Can You Get a Refund for an Airline Ticket If You Don't Use It Due to Family Sickness?
You may have spent months planning the perfect vacation or business trip, only to face sudden family illness that prevents you from leaving town. The only problem: You've already purchased your airline ticket. With the high expense of airplane travel, it's no wonder that you're hoping to recoup the perhaps hundreds of dollars invested in your airline ticket. But don't expect an easy ride -- most airline companies will greet your request for a refund for a ticket that you don't use due to family sickness with a resounding "No."
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Family Sickness
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One analogy for airline tickets is that they're not simple pieces of paper exchanged for an airplane ride. Instead, they represent complex contracts rife with clauses, exclusions and rules that you agree to when purchasing the airline ticket. In the vast majority of cases, airlines will not issue refunds for airline tickets that go unused because of family illness.
In rare cases, you can receive a refund for tickets unused because you're sick with a serious illness. For example, in 2010 a longtime traveler contacted a National Geographic travel ombudsman because he was unable to receive a refund for his airline ticket, unused because of his diagnosis of end-state liver disease, despite correspondence with the airline explaining the situation. According to the 2010 Frommers.com article, the traveler was able to receive a partial refund after the high-profile ombudsman intervened.
Family Death
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Some airlines tickets may be partially refunded if they're not used because of a death in the family if documentation is provided. Even if the airline's stated policies prohibit refunds for this reason, it doesn't hurt to send a letter explaining the situation. Letters may be reviewed individually, with exceptions made in some circumstances at the airline's discretion, according to Frommers.com.
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Refundable Tickets
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An argument against offering refunds for unused airline tickets because of family sickness is that airlines are businesses, not charity organizations. Nonrefundable tickets are sold as such because they're often cheaper, involving some risk on the customer's part; the customer understands that refunds won't be issued because of family illness or other situations. If you're concerned that potential family sickness, death or personal illness may prevent you from making the trip, purchase a refundable ticket that offers some flexibility in use.
Fees
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Even when an airline offers a refund for family sickness, death in the family or unforeseen event preventing you from reaching the airport in time to make the flight after you've purchased a refundable ticket, you'll still pay processing fees. It may cost hundreds of dollars to exchange or refund your ticket.
Travel Insurance
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Another way to protect yourself against family sickness incurring unforeseen travel expenses is to purchase travel insurance. These policies may cover costs related to unused tickets due to family illness.
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