Death/Canceling Awards ?

nickelfish1

Level 2 Member
So....my saga continues in a horrible turn of events.

Have AA awards tickets for four in business JFK-LHR-SPU, DUB-LHR-JFK. Our daughter could no longer go but I finally got hubs mojo back and he agreed, under duress, to go without her. I haven't canceled her off our itinerary as of yet. My dad's wife..I don't refer to her a step mother since my mom passed when I was an adult. Although, I love her very much and she's the only "grandma" my kids have really known...is suddenly in her last hours and expected to pass today. Obviously, no one feels like going on a trip in three weeks. If I cancel everything we are out $1400. ( I booked two people on one ways to and home...that's $800 in cancellation fees with American. I have zero hope is getting anything on our $600 paid tickets on AerLingus since they are non-refundable. (Paid with CSP but trip is 8/31 on that part of trip so could be outside the benefit window. ?) Here's the question...short of HUCA a million times and hoping a CSR doesn't note my prior call in my reservation...what exactly is the policy on death of a family member/waiving of fees? A step-mother should be considered immediate family..although, I could say she's my mom, I suppose. I'm assuming I need to provide a death certificate...and what else as proof of relationship? Or is a trip three weeks away considered outside the window of waiving a fee for a death?
 
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dukerau

Level 2 Member
Code:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase-ultimate-rewards/1779207-csp-trip-cancellation-insurance-issues-consolidated-thread.html
I'm sorry for your situation. I believe "parents-in-law" would be the formal wording for step-parents, so I imagine you're covered. Let me apologize for writing very plainly for the remainder of this post about topics that are sensitive to you, but I think it's much clearer than if I were to use softer language. The only other caveat is if there is a limit on the time period in which death of an immediate family member is covered. In other words, does the death need to occur within a certain number of days of your trip. And even then, is it based on the beginning of your trip, or is it judged based on the scheduled date of each expense? Insurance can be quite morbid. I believe with Citi Prestige the death has to be within 30 days of travel. CSP does not specify as far as I can tell. I would call and explain your situation. Obviously you won't be able to fudge the dates, so I don't really see what you can lose. Certainly get a death certificate to give you a better shot at coverage.

Also, are you sure you'll be out $800 in AA cancellation fees? The fees are $150 + $25 per additional reservation-passenger, I believe. So, if you booked two round trips and 4 one ways all from one account, that would cost $275. Regardless of how your bookings are structured, I would explain the situation to the AAgent you're dealing with and hopefully you'll find some compassion and possibly a bit of rule bending.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
So sorry for your loss. In three weeks you may feel differently about going. This may not be the best time to make the decision. I would get any documentation in place, but focus on other things now. You may really want to take the trip after some time has passed.
 

nickelfish1

Level 2 Member
Code:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase-ultimate-rewards/1779207-csp-trip-cancellation-insurance-issues-consolidated-thread.html
does the death need to occur within a certain number of days of your trip. And even then, is it based on the beginning of your trip, or is it judged based on the scheduled date of each expense?

Also, are you sure you'll be out $800 in AA cancellation fees? The fees are $150 + $25 per additional reservation-passenger.
The timing is what I was trying to figure out and they couldn't tell me. I had to start a claim (I haven't actually cancelled anything yet) and once I submit the doc's a claim adjuster will call within a few days to go over what is allowed. She called it a trip within a trip.

My math was a bit off. Yes, it was two accounts for one ways. $175 x 2 times two accounts = $350 and the same for the way home.

Thank you for your response and no worries about writing plainly.
 

SanDiego1K

Level 2 Member
Who are the four people who are going? You mention you and your husband and say your daughter is not going. Who are the other two? Do they have a familial relationship?

My mother died days before a trip my husband and I had scheduled. AA was very good. It canceled the trip. I then had to submit a death certificate. The trip was refunded after they received it.

I agree with smittytabb that you really don't know today how you will feel in 3 weeks. It could be just the lift that you need. My mother traveled to Costa Rica with us three weeks after my father died. She had been faithfully caring for him thru years of failing health and found it a joy to get out, leave everything to us, and see a part of the world she wanted so much to see. Everyone is different and there is no judging for what you and yours decide.
 

nickelfish1

Level 2 Member
Who are the four people who are going? You mention you and your husband and say your daughter is not going. Who are the other two? Do they have a familial relationship?
I hope this makes sense:

It's my husband and our two teenage children. My daughter can no longer go due to an unforeseen sports commitment.
Hubs insisted on canceling because he didn't want to leave her behind. (I didn't cancel anything)
I decided to knock off half the trip (SPU and DUB) and just me and my son go to the UK instead. (no fee's. Our AA flights layover in LHR both directions. We're knocking off the BA portions AND I was excited about being in the 77W small business class compartment that I wanted to salvage something!)
Hubs got his mojo back and said...let's do the original trip without our daugther. (I still hadn't canceled/changed anything)
Now my dad's wife's death is imminent (today)...so we're back to no one feeling like going again albeit for a different reason.

It's like the universe is throwing up red flags for us not to go.
 

SanDiego1K

Level 2 Member
Today has to be a really awful day for you. I wouldn't make any decisions now. See if she passes. Wait and find out when the service is. Then once that is over, see what spirits everyone is in and make a decision. You truly don't want to make a decision on what must be a sad day for your family. There is no urgency that the travel decision be made right this moment.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
My husband and I had a lengthy trip to Turkey and Japan planned. My mother suffered her last illness and died a couple weeks before our trip was scheduled. I didn't even think about the trip until it was over. I had spent the last months where she lived while fortuitously my husband had a short term job about an hour from where she lived. Everyone is different, but going on the trip was the right thing for me. I have never had a single regret about making that choice. I could easily have cancelled it as the flights were all awards and the hotels could have been cancelled. The one longer tour we could have cancelled and gotten credit on a future tour. Going was good. We all deal differently with these things. Don't do something because you think you should. And don't worry about what anyone else thinks, including me!
 

MickiSue

Level 2 Member
I had a trip planned--not a fun one, a business one--the week that my dad died. As Smitty's mom, he lived close to us, and we spent a lot of time with him close to his death. We got married less than two months before that, and he was able to attend.

I wanted to fulfill my commitment to our customers, and, more importantly, I wanted to be required to think about something that wasn't death, and grieving. I went the next week, and it was probably the best thing for me.

I was able to pretend that things were normal, you know?

Don't make your decision today. Today is the time for being with your dad and dealing with sorrow. Even if you wait another week and a half, you still have the time to decide. The universe is just telling you that you can make plans, but when they include other people, those other people may have other plans.

Best of luck on a tough, tough day.
 

Maverick17

Level 2 Member
I'm a bit out of practice on award tickets, but you can change dates for free on AA right? So if the AAgents aren't helpful, you could push those as far back as possible (364 from booking?) and make your decision or trip later. That doesn't solve your Aer Lingus part, but might be a little helpful. Sorry for the tough situation.
 
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