Hi all,

My 1P wife is scheduled to fly SFO>ORD on this Saturday (11/5 - 11/8) due to her father's extremely-poor health. Unfortunately things are worse for him, and she needs to fly on Friday instead. How can we change her flight to depart on Friday (11/4) instead of Saturday (11/5), and would this qualify as bereavement?

She is scheduled to return 11/8, and then has a separate flight (on a 2-PAX itin with our 2P son) for SFO-ORD, 11/16 - 11/29.

Meanwhile, our son & I (1P) are on a 2-PAX itin 11/5-11/8, and then I'm on my own PNR for 11/16 - 11/29.

We have these complex separate PNRs because of limited fare class tickets as well as using miles for limited NC space (some flights were only NC1 instead of NC3); thus no PNRs with 3 PAX. On our 11/29 flight (UA907), all 3 of us are upgraded (NC w/ miles).

It is very possible that my wife and son (and possibly me) will instead remain in Chicago 11/4 (and 11/5) up until 11/29. What is the procedure for us to cancel the return on the 11/5-8 flight and cancel the outbound (but keep the return) for 11/16-11/29? Is this even allowed? Does my father-in-law's ill health (and very likely death next week) factor in for bereavement?

And not to be super crass, but how many change fees are we looking at, and does an impending death "help" avoid the fees? For our 11/29 flight, since we will have to fly ORD>SFO, we would prefer to keep our upgraded seats (again, I'm trying to not be super crass).

I realize that I can call the 1P line and ask, but I want to get my expert FT opinions/info before I speak to anyone at UAL.

Thanks in advance
Michael