Cancelling non refundable air tickets

[FlossieLondon]

It is looking inceasingly like I won't be able to go the States with my husband for a family wedding, as I have to stay home to care for our son. (See previous thread.)

We've been on to the airline to cancel my tickets (to reclaim tax) to be told that this can't be done for one person on the booking - it is both of us or nothing. We can't do that my husband is best man, he needs to go out on the flight we booked.

After a lot of pleading the airline has finally agreed to cancel my ticket if I want, but the admin fee means that we only get a few pounds back. This is only a matter of changing the booking on a computer? What the hell? I am bloody furious.

Keeping the ticket for the moment... hoping and praying that another seat will become available so our son can come with us.

She can have a point but there's no need to be rude and offensive and swear.

Ikea

Indeed I certainly don't think I'd be bending over backwards to assist.

Maybe that's how your sister feels Op

That's just internet forums for you jacks, people don't bother RTFT and think they have a suggestion regarding the OP that no one else has thought of even pages and pages later

Well there is nothing more to discuss. You can't change your tickets, you can't buy another, you can't upgrade to business, you can cancel and get a little money back, you can try to go on standby and you can stay at home with DS and DH go alone.

Now you'll just have to wait and see which of the options you take at the time of the flight.

OP. Change your name to your sons name. Son and DH take that flight. You take an earlier / later flight.

All return on the flight currently booked on.

Ok the Op is clearly stressed and upset, which any of us would be if we were going to lose a considerable amount of money. We all say things that are unreasonable when we are upset.

I'm not excusing the last post, but there is no need to retaliate with equally unpleasant personal posts.

Flossie, what a stressful situation. Have some and . Hope you can work something out.

I think personally screaming shouting behaving like a loon up to and on day of flight at airport is op's way to go honestly!

To be fair, maybe the OP has a point - RTFT thinkivebeenhacked

Sheesh

One of the adults needs to fly out to an alternative airport that has more easily obtainable flights, but is within travelling distance of the wedding, or fly out in advance of the other two.

Simples.

OP, you had my sympathy on the other thread, but please don't be rude to people trying to help, whether or not they haven't read the gazillion pages of both threads. If it is any consolation, something similar happened to me. I had booked a fab week away in Scandinavia one Christmas. I hadn't realised it clashed with another commitment where I would be letting other people down if I pursued my holiday plans. So, my really quite annoyed and rightly so partner and I didn't go. I lost the flights, the hotel and the car hire. And I am far from rolling in money. But I did the 'right' thing and very rarely think about it three years later.

Jesus Christ boffin one of the adults can't fly on their own as the son can't go on the booked tickets.

I'm beginning to see why the OP got pissed off!

I have RTFT. I find it impossible to understand how an airline can agree to refund taxes on a non refundable flight under duress but not change a name.

FlossieLondon

Go on to the 'Travel' section on MN. Start a thread in 'Longhaul' or 'General Advice', asking does anyone actually work for your specific airline and if they do may you private message them (be sure and name the airline, so as not to waste time).
If anyone does, then message them with your problem, and ask them if there is any way they can help.

Be polite and grateful.

I have seen at least one thread on there where the person with the problem has inadvertently happened upon an employee of the airline, who upon reading the thread was able to sort the problem out! As far as I could see, she was brilliant ... really kind and very efficient.

If that fails, then I think your plan of taking your son to the airport, supposedly to say bye-bye to daddy, while hoping that you will get a standby ticket, sounds best.

Good luck with that.

I find it impossible to understand how an airline can agree to refund taxes on a non refundable flight under duress but not change a name.

Because the are obliged to refund the taxes as they are external charges and they haven't incurred them but they are under no obligation to amend a non-flexible ticket.

thinki'vebeenhacked they are not refunding the taxes under duress but because they are required to by law, less an admin fee which means the op gets very little. She wasn't aware she was entitled to that until informed by someone on the other thread.

I can ustand why the OP is so exasperated (she shouldn't have been quite so rude tho!).....RTFT people !

"And after all the hassle and extra work my mum has had from the sous chef walking out, she's not been feeling well. She went to the doctor last night who has written her off for two weeks, due to work related stress"

Another thought.

If your mum is genuinely signed off by the doctor through illness, would that not count with your insurance company or credit card as a bona fide reason for you not to go and therefore entitle you to a refund of your flight cost from your insurance or credit card company.

Actually, I don't know about your insurance ... though seems likely ... but I've just looked at my credit cards terms & conditions, and illness of my mother would entitle me to a refund of flight cost, so I could stay home with her!

adish, you are coming up with some really good suggestions here.

Was just going to say the same

Flossie....read what dish suggests.

It's worth a try.

Thank you.

The mother is clearly at the end of her tether with all this.

Her 2 daughters are at loggerheads, her job is demanding, she has had to go back on her promise to look after her grandson to save her position and now she's been signed off with stress after having her leave cancelled which is going to look really bad to her employers.

I don't think it's a great idea to add the pressure of using her medical diagnosis to assist in getting a refund on the flight tickets

It wouldn't relieve your stress a little then, Bear, to at least know your darling daughter was not now going to loose buckets of money because of this situation?

"I don't think it's a great idea to add the pressure of using her medical diagnosis to assist in getting a refund on the flight tickets"

I hope when saying this you do not mean that my suggestion was in any way fraudulent, unethical or immoral. If insurance or credit card terms & conditions cover the illness of a close relative and, in fact, a close relative is in fact genuinely ill as certified by a medical practitioner, then that is fair and proper.

I'm not suggesting OP's mother pulls a sickie! OP's mother is already sick and therefore OP's trip may well be insured.

I would think far from being far from being further stressed, the mum may well be a little relieved.