Will an airline, when provided with a document from a doctor, allow cancellation of a reservation (or, reservations when traveling with a family) if a medical reason suddenly prohibits flying? Can anyone find proof of that in airline regulations? If airlines do, this would make unnecessary the standard trip insurance that is available. Elsewhere there is a thread about whether travel insurance is a good idea. I'd like to elaborate on that. And, can anyone recommend a site that lists and explains the airline regulations pertaining to us in a way that the layperson can understand? Thanks!
Posted by
Newport Beach, CA, USA
769 posts
some one last week posted a good broker to compare - maybe they could help answer wwwinsuremytrip.com or something like that. Also id call your airline you plan to use. If youre paying for a tour upfront - then the whole insurance may make sense (not just for airline part). They even have "trip interuption for any reason" coverage - like job related - but there is a heavier premium and I think its 70% (check AIS-Travelguard). So Rick has mentioned the delayed coverage for luggage is usually a poor deal as all expensive stuff should be left home (or carried on). But the health and up-front payment coverage may well be valid for you.
Posted by
OP
Redding, USA
7 posts
Kent, thanks for that clarification. Yes, I am referring to trip canellation-- prior to the commencement of travel. Should the traveler become ill during the trip and not be able to complete it (use the return ticket), that would probably come under standard medical insurance and be another story. I'm asking if trip insurance that would cover canellation of those expensive airline tickets be redundant if, God forbid, a traveler (or someone in their traveling party) has a medical problem that prohibits travel. I would love to find some website that untangles all the provisions and prohibitions about this issue.
Posted by
Portland, OR, USA
805 posts
Look at the airline's "contract of carrage" and your ticket regulations. However, on most discount tickets the answer is no for the airline directly but you can always ask.
Posted by
NYC, USA
219 posts
I used www.insuremytrip.com. I purchased a comprehensive package which includes medical, dental, trip cancelation, medical evacuation, lost luggage, & God only knows what else for 1 week for 5 people for $144. Some people may find this expensive but I think it's reasonable. They also have other types of travel insurance if you don't want the entire comprehensive package. To top it off, customer service was so friendly & knew all the answers when I gave them a call. I can't imagine buying insurance as being this easy & pleasant. In your case, I would call the airlines 1st before purchasing the insurance if you bought the tickets directly through them, about you cancelling tickets for health purposes. Don't hang up until you're satisfied w/the answers & get it in writing. The airline's website would has all this info but of course having a lawyer friend to translate would make it easier to understand it.
Posted by
nolongeravailable
102 posts
I can tell you from 1st hand experience that Continental Airlines will allow a cancellation with a note from a doctor.
They will waive the 200.00 change fee per person and thier traveling companion and give you a credit in the amount you spent on your ticket for a future flight within one year. It is NOT transferable unless the person whose name is on ticket passes away.
You may also use the credit several times until drained..
for example Europe ticket was 1200.00
you now have 1200.00 credit
ticket to SFO rt ...400
ticket to NYC rt ...600
ticket to PDX rt ...200
credit is now 0 balance...
ALSO we were not actually flying on CO but as a CO codeshare on Virgin Atlantic who doesnt allow this if we had actually booked with Virgin..
we totally lucked out...