Traveller

You don't sound cold but when it first happens to you, you might change your view just a tiny bit.

bensyd

While I sympathise with the OP and agree that $1200 for such a short segment is crazy, I do have to disagree with the belief by some that airlines should provide the "lowest fare without making a loss". At the end of the day airlines are businesses, they do not have an obligation to provide someone with something for nothing out of sympathy. It is odd that no one questions the exorbitant rates that funeral homes charge for their services, but for some reason believe that airlines have a moral obligation not to profit from bereavement fares.

DLfan

Traveller, I'm not sure I follow your logic...is the store expected to give grieving loved ones a discount on the clothes they need for the funeral? If one chooses to drive, shouldn't gas be discounted for them? And the ultimate slap in the face...why must the funeral home charge so much to a family who is in no real position to say no?

Why are just singling out airlines as the ones who should be losing money in these cases?

RSSrsvp

I have flown on bereavement fares several times in my life. In every case the agent will ask you for the name of the deceased, your relationship and the name and telephone number of the funeral home. I believe that all they do is call the funeral home to check on whether or not the person is actually there. I have never had any sort of documentation issue for this type of fare.

vasantn

Wow! I find myself in rare agreement with the majority here!

"Immoral" is a very strong word. Granted, air travel is expensive sometimes. But what would you have done if DL did not fly ATL-CMH? Other airlines, alternative forms of transportation, etc. are available.

I would agree with you if DL intentionally wanted to exploit your individual situation and charge you an exorbitant fare simply because of your urgent need, while offering lower fares to others. Obviously this is not the case here. Hospitals and mortuaries don't offer discounts in these types of situations; why should an airline?

I sympathize with you, having been in similar situations myself, but I think your anger is misdirected.

Lehava

It has happened to me! I just tend to have the view of the world in a situation like that it is my responsibility to come up with the solution, not someone else's. Like was just said by another poster, drive or take a train, pay the fare. It is my crisis not the world's! Yes it would be great if we could all bend to someone else's crisis, it would be a wonderful world, but in a country this size with all the problems we have it just isnt financially realistic.

Also feel strongly that the airlines need to stop being charity organizations and be financially sound (although without some of the fare games DL is trying right now...but that is another thread or 100 *smile*)

Would be great if someone self made gazillionaire with a bunch of planes could run an airline just for emergency/bereavement flights or something. Would be a wonderful service, but again, it is financially impossible.

I do respect a lot the private pilots who will transport sick people through a network of pilots. When I was doing clinical research we had a few patients who were transported this way and it really made life so much better and easier for them. They couldnt have afforded to come for the treatments otherwise.

Traveller

I am not saying they should lose money on a fare, but $1200... come on... and I can get my clothes at K-mart...


The only time I had to send the airline (US Air) a death certificate for a refund was when it was my mother who passed away before being able to use a ticket.

Lehava

And you can get to your destination on greyhound. DL is not the only airline out there, and air is not the only way to travel. If they held a monopoly on getting somewhere then yes they might have an obligation. I dont see how getting your clothes at kmart is any different than finding another way to get there that you can afford.

Traveller

There is another option. Since it's 1158 miles or a 17.5 hour drive from MCO-AUS or $800, my brother opted not to go.



The funeral would have been over before the bus got there.

Cholula

Good points!


I have too but it seems that is now a thing of the past.


That was a direct quote from a teleconference.

Lehava

sorry to hear he didnt make it, and for his loss, but my urge reading this (and this being the DL forum) is busting on you for not breaking into your stash of a zillion miles to get him there. What a sister *grin*

Traveller

My name is not Cholula, I don't have a stash ... I keep a very low minimum....

DLfan

The point is, $1200 is what DL has decided the market will bear on a walk-up ticket. As someone said above, there's nothing additional tacked on because of the bereaved flyer's deseparate circumstances. It's not price gouging. To discount a the walk-up fare for any reason IS losing money (not necessarily the same thing as flying the pax AT a loss). If $1200 is too much, then don't buy...that goes for anyone, not just those needing to attend a funeral.

Lehava

suuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeee I know you are saving them up to run off with Dovster and be his MMG (many miles girlfriend) *ducking*

Traveller

Actually I did look into using miles for him...50k btw , but that too is the subject of another 100 threads.