Have you ever had to cancel a flight unexpectedly because of a medical emergency? If you booked a cheap fare, it was likely marked as “non-refundable.” While that label can feel like a dead end, don’t lose hope just yet. Even with strict ticket rules, there may be exceptions for emergencies. It’s always worth checking with the airline, explaining your situation and providing documentation if needed. Sometimes, a little persistence can lead to a refund, credit or at least a partial reprieve. Don’t assume the worst when plans go off course.
When the Unexpected Happens
My husband had a complicated emergency surgery. He was recovering nicely, had returned to work and was looking forward to a quick getaway to Key West. We planned to meet my sister and daughter for a fun weekend of drinks on Duval Street, a tour of Ernest Hemingway’s home and some glow-in-the-dark paddleboarding.
And then he didn’t feel too good. There was pain, a trip to the ER, a CAT scan, and a stay in the hospital. Fortunately, he responded to treatment. But he was placed on the “no fly” list for a couple of months by his doctor. She gave us a note and I steeled myself for a prolonged and nasty ground war with the airline about canceling our Florida flights.
I booked our JetBlue flights using TrueBlue frequent flier points, over 65,000 of them. When I added in the tax, I estimated we stood to lose about $950 in hard-earned travel. At best, I expected to get a portion of the points refunded if I paid a cancellation penalty. At worst, I feared I’d lose the whole enchilada.
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JetBlue to the Rescue
After holding in the 1-800-JETBLUE queue for about 6 minutes, a friendly customer service agent answered the phone. Before I could get “emergency room” off my tongue, she pulled up my flight information. Then she told me she’d be right back after she contacted True Blue, the JetBlue points program, and assured me that everything – EVERYTHING – would be credited back to our account.
I sat on hold for another 15 minutes, assuming she was fired and a manager was going to come on the line and reverse course. But she returned, told me the points were deposited, and credits were issued for the tax. She also said she’d waived the change fees. I asked if she needed me to send a copy of the doctor’s note. She said no and wished my hubby a speedy recovery. I hung up the phone, stunned and grateful.
Normal or Not?
I asked fellow travel writers about their flight cancellation experiences. One was able to change flights for her family of seven for no fee with Southwest when the kids came down with the flu.
Another, though, had to go through multiple hoops with JetBlue to get a refund when she was unexpectedly confined to bed rest during her pregnancy.
This spring another medical emergency derailed our travel plans. It was super easy to cancel our flights. However, we were issued non-transferable flight credits by Delta, not a refund.
Lessons Learned
This adventure in booking and cancellation definitely taught me a few lessons. The most important one is to know the rules and regulations regarding the ticket you’re purchasing. I didn’t. I assumed my ticket was totally non-refundable. You know what happens when you assume. I looked back through my emails after the refund and realized the ticket I purchased was refundable. However, there were cancellation charges involved. In my case, these were waived.
All of the airlines handle their ticket reveals differently. Delta, for example, projects a pop-up with this ominous warning when you purchase one of their Basic Economy tickets:
So much for plausible deniability.
Secondly, have your paperwork ready. Getting the doctor’s note wasn’t necessary in my case, but I had it on hand and could send it to JetBlue if they requested it.
And, finally, consider travel insurance. I haven’t, in the past, but this little adventure has put it on the top of my things to research in the new year. If we’d booked non-refundable hotel rooms on this trip, I don’t know if I’d have been able to recoup that money. Or, if my husband had gotten sick while we were away, we could have incurred large bills that travel insurance would have covered.
A History of Kind Gestures
I really shouldn’t be surprised by my experience. JetBlue has provided feel good moments in the past, including a wonderful outreach program supporting Long Island’s Henry Viscardi School. It’s a truly special place with a mission to educate, employ and empower people with disabilities.
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