Passenger forced to buy new ticket after Southwest cancels reservation 2 hours AFTER takeoff

Airline says error at the gate may have caused the misunderstanding

A Southwest airlines passenger boarded a plane only to receive an email telling him that his trip had been cancelled.

Bob Woudstra paid $616 (around £410) for a round trip from Grand Rapids to Fort Myers, in Florida.

On the day of his flight, the Michigan businessman was dropped off at the airport, made it through security and successfully boarded the plane.

But two hours into his flight, Mr Woudstra received an e-mail from the U.S carrier, notifying him of its no show policy.

The airline told him that he wasn't on the plane, so they cancelled his flight Mr Woudstra said, explaining that he had to buy a new return ticket for $456 (around £304).

He told MailOnline Travel: ' I think Southwest needs to prove to me I wasn't on the plane, cause I have plenty of witnesses that dropped me off in Grand Rapids and picked me up at Ft. Myers.'

After returning home, he called the airline to demand a refund, but was told he'd need to prove that he was onboard that flight.

Southwest Airlines is investigating the incident. A spokesperson said: 'Although we still haven't determined exactly where an error occurred, we will make an exception to the no show policy and refund the price of the second ticket.'

They went on to say that they are often contacted by passengers who have missed their flight and want a refund, but on this case the error may have been at the gate.

Mr Woudstra is hoping for a full refund on both the tickets he bought.

I can understand a refund on ONE ticket he was forced to buy after the flight, but people get greedy when they get prissy and want a refund on BOTH tickets. And sadly, most companies will do this because they don't want the bad publicity some of these greedy idiots will leave on social media. Shame really. Take the 2nd refund, don't get greedy, say thank you, and be on your merry way. You got the benefit of the first ticket, so why do you want a refund for the first ticket? For me, that's greed right there. 2nd ticket, yes, 1st ticket, no.

a reply to: Anyafaj

Who knows what distress and inconvenience he and those whose guest he was had to endure because of this incident. They might have had to drive him to the airline office some distance away in order to do the second purchase perhaps? In the interest of PR, they may refund him both tickets. I wouldn't worry about the possible greed of one man, but rather how the airline ends up handling it.

originally posted by: aboutface
a reply to: Anyafaj

Who knows what distress and inconvenience he and those whose guest he was had to endure because of this incident.

None at all, all he had to do was photograph his boarding pass and take some photo's inside the plane and email them back.

originally posted by: aboutface
a reply to: Anyafaj

Who knows what distress and inconvenience he and those whose guest he was had to endure because of this incident. They might have had to drive him to the airline office some distance away in order to do the second purchase perhaps? In the interest of PR, they may refund him both tickets. I wouldn't worry about the possible greed of one man, but rather how the airline ends up handling it.

True, knowing SW, they'll pay it, but if it were me, I'd just request the one ticket, and not both, but that's my own personality. No matter how put out I was. To me it read greed, but I can see what you're saying though.

Will probably get refund AND then some after this PR. But it surprises me b/c of all the airlines, southwest's usually one of the better for customer service in my experience. Still sucks to deal with, airline travel in general is just a huge pain

There is absolutely no reason for him to be refunded the cost of both tickets. He received the service he paid for.

a reply to: Anyafaj
How the heck do they not know who's on their planes? If they're going to x ray people, they should certainly know who they're x raying.
I hope he gets both refunds as an apology for ineptitude.

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

Computer error. There's a printed manifest, plus the ticket stubs. The stubs are supposed to be automatically scanned and put in the system but sometimes stuff happens.

Cancelling the whole round trip ticket is wrong. Let's say I miss my outgoing flight for some reason or another and arrive at my destination via some other avenue. I still plan on returning with my already purchased return ticket. Now I can't use my cancelled ticket and must pay for another one. Just because someone misses one leg of a flight is no justification to cancel the thing.

Southwest spent around $200M in 2014 on advertising. I'd say tossing another $1,000 out in passenger appreciation to this guy wouldn't hurt a bit and get the situation resolved nicely for everyone.

a reply to: Anyafaj

Have you ever heard of stress? It is damn stressful enough just to go through the security at the airport, let alone having some faceless corporation screw you over. It took me about four months to get a refund on a ticket that was cancelled to to Superstorm Sandy. What a damn P.I.T.A.!

He had to waste his time getting this solved when he could have been doing something better. A free ticket for his trouble is no biggy.

a reply to: StoutBroux

If you don't fly one leg, then how does the airline prove you are who you say? What would prevent you from buying a ticket, claiming you missed the flight and drove out, and sending the ticket to someone else? Or taking up a seat that they could sell to someone else?

a reply to: DrakeINFERNO

But he received the service he paid for on the first ticket. He only deserves a refund of the second.

Where in the OP did it say he wanted a refund on both tickets??

I'd be PO'd too if that happened to me...But I wouldn't have paid $600 for a RT ticket to Florida in the first place.

originally posted by: lovebeck
Where in the OP did it say he wanted a refund on both tickets??

I'd be PO'd too if that happened to me...But I wouldn't have paid $600 for a RT ticket to Florida in the first place.

Mr Woudstra is hoping for a full refund on both the tickets he bought.

So he's asking for a refund for the ticket he bought before he left his house to get on the plane the first time, and for the second ticket for the computer error. Personally, he should only be refunded the computer error. He got on the flight to arrive at his destination. Therefore he received the services of SW the first time. When he bought the second ticket after the computer error cancelled his ticket, he never received those services of course, so yes, that ticket SHOULD be refunded, but he's asking for ALL money to be refunded, which to me, personally, is greedy. He received services, he should pay for those services, but of course, ONLY those services.

meh

So it's Ok they keep your money if you miss the flight? I don't agree with that part due to things happen and shouldn't be shafted along the way as well. Motor breaks down in the car taking you there could cost a lot just for missing the flight. Wrong on so many levels Traffic accidents block highways up for hours sometimes what then not your fault but cost you lots for the greedy airport..
Sure keep part for services not rendered. This was clearly the airlines fault and cost the guy money to get back home extra money that is. Give it back later is not ok without some extra for the trouble they caused not doing their jobs correctly.
Sadly this shows how up to par all this security crap is when they don't know the man was even on the flight to begin with.

What if it turned up missing (jetliners do that these days it seems) They wouldn't claim him even being on board.
An apology just isn't enough they need to get their crap together and if it cost them some money they will learn a little faster..

Then again take all his money for flying anyhow screw the airlines and the Security checks and don't fly pretty simple

a reply to: Zaphod58
I though ID cards worked pretty well in showing who you are. And due to they keep your money for missing the flight there or not that is your paid for seat and they should not be able to sell it to another unless of course they give your money back when missing a flight.

a reply to: Connman

If you don't catch the flight the first time they don't have an id for reference.

You agree when you buy the ticket that it's a non refundable cost. If you miss the flight it's on you, unless it was something caused by the airline. There are refundable fares but they're usually a little higher.

a reply to: Zaphod58

have you had to get something resolved with customer service? you start with a peon who will call you a liar and be useless until you talk to a manager and I am guessing it didn't get resolved easily if they had to resort to social media to get it fixed. i would never fly with them if that's what you expect to get with a ticket purchase.