Aer Lingus cancellation question

DerryRed

Hi,

A few months ago my wife and I booked a flight with Aer Lingus. However we recently found out that my wife's mother is dying and only has a few months left. We no longer want to go on the holiday, as my wife wants to help nurse her mother.

Does anyone know where we stand on this with Aer Lingus? Will they allow us to use our tickets on another date?

dudara

There are standard fees which apply when you change tickets (I think E50 per person per leg, plus any fare difference).

But they might waive them in this case. The best thing to do is to ring them and ask them what they can do.

keithclancy

DerryRed wrote: »

Hi,

A few months ago my wife and I booked a flight with Aer Lingus. However we recently found out that my wife's mother is dying and only has a few months left. We no longer want to go on the holiday, as my wife wants to help nurse her mother.

Does anyone know where we stand on this with Aer Lingus? Will they allow us to use our tickets on another date?

Unforunately it looks like their T&Cs only cover bereavement:
http://www.aerlingus.com/help/help/manageyourbooking/

Cancellation Due to Bereavement

Immediate family members will be entitled to the following when cancelling travel:

* Passengers will be given a full refund (minus the Handling Fee) before travel on presentation of a copy of the Death Certificate.
* After Travel the passenger can change their return flight on presentation of Death Certificate, for no extra charge up to a maximum of 45 days. If the passenger cannot produce the death certificate normal fare rules will apply. The passenger can however mail the death certificate into our local reservations center to have the additional amount paid considered for refund.

Immediate Family Members are defined as:

Spouse, Children, adopted Children, Parents, Grand Parents, Grand Children, Brothers, Sisters, Father in Law, Mother in Law, Brother or sister in law, Son and Daughter in law, Nieces and Nephews.

Please contact the Aer Lingus Helpdesk to cancel a booking. For contact details click here: Helpdesk Department.

Perhaps give them a call and explain the situation, maybe they can do something for you.

Noo

So sorry to hear about your mother in law. I've spent the last few days looking at all the details for cancellations and bereavment is the only way to get a full refund. You can get the majority of a refund if you booked flexifare or business class (the vast majority of people will not have booked these expensive options).

I booked flights recently for over €800 and just found the same flight route with a different airline for nearly €250 cheaper, my natural instinct is to cancel my aer lingus flight and book the other one, hoping even if i lose out on some of the cost the savings would still be worth it, but i'll get nothing if i cancel so i've to just suck it up really.

Your situation is completely different and you can change they dates if you want at a cost. I find their no refund policy extremely unfair for people in the OPs situation, especially if it was an expensive flight. There is no leeway for anyone to cancel for genuine personal reasons, mine was simply to get a better deal so i cant really feel hard done by and i really feel for those who really have to cancel a flight and probably cant afford not to get it refunded.

Del2005

Noo wrote: »

So sorry to hear about your mother in law. I've spent the last few days looking at all the details for cancellations and bereavment is the only way to get a full refund. You can get the majority of a refund if you booked flexifare or business class (the vast majority of people will not have booked these expensive options).

I booked flights recently for over €800 and just found the same flight route with a different airline for nearly €250 cheaper, my natural instinct is to cancel my aer lingus flight and book the other one, hoping even if i lose out on some of the cost the savings would still be worth it, but i'll get nothing if i cancel so i've to just suck it up really.

Your situation is completely different and you can change they dates if you want at a cost. I find their no refund policy extremely unfair for people in the OPs situation, especially if it was an expensive flight. There is no leeway for anyone to cancel for genuine personal reasons, mine was simply to get a better deal so i cant really feel hard done by and i really feel for those who really have to cancel a flight and probably cant afford not to get it refunded.

You've contradicted yourself in your own post.

AerLingus do offer refunds, you just need to book the correct ticket to get a refund. The vast majority of people book the cheapest ticket not the best ticket.

I don't know of any company that will allow you to cancel a item, unlesss as a good will gesture, when you've ticked the T&Cs to say that no cancellations are allowed.

munchkin_utd

keithclancy wrote: »

Unforunately it looks like their T&Cs only cover bereavement:
http://www.aerlingus.com/help/help/manageyourbooking/

Perhaps give them a call and explain the situation, maybe they can do something for you.

Have to second this

From personal experience, they do have the ability (technologywise) to change bookings for free and waive the fee - but I was chancing my luck during the ash cloud madness and it still did take a lot of arm twisting to get them to budge (and it was also technically a problem with the website not allowing destination changes so more Aerlingus fault than me looking for a freebe).

Still, 35euro per change isnt all THAT expensive.

And aside from that and putting myself in the boots of the airlines, this is what Travel insurance covers so maybe something that people should be aware of rather than expecting airlines to be super flexible in every possible circumstance.

To quote the insurance policy from Mondial sold by aer lingus

We will pay up to €4,500 in total (including up to €210 in total for excursions), for your part of unused personal accommodation, transport charges and other travel expenses which have been paid or where there is a contract to pay that cannot be recovered from anywhere else.
<snip>
If you cancel your journey before it begins because one of the following happens:
The death, serious injury or serious illness ofyou , someone you were going to stay with, a travelling companion, or a relative or business associate of you or a travelling companion.
............

EDIT: a years coverage only costs 60 euros so well worth it if you have expensive travel plans that would be scuppered by ilnesses to yourself, relatives or kiddies.

