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Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Drink Coupon Class Action Lawsuit
By Kimberly Mirando
If you were hanging on to your Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Drink Coupon for a special occasion, you’re out of luck. Southwest has stopped honoring its coupons, much to the disappointment of many, including one angry flyer who decided to file a federal class action lawsuit against the airline for “unlawfully revoking” its Rapid Rewards Coupons.
Alabama resident William J. Baxley has filed a class action lawsuit against Southwest Airlines (NASDAQ: LUV) for Breach of Contract for refusing to honor its Rapid Rewards Drink Coupons, which are good for one free “beer, wine, mixed or specialty non-alcoholic drink.” These coupons were given to Rapid Rewards members in exchange for their air travel loyalty and to “induce” them to remain members of the program and to fly with Southwest “at considerable expense to destinations it serves throughout the United States, enjoying free libations while doing so,” the Southwest Rapid Rewards Coupon class action lawsuit states.
The Southwest Drink Coupons bear no expiration date, yet Southwest announced August 31, 2011 that it would no longer honor these coupons without providing advanced notice of its intention to do so.
“No provision of the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Program, and no provision of the terms of its drink coupon program, allows Defendant to revoke a Southwest Airlines Drink Coupon” after it is issued and accepted by members of the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Program, the class action lawsuit states.
The Southwest Airlines Drink Coupon class action lawsuit is brought on behalf of all members of the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Program, and all other persons issued a “Southwest Airlines Drink Coupon,” that reside in the U.S. and have been issued an unredeemed Southwest Airlines Drink Coupon.
It is seeking injunctive relief, equitable relief and an order requiring all Southwest Airlines Drink Coupons that were lost or discarded due to the airline’s discontinuance of the coupons to be replaced.
A copy of the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Drink Coupon Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.
The case is Baxley v. Southwest Airlines Co., Inc., Case No. 2:11-cv-03420, U.S. District Court for the Northern Division of Alabama, Southern Division.
Updated September 27th, 2011
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22 thoughts onSouthwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Drink Coupon Class Action Lawsuit
get a life people!! get some new coupons!! get over it!
Ok seriously you all are in an uproar over a $5 cocktail/beer/wine. If you are truly a rapids rewards member then you should be receiving ones that have an expiration date that are valid. I think the ones that are upset are the people who have a gazilion coupons that they give to their friends and family and think its fun to get inebriated on the planes. Also read the fine print on the coupon states that the program can be stopped/ altered at any time. So what is everyone wanting from this law suit a lifetime of free drinks ? Let’s get real and focus On more important things in life
I think it’s interesting that they didn’t show the other side, which says (and not is small writing) at the bottom, “Southwest Airlines reserves the right to discontinue or change the promotional drink coupon program at any time.” My grandmother and I are both Rapid Rewards members. The first email we received was in August of 2010. We both received emails every single month for the last year reminding us that Aug. 31, 2011 was the last day they would be accepted. I don’t really see how this lawsuit can go anywhere. This is a cheap person with too much time on their hands.
Really! Really! Someone has too much time on their hands. If they are just worried about a free drink. Give ding-a- ling his free drink, then charge him for his luggage. This one takes the cake. Happy 40th birthday Southwest!!!
Get a life!
150 coupons! Maybe they are just giving your liver a break.
I, too am a RR Member. I am more concerned about my points for my rewards tickets than a drink that costs $5.00. This is another example of “GET ALL YOU CAN FOR FREE” and if not, sue and tie up our court system. The coupons state Southwest may discountinue the program at anytime. NEWS FLASH: Southwest is the ONLY airline that still does this. If they stop with the drink coupon program, you can thank the A*S who filed the suit.
This was not a fun experience and I am not happy with southwest. I worked hard to earn the flights and drink coupons southwest promised me. I was never informed you were going to void all non dated coupons. This is a business decision south west has made and I don’t agree with it so I am going to take my business somewhere that will appreciate it. Good luck on the class action lawsuit southwest should not be able to change the rules whenever they want. Southwest should be forced to stand behind the promotions they put on. southwest knows exactly how many coupons are out there because they are numbered don’t use the excuse that there are to many out there you put them there in the first place. Shame on you southwest
Craig
I have spent close to 3 million dollars with southwest rapid rewards over the past few years and part of my loyalty was the drink coupons. I have around 150 of them left with no expiration date on them. I have used the ones that had a expiration date on them and was told by southwest employees that my old ones will never expire. So I go on a flight last week to California and hand them a non expired coupon and to my surprise I am told this is expired. We talk about it and she explained that southwest has told everyone that this was going to happen. So I explained that I get southwest letters and e mails all year long an never once have I seen any information that southwest was dishonoring its promotional coupons. So not to argue any more I handed her my southwest visa and paid $5.00 a beer. This is as much as you would pay for a beer at a nice restraint
It states on the coupon “southwest reserves the right to end this promotion at any time”. What a waste of time and money, just so you can get something free.