FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Should Swiss show some understanding? (Paid F)
Old Sep 6, 2019, 6:13 pm
  #10  
Voldoo
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Saipan, MP
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Alaska 75K, United Platinum
Posts: 201
Originally Posted by Andaz
Since then a person very close to me (however not mother, father, sister/brother) which I have known for almost 30 years have gotten cancer and will pass away within 1 month.

I asked Swiss if there was anything that could be done but no. They just state the rules. No vouchers, no nothing.
I fully accept the rules, but I just wonder. Should airlines show some understanding in a situation like this?
Of course I understand that people can just make up things like this to cancel non refundable bookings but what If you can show proof to confirm the situation?
I am very sorry for the news of your friend. I've only had a similar experience once, when someone close to me (not family) was about to pass away resulting in me having to cancel non-refundable tickets with UA. As in your situation, the airline was not flexible in bending the fare rules of ticket. I wouldn't hold this against LX; the rules of a ticket are clearly defined if you are willing to read the T&Cs and you'll have very little luck in most cases getting agents to bend the rules even in these extreme circumstances. As others have stated, I would read the exact conditions of your ticket and see if you are able to make some date changes, or recieve some sort of airline credit for the portion(s) of the ticket you end up not using.

Originally Posted by Andaz

Situation explained:

I booked a trip to Bangkok long time ago, over 6 months. In paid First Class.

I have spent over 3.500€ on the flight itself, and including everything else I have already spent about 5.000€ which is 2 months salary for me. (4-6 working months including when paying my rent)

If he would pass away when I am in Asia I'd be destroyed.
Yet I can't really afford to just throw it away.
I don't mean to be rude at all with the next comment as it's none of my business how someone spends thier money, but as someone who has been lucky enough to fly F within the LH group a few times, I could never justify spending 2 months salary for the experience. Traveling in luxury is obviously nice, but not when someone is making extreme financial sacrafices to do so. I would imagine you could easily get to Bankgkok from Europe for 1.000€ or less, and the difference between that and what you've paid would have gone a very long way in that country. Additionally, there's always a chance that the F experience does not meet your expectations for whatever reason (screaming children, rude FAs, illness that prevents you from fully enjoying the experience, etc.), leaving you with a feeling of extreme buyers remorse. I think many of us are guilty of falling for the F or J "hype" based on some of the wonderful travel experiences we read about on FT or other travel blogs when honestly, none of these experiences are ever life-changing.

Best of luck to your situation.

Last edited by Voldoo; Sep 6, 2019 at 6:21 pm
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