Airline Question

[Bridge Maven]

Even though this did not happen after a cruise, it could so I think the question is relevant.

 

Saturday, while we were going back to our hotel room in Chicago to get our luggage my husband fell on the side where he had hip replacement surgery a few years ago, which caused that hip to dislocate. Consequently we were in the emergency room of a Chicago hospital while our flight left O'Hare. I called the airline from the hospital to cancel that flight and tried to reschedule it but since they had nothing available during the following three days, we took another airline home yesterday.

 

The airline told me that since this was a non refundable flight, it doesn't matter that it was cancelled due to a medical emergency or that they didn't have an alternative one available during the next few days, so they won't give me a refund or waive the fees if we use that credit for another flight during the next year. Has anyone had a similar experience?

[Denny01]

Yes, I had a non-refundable and had to remain in DC for a family (direct family) emergency and had to change my flights. I paid up front because I was told the same thing, but after sending a letter to the airline (I was a Freq Flyer and assume you are using a non-refundable) to the Freq Flyer office, they gave me a 'credit' in the amount it cost me to change flights - just the $150 for changing, not the cost increase for the flgiht. Did not get a refund, but a credit for future flights. Used it.

 

Call your Freq Flyer Office and work with them. If you get the runaround, ask them (nicely as you alway do Maven!) to give you an address/email and follow up with that.

 

Good luck.

 

Denny

[Karynanne]

Bridge Maven, you may want to post this query on the Fly/Cruise board. There are many informed posters that could possibly help you. I hope your husband is doing better now.

[Bobed1927]

Another good example of why you should buy trip insurance.

[YOW]

Sorry this has happened to you.

 

If you haven't already, check with your bank / credit card issuer to see what might be built into your card as far as trip interruption. And as Denny says, it never hurts to ask the airline and politely escalate.

 

Yes, this is the standard practice for airlines, and the change fee is a pretty big money-maker for them. But still, it's unpleasant to be in that situation, and if you can reach a 'person' at the airline, hopefully they'll be willing to work with you.

[JFontaine]

Are you saying that they will give you a credit for the unused portion of your return flight (minus a change fee)? I think that's extraordinary. Usually once you being travel if you are unable to use the return you are out of luck. By the way, for expert help you might check out the airline's flyertalk site.

[YOW]

Sorry, I wasn't specific -- by "this" I meant that it's standard procedure for an airline to charge a change fee as well as any increase in fare difference. There are also many instances where a nonrefundable fare is only priced for a round-trip purchase (as opposed to two one-way segments), so that once the passenger has travelled to destination, the remaining portion could only be used to fly from destination back to origin (with change fee, if the same class of service is available). So if this airline is offering the remaining fare value to you as a credit on any of their flights in the next year, with change fees and fare difference to be paid upon rebooking, that's already a step ahead of where many people find themselves.

 

(and yes this is more a 'Cruise Air' topic that the mods may end up moving over)

[Bridge Maven]

Sorry, I wasn't specific -- by "this" I meant that it's standard procedure for an airline to charge a change fee as well as any increase in fare difference. There are also many instances where a nonrefundable fare is only priced for a round-trip purchase (as opposed to two one-way segments), so that once the passenger has travelled to destination, the remaining portion could only be used to fly from destination back to origin (with change fee, if the same class of service is available). So if this airline is offering the remaining fare value to you as a credit on any of their flights in the next year, with change fees and fare difference to be paid upon rebooking, that's already a step ahead of where many people find themselves.

 

(and yes this is more a 'Cruise Air' topic that the mods may end up moving over)

 

Yow, I didn't think about it until I read your post but the airline rep told me that I could use the return portion anytime within a year so maybe it is only good for a flight from Chicago to Connecticut. In that case it is worthless because now that we are home it is very unlikely that we will need a one way flight for that route in the near future.

[Bridge Maven]

Are you saying that they will give you a credit for the unused portion of your return flight (minus a change fee)? I think that's extraordinary. Usually once you being travel if you are unable to use the return you are out of luck. By the way, for expert help you might check out the airline's flyertalk site.

 

MLevine, I was told that we would have to pay a fee of $150 per ticket if we use that credit for another flight.

[Booyakasha]

Unfortunately, legally, The airline owes you nothing.

 

However, I would still call them and nicely explain what happens and offer to provide proof. They might offer something to keep your business. If you are a frequent flyer that would help.

 

B.

[Bridge Maven]

I would like to thank everyone who responded to my post. Your responses have been very helpful and your concern for what happened to my husband is appreciated :)

[rhuntington3]

Hope your husband is okay.

 

I had a similar story two weeks ago... Had plans to fly to Colorado and then had a death in the family and had to cancel the trip. Got credit with airline and have to pay $150 change fee per ticket to use the credit. Sheesh.

[phoenix_dream]

I am truly sorry for what happened to your husband, and I hope you are able to find a sympathetic airline employee who will do something for you.

 

That said - to be very blunt- when one purchases a 'non-refundable' ticket, why does one expect a refund? The prices of these tickets are lower than refundable tickets. Part of the risk one takes is that something might happen. If one doesn't want the risk then they should buy trip insurance or a refundable ticket. If an airline gives you more, then that's great but it should not be expected.

 

ps - I don't own airline stock:)

[fdpevey]

I, too, had a recent experience where (due to a death in the family) I had to cancel a return of a round trip ticket. No problem - the amount I originally paid for the ticket was put in credit to my account - a credit that I can use for any flight to anywhere they fly within the next year. No cancellation charge. No rebooking fee.

 

As you may have guessed, it was Southwest airlines. I know they don't fly everywhere - and they don't have a great many perks - but there are things they do very well. This practice is one of them.

[Bridge Maven]

What is interesting is that with all the fees we will have to pay if we use this airline credit during the next year, there is very little benefit of using it instead of taking another airline.

 

We paid $1,000 for two round trip tickets and used half of it to get to Chicago, leaving $500. Then if you subtract $300 for fees to rebook two tickets that leaves $200. American Airlines also charges $25 for the first piece of checked in luggage so that brings it down to $150, and it will be less than $100 if we each check in two bags.

 

Meanwhile Southwest allows you to check in two bags each without fees and Jet Blue doesn't charge you for the first bag. Southwest also doesn't charge a fee to rebook so we are taking less of a risk by booking future flights on Southwest instead of American.