<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by robinhood:
Hi all,
Here's another question for anyone who might know the answer. A friend of mine purchased a restricted, non-refundable ticket a while back, but it turns out that now she has to undergo urgent surgery this week when she had planned to travel. It was my understanding that in such cases, it is common for airlines to waive change fees for postponing travel if you can present a letter from the physician. So my friend called United and was told that United used to do this, but no longer does because people were abusing it. So the change fees won't be waived. Is this correct, or was the agent just being mean?</font>
Read United's Contract of Carriage at
http://www.ual.com/files/ContractOfCarriage.pdf - Check out Page 14.
DUE TO THE PASSENGER'S ILLNESS, INJURY, OR PHYSICAL INCAPACITY; OR DUE TO THE
DEATH, ILLNESS, INJURY, OR PHYSICAL INCAPACITY OF A MEMBER OF HIS/HER
IMMEDIATE FAMILY, THE PASSENGER WILL BE PERMITTED TO TRAVEL ACCORDING TO THE
PROVISIONS BELOW. (SEE ALSO PARAGRAPH B) BELOW.)
I) WHEN TRANSPORTATION HAS NOT COMMENCED FROM POINT OF ORIGIN AND
TRAVEL IS:
AA) GROUP TRAVEL: THE PASSENGER WILL BE PERMITTED TO TRAVEL
WITH A SUBSEQUENT GROUP TRAVELING ON THE SAME TYPE OF FARE ON WHICH THE
PASSENGER WAS ORIGINALLY TICKETED, WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY MINIMUM RESERVATIONS
OR TICKETING LIMIT. THE PASSENGER WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO COMMENCE TRAVEL
INDIVIDUALLY UNLESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE TARIFF.
BB) INDIVIDUAL TRAVEL: THE PASSENGER WILL BE PERMITTED TO
COMMENCE TRAVEL ON A SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY MINIMUM
RESERVATION, OR TICKETING LIMIT, OR MAXIMUM PASSENGER LIMITATION. THE
PASSENGER WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO ORIGINATE TRAVEL PRIOR TO THE ORIGINAL
DEPARTURE DATE. NOTE: TRAVEL WILL NOT BE PERMITTED ON A DAY AT A TIME WHEN
THE FARE IS NOT APPLICABLE FOR TRAVEL, NOR WILL TRAVEL BE PERMITTED TO
COMMENCE AT A FARE THAT HAS EXPIRED. WHEN NECESSARY THE APPROPRIATE
DIFFERENCE IN FARE WILL BE COLLECTED FROM OR REFUNDED TO THE PASSENGER.
and
4) WAIVER OF SERVICE CHARGES
ALL SERVICE CHARGES WILL BE WAIVED IN THE EVENT OF AN ILLNESS/DEATH TO THE
PASSENGER/IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER (TRAVELING OR NOT)/TRAVELING COMPANION, AS
EVIDENCED BY A DEATH/MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.
That's only a small section of it, but it has all the info that they should need.
Hope this helps.
(Editted to add section 4)
[This message has been edited by SEA-Flyer (edited 06-09-2001).]