Airline reimbursement (or voucher) due to illness

[DawnM]

My parents had a flight to come out here for this coming weekend.  

 

My dad has been taken by ambulance to the hospital today and will be undergoing surgery.  

 

They will NOT make their flight and have no idea when they can use the ticket as of right now.

 

I am reading the policy and am hoping I am reading it correctly.......they will be issued a voucher for the full amount and will have 1 year to use it.  Is this how you all are reading it?

 

http://www.usairways.com/en-US/travelplanning/drs/reissues.html

 

I am going to need to deal with this tomorrow for them, so any help or tips would be appreciated.

 

Thank you!,

 

Dawn

[Rachel]

That's how I'm reading it.  If the future flight is more expensive they will have to pay the difference.  I'm sorry about your dad, I hope he's OK.

[plansrme]

Note that the one year is from date of issue, not date of the flight. I learned this from Southwest--which I used to love and now despise because they did not disclose this little tidbit when I called about a similar issue (kid pulled out of a sporting event due to an injury, agent said I had one year to use the value, and I planned to use it for the same event the next year. Nope!).

[J-rap]

That's how I'm reading it too.  Some airlines are real good about giving vouchers.  I'm glad USAirways seems to be that way.  Is your dad okay?

[FloridaLisa]

We cancelled 9 tickets the day before flying out when dh passed away. I'm pretty sure it was US Air.  Someone else took my travel folder, made the calls and completely took care of it for us, but we did get a full refund.  A check in the mail.  

 

Lisa

[Catwoman]

I hope your dad is OK, Dawn!!! :grouphug:

[DawnM]

Thanks guys.  

 

I didn't post what was going on last night because I hadn't talked to my mom in detail yet and whatever I posted would have been speculation (I thought he had had a stroke by the message left for me.)

 

He has a bowel obstruction.  He is trying to tell them he needs surgery ASAP but they are insisting they want to try tubes down the nose/throat for a few days first.  He is in horrible pain and last time this happened he did need surgery after several days of agony.  He is a surgeon so you would think they would listen, but they are in the arguing with him stage right now.

 

After I talk with my mom today I will most likely call the airlines and see what they can do.  I am praying I get someone sympathetic and easy to work with as I hate fighting for things.

 

Thanks for your concern.  He is 79 so health is always a concern.

 

Dawn

[Valley Girl]

Hope your dad gets relief from the pain soon and has a speedy recovery. As far as the tickets, is there any chance they bought trip insurance when they purchased the tickets originally?

[DawnM]

I don't know, but they bought them directly from the airlines, so maybe not?

 

I will ask. I am not sure my mom will know either as my dad booked the trip.

 

Hope your dad gets relief from the pain soon and has a speedy recovery. As far as the tickets, is there any chance they bought trip insurance when they purchased the tickets originally?

[Um_2_4]

Also check with the credit card they used to purchase, some cover the tickets automatically for emergencies (like hospital admittance etc).

[creekland]

Dawn - I hope your dad is ok and that they listen to him.  He does seem to have the needed knowledge, so I have to wonder why they don't trust that...

 

But anyway,  :grouphug:  for both the health issue and the cancelled trip!

 

Note that the one year is from date of issue, not date of the flight. I learned this from Southwest--which I used to love and now despise because they did not disclose this little tidbit when I called about a similar issue (kid pulled out of a sporting event due to an injury, agent said I had one year to use the value, and I planned to use it for the same event the next year. Nope!).

 

Did you call Southwest when you found out?  I found this out within this past week - the day before the ticket credit would expire - when I tried to use it for a Christmas flight.  My guy had to call since it was his ticket, but they gave him an extension and I could use it since there was a misunderstanding.  (The "I" in here is because I just might pretend to be my guys when I'm online buying their tickets... I'm just not good at pretending to have a male voice for the phone call.)

 

I definitely don't know that they do this for everyone or if it was due to this nice, pleasant young pre-med on the other end of the phone.  (He did say he was super nice rather than being annoyed.)  It's worth a try if you are close to the date still.

[plansrme]

 

 

 

Did you call Southwest when you found out?  I found this out within this past week - the day before the ticket credit would expire - when I tried to use it for a Christmas flight.  My guy had to call since it was his ticket, but they gave him an extension and I could use it since there was a misunderstanding.  (The "I" in here is because I just might pretend to be my guys when I'm online buying their tickets... I'm just not good at pretending to have a male voice for the phone call.)

 

I definitely don't know that they do this for everyone or if it was due to this nice, pleasant young pre-med on the other end of the phone.  (He did say he was super nice rather than being annoyed.)  It's worth a try if you are close to the date still.

 

Oh yes, I called.  I begged, I pleaded.  And the women (two different women) on the other end of the phone were complete witches.  My plan all along had been to use the credit for the same trip the following year, as the meet was one day earlier than the previous year--clearly "within a year," to my way of thinking.  And to theirs, also, except that the year started when I paid for the ticket, not when I would have used the flights.  That is an important difference and one that should have been explained when I called before the original trip.  If I had had any idea, I would definitely have used the credit.  As it was, I did not find out until a few days before the voucher expired, at which point it was too late to go anywhere, and I might as well have burned my $500.    

[creekland]

Oh yes, I called.  I begged, I pleaded.  And the women (two different women) on the other end of the phone were complete witches.  My plan all along had been to use the credit for the same trip the following year, as the meet was one day earlier than the previous year--clearly "within a year," to my way of thinking.  And to theirs, also, except that the year started when I paid for the ticket, not when I would have used the flights.  That is an important difference and one that should have been explained when I called before the original trip.  If I had had any idea, I would definitely have used the credit.  As it was, I did not find out until a few days before the voucher expired, at which point it was too late to go anywhere, and I might as well have burned my $500.    

 

That would be annoying.  I wonder if they've since changed their policy since my guy had no trouble doing essentially the same thing though travel is closer than the one year "flight" deadline.  It was just a couple of months over the "paid for" deadline.  He's also one of their frequent fliers (not super frequent), so that might have made a difference I guess.

[Lanny]

Sad to read about your dad and I hope that he will recover fully and quickly.  

[QueenCat]

A big part of it is also likely the type of tickets they bought. Nonrefundables are normally vouchers only, no matter the reason, as the tickets cost less than refundables, which are refundable for just about any reason.

[East Coast Sue]

I remember helping my parents purchase tickets a while ago and I learned that some airlines have a senior program. You have to be certified by the airline in advance but it guarantees a refund, not just a voucher, in the case of illness or injury.

[DawnM]

USAir used to do this.  They stopped a few years ago.

 

However, they are the only airline that has a direct flight from Phoenix to Charlotte.

 

 

I remember helping my parents purchase tickets a while ago and I learned that some airlines have a senior program. You have to be certified by the airline in advance but it guarantees a refund, not just a voucher, in the case of illness or injury.

 

[abcinnc]

We had non-refundable tickets for US Air flights this year. My husband had emergency surgery, and I canceled 2 days before our flight. I was told there would be a $200 change fee per ticket to reschedule. Here is a portion of the link you provided:

 

Depending on fare rules, a change fee applies to all non-refundable tickets. Any flights canceled on or before the scheduled date of travel will retain ticket value and can be credited against the price of another ticket.