Cancellation Charges problem

[keyplus90]

I hope this is the right place for this. I booked Etihad Airways flight for a family trip. Tickets were bought in June and travel date is 9th December 09. during this time few family problems occured. First of all I was made redundand, then in September my father-in-law was diagnosed with bone cancer and doctors believe he has only 2 to 3 months left (that would roughly be December). So we were planning to cancel the trip. Then last month my mother passwed away and she was the reason I was planning to travel to see with my kids.

Now I want to cancel the flight but travel agent is saying that airline would deduct £185 per ticket (total 7 tickets making it £1295). I have given him death certificate of my mother and told about the situation of my father-in-law too. I believe that it has nothing to do with airline and he himslef is trying to make money out of it. Any idea what I can do to avoid this, or to find out what the reality is?

Any help would be appreciated.

[tamborine]

there maybe terms for cancellation on your reservation tickets. Normally its only free cancellation for the passengers, with docs certs etc. Dont think you have a case.

[bednobs]

do you have travel insurance? If not, then unless you have bought a flexible ticket (unlikely if it was "low cost") you will have to pay the charges they set

death and illness leading to cancellation are the kind of thing that travel insurance covers for, not just being ill while you are away

[bednobs]

from their website:

Can I cancel or change my booking?

My Answer:

That depends on the type of fare you have booked. Discounted fares usually have certain restrictions that may not permit changes in reservations or refund upon cancellation. To find out what restrictions may apply to your ticket please contact your local Etihad office. Please be advised that currently we do not offer the facility to change bookings online.

[KARL]

The circumstances you describe are likely to be seen as thorough explanation for you wishing to cancel the trip. Whether the airline will be sufficiently sympathetic to give you a full refund on a non-refundable fare is uncertain. Since the agent is not being helpful, you don't appear to have insurance and (if indeed this is the correct assumption) the tickets were sold as non-refundable or at least not in full, then your only recourse is to appeal to the airline directly. Try to go as far up as you possibly can - ask for the station manager at the London town office - and be as articulate as you can be, unemotional and calm as well. An airline is no less likely to see thir way to be generous where to them there is not an awful lot at stake (and there really is not) - you are not cancelling on a whim. Lots of people would say insurance should have been taken out, and they would be correct, but in its absence you are where you are.

[keyplus90]

Thanks for your answers. I think I have insurance. Although I did not pay specifically fr this trip but I do have Barclays addition plus account and that gives me worldwide travel insurance with family as many time as I travel. And I do not have to inform them as it is automatic. may be that would help.

[bednobs]

look at the policy, you may be lucky!

[Dee Sa]

Get on to Jill Charlton of the Sat Telegraph travel section,she will be able to clarify things for you, she also has a lot of clout with the airlines so might be able to act as a mediator between you and the airline, leave the travelagent out of the equasion, he is only worried about his commission.
good luck.

[jno]

yes, look at your insurance documents. Serious illness or death (not just of the person travelling but of near relatives) is usually sufficient reason to permit cancellation. Your agent isn't necessarily lying - his claim sounds quite plausible - but it won't matter anyway if you are covered by insurance.

[keyplus90]

Thanks to all of you. I have got in touch with Etihad myself on the advice of travel agent. However if in the end I will be left with no choice then I will claim it from Insurance.