I have a suggestion for all. If you are a group flying on SW, you should not make 1 big reservation for everyone; if one person needs to cancel the entire reservation for everyone on it has to be cancelled and then rebooked. While there won't be a charge to rebook, the seats won't necessarily be available, it might mean a different flight [s] and you can bet that you will have to pay more for each ticket. It is really necessary that each persons' ticket be booked separately.

The story:
I made reservations for my family {husband, adult son and daughter} for flights to go to my nieces wedding in Tampa in November [the first day the flights became available for late March].

DH and I were going a day early to see his mom in Orlando, then we were driving over to Tampa to meet DD and DS the following day. We were all flying home together.

I made reservations for DH and I to fly to Orlando. Then I made reservations for DD and DS to fly to Tampa. Last reservations were for all 4 of us to fly home together.

There is a chance now that DH and I might not be able to go to wedding due to medical issues on my part.

My DS and DD would still like to go to wedding, even if we don't. Trouble is -- if I cancel the return reservationsfor DH and myself .. all 4 reservations will be cancelled and the cost for DD and DS ticket will go from $200 each to well over $300.

As far as I can tell from SW website, you cannot keep 2 seats and cancel the other 2.

From now on, it will be individual reservations on SW.

Just thought you should be aware.
Debi

Have you tried calling Southwest to see if it's possible to cancel for only some of the parties?

Will do that today. This post came after reading their website and rules for canceling flight.

Debi

I just got off the phone with Southwest. They separated the tickets and gave us the same rates etc.

Phew!
Debi

Just for the record, I think people are "flirting with danger" when they try to do things like this (cancelling part of an online booked itinerary) online themselves. There are some things that just cry out for getting a real person on a phone to help you -- as I think DebitNM found out in this case.

You are so right, NeoPatrick. I once ended up cancelling a hotel reservation (was trying to just change the dates) and had to rebook it and got a higher rate!

I'm glad that worked out, Debi.

I've started booking my Dallas flights to Dallas as inbound and then outbound in case I have to change one of them. That way I don't lose the great deal on one leg of the flight. That's why I love SWA -- they don't gouge me for one-way flights.

It's very easy to change itineraries with Southwest, have done it for my Dad a few times when he was traveling with friends. Never a problem. You also get to keep the full credit and Southwest does not charge extra change fees like the other airlines.

I have a great story about Southwest's customer service.
Last week I went to book a flight with SW and discovered I never got a voucher or credit for a flight my husband had booked for last July, but was not able to use (a one-way flight from Las Vegas to Ontario.)
I called SW's customer service number, politely explained my situation and within seconds the clerk said "we'll send you a voucher for the full amount within 10 days.
I was shocked...what great service! I was expecting maybe 1/2 of the amount spent - but I had heard on Fodors that SW is very good to its customers, so I figured it was worth the call.
I also firmly believe that if you going in expecting nothing, you are sometimes pleasantly surprized. I thanked them and said "I'll be posting this story on Fodors and the clerk laughed and said "thank you!"