islandcub1

My father called; apparently my uncle is very ill and close to dying. He'd been having a family friend check for airfares from YFC to SFO, and the best he could find was around $1000 (which was surprisingly cheap I thought for a last minute ticket). I found him something a little cheaper, but I couldn't ticket it myself, and because of the snowstorm all the travel agents in Fredericton are closed.

This was possibly a good thing, because I remembered that I could send him on Aeroplan points - availability from here is almost non-existent on short notice, but YFC is frequently better. I managed to get him a seat going out February 1 (the earliest day available; not surprising considering clean-up after the snowstorm could take a day or two and then it's the weekend) for 25k and just over $200 in fees.

However, now I'm wondering; should I have called Air Canada and requested a bereavement fare instead? My understanding is that for North America they will usually just give you the best fare and waive the restrictions (advance purchase, change fees, etc.). I'm wondering if this might be a better option, considering he might need to change his return flights if my uncle's death is drawn-out.

lcohen999

From my understanding a bereavement fare is not cheap.

Usually Tango/Flex will be a cheaper alternative. Bereavement allows for a lot of flexibility in your travel plans. However, there is paperwork involved too (death certificate, etc).

Sorry about the sad news

islandcub1

Thanks, lcohen999. The rules for bereavement fares have changed since last time I used one, and I wasn't sure what fare might be available (they refuse to say on-line, and I didn't want to be on hold for hours with AC Reservations, especially when people are probably calling to rebook their cancelled flights.

I'd go myself if/when my uncle actually dies, but they've restricted who qualifies for bereavement fares, and typically you have to book much well in advance to get an reward flight out of Charlottetown.

lcohen999

Bereavement fares before the era of Tango and Saturday Night stays made more sense then it does today in all honesty.

Sometimes a Tango + Change Fee would still be cheaper

islandcub1

The only problem is the advance purchase requirements for Tango fares (and even Flex). Of course, since Dad doesn't want to fly until at least Friday anyway (what with snowstorm and cleanup efforts and the craziness of airports during such), this isn't really an issue.

YOWgary

Booked bereavement fares last night, they were considerably better than the best-available Tango fare (YVR-YYZ return for $570, taxes-in, where a cash Tango fare would have been $515 each way).

They requested the name and address of either the hospital or the funeral home involved, as well as the relationship of each passenger to the deceased.

Apparently bereavement fares are applicable if the deceased is your mother, father, sibling, child or grandparent (as well as mother- and father-in-law). I didn't ask about aunt or uncle.

Fare books as "A-Class" Tango, and apparently the available bereavement fare varies from one flight to another. This didn't make a lot of sense to me, as the cash price for every YVR-YYZ flight that day was the same, but YMMV.

E35K status meant that everyone travelling on the same PNR was eligible for discounted Preferred seats.

yyznomad

When did the bereavement fares get reintroduced?

At one point they were removed from domestic/tb, IIRC.

Anyway, if they are back, then good news indeed.

canadiancow

I thought they were still around, but often didn't make sense due to one-way prices within North America being reasonable.

Finkface

I used one a couple of years ago. They asked for the name of the funeral home but afaik, they never checked. I had rushed to YYZ on a last minute points booking when my mother went into the hospital and she died the morning I was due to fly home. I did go home to get some clothes and my husband and I flew back the following day using a bereavement fare. It saved us a ton of money and the flexibility was a nice add on.

OT, but I got almost no sleep the night I flew home the first time as my mother died in the middle of the night. I had no status and really, no knowledge of FF perks at the time. I showed up at the airport and there was a huge line at check in. I just couldn't face it and went to an empty desk (could have been baggage or special services, who knows, but it wasn't anything to do with checking in) as I just wanted to know if I truly had to wait in that line as I only had carry on or if I could just go to the gate. I must have looked terrible because without a word, the woman said 'I'll take care if it', printed something up, handed it to me and told me just to go ahead. Just before I boarded, preparing to take my middle seat in the back, I looked at what she had given me and it was an upgrade to C and an almost lie-flat seat. I don't think I even thanked her properly for getting me through the line as I was a mess, much less for this. It was the nicest thing I have ever encountered and all without me asking. I slept the entire way and never forgot what she had done for me. I wish I had thought to write in but there was just so much going on that I didn't think of it.

tomvancouver

That is a great story and sadly, one that is less likely to happen today when (at least according to FT) agents have no authority to bend the rules, even in circumstances that demand it.

canadiancow

The problem is that if those situations get you an upgrade for free, you'll have people trying it all the time, at the expense of legitimate upgrades.

There are a lot of people in my family who are in the age group that a last minute booking may be required. That's one of the reasons I use a Latitude flight pass.

I'd be pretty disappointed to learn that I didn't get an upgrade because a check-in agent felt bad for someone.

Finkface

But as I said, I didn't 'try' anything. I never said a word. I saw a huge line and wasn't sure if I was in the right place. I was so shattered I couldn't think straight and I just went to an empty desk and asked if that was where I should go. I assumed she took pity on me because I looked so tired and just checked me in. That's it. I didn't give her a story, didn't ask for anything, I don't even think I said another word after asking the original question. I took the BP and walked away, didn't even look at it. So while I agree that trying it on with a story shouldn't be rewarded as everyone will do it, that wasn't the case here, simply an agent who recognized a tired/distressed pax and chose to do a good thing.

canadiancow

And my issue is that there may also be a tired, distressed Super Elite, legitimately on the upgrade list, who has an OLCI BP and doesn't have to wait in any lines.

The only time I've been tired and distressed was on a paid J ticket, and after an 8 hour flight, I had to SDC to an earlier connection. When I booked, it said free SDC. The concierge wanted $75. I was not willing to argue, so I paid the $75.

Had this been a B fare, which I almost booked, I would have been extremely pissed off if some random distressed passenger had been given the last seat on the flight I needed to take.

I'm not saying you did anything wrong. I'm saying the agent did something wrong.

Finkface

Okey doke, to each his own. Just relaying a nice story about an agent who did a nice thing, completely unexpected and unbidden, which was really appreciated. Now that I am elite, if the same thing happened and someone in similar circumstances took 'my' upgrade and I somehow knew the details, I like to think I would not only be ok with it, but would applaud it. Sometime others need it more than I do.

And now back to our regularly scheduled topic.

Doc Savage

cow, you're not going to look good arguing this point no matter what you say.