Comments on: 6 airline ticket rules you need to know before your next flight http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/ The travel troubleshooter. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 01:46:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Gary Cusumano http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-17424 Gary Cusumano Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:30:42 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/#comment-17424 Can you change the name to another family member on a non-refundable airline ticket? Can you change the name to another family member on a non-refundable airline ticket?

]]> By: Carolyn Keene http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-11664 Carolyn Keene Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:32:37 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/#comment-11664 Is there anyone in US Airlines that might help myself and my daughter get a refund on our tickets due to the death of my brother who was taking care of my elderly mother. We could not leave her with funeral and burial etc. of her only son. Is there anyone in US Airlines that might help myself and my daughter get a refund on our tickets due to the death of my brother who was taking care of my elderly mother. We could not leave her with funeral and burial etc. of her only son.

]]> By: Dean Peters http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-6622 Dean Peters Tue, 27 Nov 2007 08:14:41 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/#comment-6622 My father passed this past May. Bereavement were unavailable - basically we were told by more than one airline that he should have given us more time to plan his expiration so we could have booked further in advance. SouthWest's language straight out asserts that their prices are low enough that they don't offer such fares. Fortunately, both the CEO and the pres. of the company for whom I work gave my family miles they had to attend the funeral. I can only hope one day to be as successful as they so I can turn the favor in kind. My father passed this past May. Bereavement were unavailable – basically we were told by more than one airline that he should have given us more time to plan his expiration so we could have booked further in advance.

SouthWest’s language straight out asserts that their prices are low enough that they don’t offer such fares.

Fortunately, both the CEO and the pres. of the company for whom I work gave my family miles they had to attend the funeral. I can only hope one day to be as successful as they so I can turn the favor in kind.

]]> By: Emily http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-6198 Emily Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:44:09 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/#comment-6198 Also, once I had to cancel a flight from New York to Greece because I would not be able to make the trip. The airline refunded me a day before the filight was to go for the full refund. I called them and provided all the necessary information. I was not penalized. Also, once I had to cancel a flight from New York to Greece because I would not be able to make the trip. The airline refunded me a day before the filight was to go for the full refund. I called them and provided all the necessary information. I was not penalized.

]]> By: Faremax.com http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-6169 Faremax.com Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:43:24 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/6-airline-ticket-rules-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-flight/#comment-6169 Yes, the rules can be misleading but I'd have to disagree with the author on quite a few points: Rule #2 is rarely seen nowadays. Majority of airlines today offer full refund if the passenger happens to die and even offer no penalties to traveling companions (must be family members). Rule #3 is also not entirely true. I forgot when was the last time we processed such restrictive fare. Majority of rules allow you to change/cancel return trip but there is a BUT, you MUST use your outbound segments or your whole fare will get cancelled for no show. Rule #4. You can contact airlines before credit expiration and ask them to extend it. You have 50/50 chances that they will allow it. By the way a lot depends on your travel agent and how they are willing (and able) to participate in negotiations with the airlines. I want to mention an example. One of our customers booked Austrian fare to Ukraine. We issued paper-tickets (yes, we still issue a lot of those) and mailed it to him. Suddenyl he contacts us that he would not be able to depart as scheduled. We contacted Austrian and after some skillful negotiations of our agent Austrian agreed to FULLY refund the pax WITHOUT ANY PENALTIES. And we've had quite a few similar cases with Lufthansa and Delta. Airlines are willing to work with agents but agents must be willing to. In return we get a very happy customer who will return to us. So I would not blindly blame airlines. Thanks for listening :) Yes, the rules can be misleading but I’d have to disagree with the author on quite a few points:

Rule #2 is rarely seen nowadays. Majority of airlines today offer full refund if the passenger happens to die and even offer no penalties to traveling companions (must be family members).

Rule #3 is also not entirely true. I forgot when was the last time we processed such restrictive fare. Majority of rules allow you to change/cancel return trip but there is a BUT, you MUST use your outbound segments or your whole fare will get cancelled for no show.

Rule #4. You can contact airlines before credit expiration and ask them to extend it. You have 50/50 chances that they will allow it.

By the way a lot depends on your travel agent and how they are willing (and able) to participate in negotiations with the airlines. I want to mention an example. One of our customers booked Austrian fare to Ukraine. We issued paper-tickets (yes, we still issue a lot of those) and mailed it to him. Suddenyl he contacts us that he would not be able to depart as scheduled. We contacted Austrian and after some skillful negotiations of our agent Austrian agreed to FULLY refund the pax WITHOUT ANY PENALTIES. And we’ve had quite a few similar cases with Lufthansa and Delta. Airlines are willing to work with agents but agents must be willing to. In return we get a very happy customer who will return to us. So I would not blindly blame airlines.

Thanks for listening :)

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