What Are Bereavement Fares?
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 | |  | Published by Audiopain on 20.10.2006 at 22:46. |
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Most major U.S. airlines offer bereavement or "compassion" fares for travelers needing to attend a relative's funeral or be with a very sick or dying relative. Bereavement fares do offer a discount, usually around 50 percent, but only off the highest unrestricted fares, which are often exorbitantly priced. Even at half price, these fares may still be quite expensive. However, most airline seats—with the exception of some distressed inventory for last-minute weekend travel—tend to be most expensive at the last minute. Thus, you should expect to pay high prices for any fare type you purchase.
The benefit of bereavement fares is that they usually have flexible travel rules that you cannot get with other last-minute fares. Most are refundable and allow date changes and open returns, meaning that you do not have to determine your return date at the time of booking.
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A Bogus Bereavement Fare
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| | | Published by CodAv on 20.10.2006 at 11:54. |
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Q: My sister died unexpectedly last summer and I had to fly to Pittsburgh for the funeral. I called several airlines to request a bereavement fare, but the best they could do was $625 roundtrip, which didn't seem like a good price.
I stopped by the airline ticket counter on my way home and asked about bereavement fares. An agent told me they don't really offer them anymore because so many people ask for them who aren't entitled to them. I wrote to Travelocity twice, but received two form letters.
Bereavement fares are ineffective because the fare structure of the major airlines, which tries to charge last-minute travelers the most money, is obsolete. Even the way in which airline tickets are priced (they use sophisticated computers to change prices literally by the minute) is as outdated as a biplane.
The bad news is that what you encountered with the Travelzoo referral to Travelocity could easily repeat itself. Airlines and online travel agencies pay Travelzoo to publish its specials, but as they appear on the site, the bargains are long on promises but short on details.
Does that mean you're out of luck? No. Although you agreed to the fare, that doesn't necessarily mean you also had a positive customer-service experience. Travelocity acknowledged your frustration by sending you a $150 voucher, which nearly covers the fare difference.
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A Bogus Bereavement Fare
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| | | Published by wynn on 20.10.2006 at 16:26. |
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Q: My sister died unexpectedly last summer and I had to fly to Pittsburgh for the funeral. I called several airlines to request a bereavement fare, but the best they could do was $625 roundtrip, which didn't seem like a good price.
I stopped by the airline ticket counter on my way home and asked about bereavement fares. An agent told me they don't really offer them anymore because so many people ask for them who aren't entitled to them. I wrote to Travelocity twice, but received two form letters.
Bereavement fares are ineffective because the fare structure of the major airlines, which tries to charge last-minute travelers the most money, is obsolete. Even the way in which airline tickets are priced (they use sophisticated computers to change prices literally by the minute) is as outdated as a biplane.
The bad news is that what you encountered with the Travelzoo referral to Travelocity could easily repeat itself. Airlines and online travel agencies pay Travelzoo to publish its specials, but as they appear on the site, the bargains are long on promises but short on details.
Does that mean you're out of luck? No. Although you agreed to the fare, that doesn't necessarily mean you also had a positive customer-service experience. Travelocity acknowledged your frustration by sending you a $150 voucher, which nearly covers the fare difference.
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Bereavement Fares Dying
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| | | Published by schmidtsmikey on 20.10.2006 at 23:33. |
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The special fares are the latest casualty of the airline industry's troubles. Eliminating bereavement tickets is part of a wider cost-cutting strategy by airlines that has led to the disappearance of everything from in-flight amenities such as meals and blankets to other discounted fares such as those for seniors, students and children.
But while taking pillows and pretzels off planes may annoy travelers, yanking fares aimed at helping grieving passengers strikes some as particularly harsh. Still, some airlines -- and even some travelers -- say that because fares have dropped so low in recent years, the bereavement deals are no longer needed. Indeed, they are often more expensive than last-minute fares available on discount airlines or via travel Web sites.
With the disappearance of bereavement fares, fliers aren't only losing potential discounts, they are losing flexibility, too. Bereavement tickets typically allow fliers to change the time and dates of their flights as often as they wish, with no penalty. That kind of flexibility is particularly crucial for travelers who don't know when they need to be someplace for a surgery or funeral. Without bereavement fares, travelers who need to change their tickets multiple times can be hit with steep fees.
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Bereavement Fares Dying
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| | | Published by Raku on 20.10.2006 at 19:40. |
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The special fares are the latest casualty of the airline industry's troubles. Eliminating bereavement tickets is part of a wider cost-cutting strategy by airlines that has led to the disappearance of everything from in-flight amenities such as meals and blankets to other discounted fares such as those for seniors, students and children.
But while taking pillows and pretzels off planes may annoy travelers, yanking fares aimed at helping grieving passengers strikes some as particularly harsh. Still, some airlines -- and even some travelers -- say that because fares have dropped so low in recent years, the bereavement deals are no longer needed. Indeed, they are often more expensive than last-minute fares available on discount airlines or via travel Web sites.
With the disappearance of bereavement fares, fliers aren't only losing potential discounts, they are losing flexibility, too. Bereavement tickets typically allow fliers to change the time and dates of their flights as often as they wish, with no penalty. That kind of flexibility is particularly crucial for travelers who don't know when they need to be someplace for a surgery or funeral. Without bereavement fares, travelers who need to change their tickets multiple times can be hit with steep fees.
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