Noo

I was talking about their no refund policy on the low fare option. There are only 3 types of fare, low fare, flexifare, and business class. The latter two are usually way more expensive than the low fare (few hundred quid just to get to london for example)so the majority will not purchase them, leaving the majority with no refund options.

Now i know it says no refund when you buy the ticket and I'm well aware of that. But no one plans on cancelling when they buy it do they are happy to agree with it, but unforeseen circumstances may cause someone to have to cancel, like the OP. I'm not talking about the refund for myself thats my own little thing that i just have to put up with. I'm saying that the catch to the low fare option shouldnt be outright no refund, maybe refund on a case to case basis if theyve proof of their reasons etc, so people like me cant get one but people like the OP can.

watna

Do you have travel insurance? It may cover it? (depending on the type of policy)

Del2005

Noo wrote: »

I was talking about their no refund policy on the low fare option. There are only 3 types of fare, low fare, flexifare, and business class. The latter two are usually way more expensive than the low fare (few hundred quid just to get to london for example)so the majority will not purchase them, leaving the majority with no refund options.

Now i know it says no refund when you buy the ticket and I'm well aware of that. But no one plans on cancelling when they buy it do they are happy to agree with it, but unforeseen circumstances may cause someone to have to cancel, like the OP. I'm not talking about the refund for myself thats my own little thing that i just have to put up with. I'm saying that the catch to the low fare option shouldnt be outright no refund, maybe refund on a case to case basis if theyve proof of their reasons etc, so people like me cant get one but people like the OP can.

That's the reason why the low fare is so cheap, it can't be changed without paying well for it and everyone agrees to this when buying it. If they gave the option to change it you'd have to pay more, Oh wait...

It's a basic consumer issue. The OP bought something and now they've changed their mind and don't want it. No consumer law allows refunds when you change your mind.

As the others have said travel insurance should cover the OPs case, that's if they bought the correct travel insurance and not the cheapest option.

Pkiernan

Remember that if they wont give you a full refund, you are entitled to any taxes and fuel surcharges or landing fees associated with the ticket.

Del2005

Pkiernan wrote: »

Remember that if they wont give you a full refund, you are entitled to any taxes and fuel surcharges or landing fees associated with the ticket.

The handling charge of €20 for the refund usually covers most of this.

DerryRed

Thanks very much for all the feedback. I've been in contact with Aer Lingus and they allow you to get a refund, or move the flight (up to 45 days after a bereavement) if you produce a death certificate.

They have no set maximum time that the bereavement has to have occurred, although they seem quite flexible. I mentioned 6 weeks and they didn't find this excessive.

Seem like the best choice is to sit it out for now and assess the situation. It's unlikely that if my mother-in-law is still alive that we will be traveling, and if she passes away a few weeks prior, I doubt we'll be in the frame of mind for going away. It's just take every day as it comes for now.

Will also look into Travel Insurance as suggested.

Tippex

DerryRed,

Sorry to hear about what you are going through I just have one comment on the travel insurance.

The travel insurance will only cover anything that has been booked since you have had the policy. So if you take out a policy now anything you have previously booked will not be covered.

Regards,
Tip.

Bella mamma

Sorry to hear about your Mother-in-Law.

Just happened to look into this today. A best friend's sister is dying, family have just been told. Said friend has an expensive 1 week holiday booked in May, 2 adults, 3 children, flights with Ryanair.

Re this post above;
"We will pay up to €4,500 in total (including up to €210 in total for excursions), for your part of unused personal accommodation, transport charges and other travel expenses which have been paid or where there is a contract to pay that cannot be recovered from anywhere else.
If you cancel your journey before it begins because one of the following happens: The death, serious injury or serious illness of you , someone you were going to stay with, a travelling companion, or a relative or business associate of you or a travelling companion".

I was told by 3 of the insurance companies that the "serious illness" had to occur AFTER the policy was taken out. As opposed to when the booking was made. i.e. if someone booked a holiday in March; bought this type of travel insurance in may; the 'serious illness' started in June; and their holiday was for July - then they could claim the €4,500 for example.

In my friend's case, her sister has had a serious illness for a number of months, however was not 'expected' to become terminal.

Del2005

Bella mamma wrote: »

I was told by 3 of the insurance companies that the "serious illness" had to occur AFTER the policy was taken out. As opposed to when the booking was made. i.e. if someone booked a holiday in March; bought this type of travel insurance in may; the 'serious illness' started in June; and their holiday was for July - then they could claim the €4,500 for example.

Just to point out. If someone booked the holiday in March and took out the cover in May, they won't be covered.

You need to take out the cover before you book. If not you could book an expensive holiday, decide you don't want to go, pay a doctor €50 and get all your money back.

Bella mamma

Del2005 wrote: »

Just to point out. If someone booked the holiday in March and took out the cover in May, they won't be covered.

You need to take out the cover before you book. If not you could book an expensive holiday, decide you don't want to go, pay a doctor €50 and get all your money back.

I did see your first post above Del. Point taken. However, this is not what the 3 companies told me and I specifically asked this question.

They said if the serious illness commenced after the date the policy was taken out (not trip booked), they would cover it.

Guess, maybe some differ??

brady95

Thanks for that was hoping that was the case!

keithclancy

Del2005 wrote: »

Just to point out. If someone booked the holiday in March and took out the cover in May, they won't be covered.

You need to take out the cover before you book. If not you could book an expensive holiday, decide you don't want to go, pay a doctor €50 and get all your money back.

All the policies I looked at were before you travel not before you book.

brady95

Thanks

dudara

Zombie thread

closed