Southwest Flight Cancellations: What Passengers Need to Know

Ten Southwest flights were canceled out of Bradley International Airport Tuesday. A day earlier, the carrier had canceled roughly 70% of its schedule around the country.

If not you, you probably know of someone whose flight was cancelled.

And with reduced operations the next couple of days, there seems like no end in sight for folks looking to rebook.

It’s a holiday break nightmare.

When flights are canceled by the airline, not the consumer, customers are always entitled to a full refund, that’s according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. This includes a refund for any bag fees or other added extras you paid for previously.

Southwest customers whose travel has been disrupted can request a refund here. Here's Southwest's statement about the travel disruption.

Sometimes airlines are going to try to get you to accept a voucher, but the nation’s largest passenger advocacy organization, FlyersRights.org, wants you to know this:

“The airlines are not allowed to offer you credits without offering the refund that you’re owed first, so if passengers are not being given complete refunds for cancellations or if they’re being offered vouchers instead of refunds, I would make sure to first complain to the airline. Tell them that you are entitled to the refund, but also complain to the Department of Transportation because that is an unfair and deceptive practice,” said Andrew Appelbaum, a staff attorney with FlyersRights.org.

The Better Business Bureau suggests that if you do decide to take a voucher, ask about the expiration date or blackout dates.

Here’s a question we’ve heard time and time again: can Southwest place you on another airline’s flight?

A travel agent explained to NBC CT Responds that Southwest doesn’t have partnership with the major airlines, like Delta, American and United do.

Despite that, Appelbaum says there’s nothing stopping Southwest from booking you on another airline, but it’s just not commercially convenient for them.

“There used to be a reciprocity rule before deregulation where if an airline had to cancel or significantly delay your flight, the airline would put the passenger on the next available flight regardless of airline and so that’s not the rule anymore and FlyersRights is fighting for that rule and the DOT has the authority to implement that rule,” Appelbaum said.

U.S. DOT says they're currently investigating the current situation with Southwest.

And for those wishing their cancellation was just a dreadful delay, here’s the truth of the matter: the U.S. has no federal laws requiring airlines to compensate passengers for delayed domestic flights.

Some airlines may have their own, better policies though, so it can’t hurt to ask for compensation.

The Better Business Bureau reminds consumers to keep their receipts for extra purchases, like a hotel room for example.

And if you paid for your flight with your credit card, check if it offers additional travel protections.

If you accept something less than you’re entitled to, generally that’s what you’re going to get, so make sure to do your research even before you even get to the airport and read an airline’s policy before agreeing to anything.