Travel expert Christopher Elliott says US Airways refunded a couple $2200 on a pair of nonrefundable tickets to Ireland after the wife wrote to the COO and explained their situation. They tried Expedia first and were refused, and although they had travel insurance it wouldn’t cover unemployment. The wife, Jennifer Bush, says the US Airways rep who responded to their plea “told me that they all felt for my situation and decided to refund the amount of the airfare.”

Elliott says the act of charity “may have lost a little revenue in the short term, but I think it’s earned a customer for life.” A LITTLE revenue? What about all the additional revenue they’ve just lost in checked baggage fees, drink and snack purchases, self-service seatbelt fastening surcharges, pressurized cabin fees, and that collection plate that’s passed around after the flight attendant demonstrates how to put on the oxygen mask?

“Troubled airline refunds nonrefundable ticket to unemployed passenger” [Elliott.org]
(Photo: zonaphoto)

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