Bereavement flight

A death certificate (example shown) is required as proof before some bereavement flights.

In the United States and Canada, a bereavement flight is a flight purchased when a close relative has died or is dying. Bereavement fares used to be offered by many airlines, but as of 2015, most have stopped providing them.[1]

While a bereavement flight may have flexible rules, it may be at either a reduced or a higher cost to the consumer depending on the airline.[2][3] While airlines often charge much more for a flight that is booked less than 7 days beforehand than one that is booked farther in advance, customers may be able to obtain a bereavement fare in such last-minute flights that is comparable to that of a regular fare purchased far in advance.[4]

Until the late 1990s, it was common for an airline to waive the 7- or 14-day advance purchase rule for bereavements, but in recent years, many airlines have been cutting back on bereavement fares or changing fare structures to accommodate them in other ways, so that they are barely worth the effort attempting to obtain.[5] Instead, many short-notice travelers rely on hidden city fares or other airline booking ploys.

Policies of various airlines

Airlines have varying policies pertaining to bereavement flights. This may include the relatives for which one is eligible to obtain such a ticket, the proof that is required, and the price that is charged in comparison with other fares.[6] The most common discount is 50% off the original fare.[7]

Other issues

Various other issues have been applied to bereavement flights.

One concerns which family members to whom the fare can be applied. Some airlines offer the fares only for immediate family members. Others offer it to a longer list, including foster relatives, half relatives, and step relatives. Other airlines have taken up the issue of whether domestic partners who are not legal spouses and same-sex spouses can be included.[13]

It has also been questioned as to whether the bereavement fares are really the least expensive tickets available, as cheaper fares can often be found online.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Noel, Josh (8 September 2014). "Bereavement fares disappearing from many airlines". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Bereavement Flights - What You Should Know". ABC article directory. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
  3. ↑ Robarts, Scott (2006-09-04). "Why bereavement fares are a farce and abomination that it Air Canada « Business Kung-Fu (closed for public access)". Businesskungfu.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
  4. 1 2 Rich, Jason R. (2009-11-15). "Airlines' bereavement fares can help cut costs for last-minute travel to a funeral". Daily News (New York).
  5. ↑ De Lollis, Barbara (2005-02-22). "Bereavement breaks fewer". USA Today.
  6. ↑ "What You Should Know About Bereavement Flights". Articlealley.com. 2009-04-01. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
  7. ↑ Keenan, Susan M (2007-07-02). "Tips For Arranging Bereavement Flights". Lifescript.com. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
  8. ↑ http://www.united.com/web/en-us/content/travel/specialneeds/compassion/default.aspx
  9. 1 2 "Page 3: Bereavement Airfares: Cheap Emergency Flights for Death, Illness - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. 2010-02-24. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
  10. ↑ "Bereavement Fares". aircanada.com. 2008-11-24. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
  11. ↑ "Emergency And Bereavement Fares". Aa.com. 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  12. ↑ http://www.cheapflights.com/travel-tips/bereavement-fares/
  13. 1 2 "Is there compassion in bereavement fares?". USA Today. 2008-10-01.
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