Moved from CHI to Dubai, now cannot use nonrefundable flight from CHI, any ideas?

You cannot change the name on an international ticket, and usually not domestic either. I'm sorry to say that you dropped the ball by not including this in your post-acceptance salary and relocation negotiation. Employers in places like Dubai are reconciled to providing expensive travel for relocated employees - but every business in the world is much happier paying for things they knew about Upfront. I am not making light of your plight, but this may be a case of why that Microsoft executive took a well-deserved beating for his remarks about compensation negotiation. As my late mother in law liked to say (pre-liberation, somehow) "Ask not, Get not."

Is there a chance your employer in Dubai would help to offset your loss? You could ask at any rate.

@ Tim: I do have a flight package but it doesn't kick in until 1 full year employment and my employer did shell out generously for my relo and are paying my living accommodations for several months. I had told them about this but my relo was a lump sum to be used as I saw fit, and they were certainly generous with that. Moving internationally is not cheap though so I certainly don't have enough left over to cover this loss.

Even if they did pay it that would not sit right with me, I have a flight I can't use and Aer Lingus has stonewalled me and given me no options, so was mainly looking for tactics to get some type of credit for a flight in next year with change fee maybe? But response does not seem positive.

Unfortunately, there is nothing unusual about Aer Lingus' position. I've read that most airlines are responsive to a certified death certificate of someone who is clearly an immediate relative, but there aren't many other reasons for an airline to exchange or credit a "Non-Refundable, Non-Changeable" fare. They made a reasonably honest deal with you - a lower fare in exchange for an unchangeable commitment. This has been standard policy in the airfare business since the U.S. deregulated the business. (Right now is not the time to consider their possible right to bump you at the last minute, or cancel the flight for broken equipment or bad weather! They were honest about the terms of sale-I presume. You haven't accused them of misleading you.)

I frequently buy Travelex insurance because my mother is elderly. But I know this would not be a "covered" condition. In fact, Travelex sells a specific "Business" rider for an additional fee that might apply to your situation. But we never buy it. I know that when my wife was ordered to return early from a vacation we were on, they picked up her change fee. I forget if they paid for mine, but I think so. And she was not any kind of fat-cat executive. I realize that is not a parallel situation, I just think you are trying to reconcile yourself to what has happened.

I hope some Aer Lingus customer here may be able to advise you on your specific question.

Hi Sarah, sorry about your problem. Can you negotiate with the airline to pay a change fee and use the ticket later this year to pay for another flight within their parameters? Maybe a trip home at the holidays? I'd ask to talk to a manager and see what happens. I had an issue with the airlines a few years ago, e-mails and letters didn't get a positive response but I was able to work something out by calling them. Good luck.