Switch to new rewards program creates problems for Southwest

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Southwest Airlines, the nation’s largest domestic carrier, has been inundated with calls and complaints, sparked by the redesign of its popular Rapid Rewards program.

The new frequent-flier program, launched March 1, ties travel awards to the amount passengers spend to fly instead of the previous formula that was based on how many segments passengers fly.

Southwest announced last month that customers would not be able to check on their rewards or request free trips for two days while the new system was installed into the Southwest computers.

But the system had several ‘technical issues’ on March 1 that kept customers from logging onto the online rewards site, said Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz.

Since then, Mainz said most of the technical problems have been resolved. But now, he said, the airline is faced with an avalanche of calls from customers with questions about the new rewards program, forcing the airline to hire temporary workers to answer the phones.

‘Our biggest challenge is the high call volumes,’ he said. ‘We are doing the best we can to manage the call volume.’

-- Hugo Martin