Furthermore to my latest post on bereavement fares, I found this article from the Dallas Morning News by Tom Parsons. He indicates that rather than specific bereavement fares, simply looking for a package deal including flights, accommodation etc may actually be your best bet. It also provides some tips for arranging for a refund in the case of the death of someone close to you.
I recently came across an unfortunate situation of a good friend of mine, who had a death in the family and needed to fly interstate for the funeral. Now I pondered whether to post this, because mainly I like to focus on holidays and business trips, but I decided to go ahead and post because realistically, many people may be able to save costs when their mind is focused on their loved one.
My friend went ahead and contacted a number of different airlines, explained that she needed tickets at short notice to attend a funeral, and asked what they could do for her. She was offered by a number of airlines what is apparently known as a ‘bereavement fare’, at a discount of approximately 50% off the normal fare. She was required to present them a copy of a death certificate, a letter from the funeral home, and/or a certificate of relationship to qualify for the fare. Also, different airlines had different policies, ranging from discount upon presentation of these documents, to charging full fare but promising reimbursement upon receipt of the documents.
Not all airlines offered this however, so the moral of the story would be - if you are in this unfortunate position, at least make a few calls to see what the airlines can offer you. They’re not always as cold-hearted as some would make out!
