better than the money-grubbing, nickle-and-diming legacies.
I have now posted two very detailed posts, neither of which have shown. Apparently, Southwest does not allow posts questioning their changes to be entered. Just another change not "done so for all the right reasons".
How about giving some warning regarding coupons that have already expired? This is a slap in the face :(.
I predict less people will purchase BS seats now, because you're making them more BS
Southwest, if the coupon has no expiration date on it, why do you think it is 'good' to let it expire?
Don’t say this surprised you since you had expiration dates on them in the past. You choose to remove it and not let them expire.
Lastly, why doesn’t all your FA know that they should accept some of the TAN coupons, for Monster Drinks?
You forgot to mention the part where all the other coupons with expiration dates - not just the BS coupons - expired last night. It is nice to see that you're owning up to the fact that this is simply a cash grab, but acknowledging that there are other types of coupons involved - and that they are all now worthless - would be the proper thing to do.
Actually the proper thing would have been to provide a bit more than zero notice of the change so that people would have the opportunity to use them, but that ship has apparently sailed.
Its my understanding from a phone call to customer relations that new RR drink coupons will have the flyer name and RR number on them to cut down on online sales. Why are you then just hemming and hawing with "will have a new look" above?
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