As for the actual story, doesn’t Travel insurance cover those things like a death in the family? My credit card has travel insurance. I looked at the terms, and I wouldn’t receive all of my money back in such a case, but certainly enough of it. Why burden the airlines with an extra cost?

I went to a funeral a little over a month ago. All of the cheap seats were gone. I suppose I should have demanded that the airline kick someone out of the cheap seats because I had a funeral to go to? I paid the fare that I had to pay. I use a card that has travel insurance. I guess all of these other people’s misfortunes will,however, be embedded in my ticket.

Sorry to sound callous, but thousands of people die every week. Carry insurance when you travel.

I sent my story to United, and the representative was apologetic and sent some coupons for money off our “next flight”–as if. I think that company has some pervasive problems, and I don’t know what they are, but it reminds me of TWA in its last days.

ONE CAN ALMOST TELL WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT OF THIS CALIBRE BY THE WAY THEY SPEAK TO YOU!!!!

I told the woman who took my call that my grandfather had recently passed away and that I needed to move my flight up by a week to attend his memorial ceremony. I then told her the dates I needed changed and that I could provide a death certificate if she needed it, at which point she interrupted me with an impolite, “What? Excuse me?”

I thought she just didn’t hear me since I had been crying and my voice was shaky, and so I repeated the information I had just told her. She responded, saying, “Lady, look at the dates here. You’re telling me he just died and they’re going to hang onto his body for two weeks? I’m sorry, but that’s just unbelievable.”

I was absolutely shocked and stunned by her comments, and asked for her name. She paused momentarily, then sarcastically said, “Thanks for calling United,” without providing a name. She proceeded to hang up on me, however, not before I heard her say, “What an idiot; I can’t believe this woman …” to whomever was listening in the reservations office.

I called back again and was connected with a caring customer service rep named Joyce who helped me change my flight and waived the fee, but I have never forgotten this woman. Four letters to United executives went unanswered, and I was told that United did not at the time record calls so there was no way of telling who that person was.

I still can’t believe United would hire the type of person who would laugh at someone crying on the phone. A death in any situation is hard, but to be treated with contempt by a woman whose primary job is customer service made a painful situation far worse.

At the same time, however, I had a previously booked trip (non-changeable etc) from London to Tampa to visit my parents that coincided with my father’s illness. When he died, I called United to say that I wouldn’t be able to make the return trip on the original date; they said not to worry, just to let them know when I would be able to fly, and they would let me do it then at no additional charge, if there was space available. And they did.

Sorry, I just can’t agree. This self serving nonsense about always using a travel agency is getting tired. One does not go to the doctor for every ache and pain. One does not go to a lawyer for ever traffic ticket. And you don’t need a travel agent for all travel.

@Bill.

That sounds like an ad. I hope Chris deletes it

My father passed suddenly on Christmas Eve, and we delayed our trip to be with family, make funeral arrangements and burry my dad. I spent a good part of the day Christmas Eve and many hours on days afterwards on the phone trying to work out something with American where we wouldn’t be hit with the $1400+ dollar extra costs they were insisting on to change our tickets. No matter how high up the chain I went, the best I was offerred was as waive of the change fee.. I was told no matter what that I’d have to pay the new ticket price, which was very high because it was no longer a 30- or even 14 day advance purchase. I had to fax the death certificate just to get that. I paid an additional $1400 in the end and got little sympathy or interest in helping me during a time that was very traumatic. The bottom line is that we got fleeced and the airline profited off of my father’s death. I find that abhorrent.

The one good thing that happened is that a gate agent during our stop in London took pity on us and gave us a free upgrade to Economy Plus for that leg of the flight.

I don’t see what your comment has to do with this story. Why include your telephone number in your post? I can’t help but wonder if you are looking for a way to advertise your business?