Refund on ticket due to unforeseen hospitalisation?
I recently purchased a return ticket with QR from Johannesburg to Sydney via Doha. I made use of a promo deal via Skyscanner although the actual ticket was bought from Qatar Airlines.
I was due to fly on Fri 16 March 2018. Unfortunately 3 weeks ago I developed pneumonia and a pulmonary embolism and was hospitalised (with 9 days in ICU) until 6 March. The consulting pulmonologist and specialist physician both agree that due to the potential threat of further embolism I should not travel for at least 6 months.
QR have refused my refund request stating fare conditions although I cannot find any such clause. I would be happy with an extension to travel dates in order to postpone my travel once my doctors feel it is safe to fly.
How can I put forward my case?
Best Answer
Hope you are feeling better, recovery is going to take a while.
When you purchased your ticket, the airlines must have sent you an email with the conditions: fare, taxes, airport charges, dates, seats, luggage allowed and conditions for the change of dates and refund. That's your contract. Read it and make sure that customer service got conditions right. It is not unheard of that the first line of customer service is under the instruction of not giving any refunds although the contract says you can.
Note that sometimes you are allowed no changes, or changes only before the date of departure, and pricier tickets can be changed after the flight.
If in reality, your conditions allow for changes or refunds after the date of the flight then you can go to or call an airline's branch and ask for the refund or change.
Cheers!
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Will airlines refund tickets due to illness?
In almost all cases, no. Airline issued tickets are usually non-refundable and non-transferable (which means you can't give your ticket to someone else).What is an involuntary cancellation?
Involuntary Termination of Employment means the Termination of Service by the Company or Subsidiary other than a termination for Cause, or termination of employment by a Participant Employee for Good Reason.Can non-refundable tickets be rescheduled?
Major airlines' non-refundable ticket policies, including exceptions to the rule. Non-refundable tickets: You can reschedule the ticket and you have one year from the ticket's original issue date to reschedule. The traveler will not lose the value of the ticket.Can you get emergency flights?
A few airlines offer something called bereavement fares: discounted, last-minute flights for people who need to travel because of a death or a family emergency. Bereavement flights used to be a common offering, but now, only two U.S. airlines still offer them: Delta and Alaska Airlines.Airline Ticket Refund Policy - UAE Travel Guide - Saudi Arabia Travel Guide - Travel System
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