Francis E. Barr, 84 year old World War II veteran, and his wife got sick and could not attend a U.S. Army Engineer Special Brigade reunion last June in Chicago.
Barr didn’t realize that his airline tickets were “non-refundable”. He and his wife were out the $419.80. That’s the rules, no exceptions.
Well, with some help of the Courier Journal, Southwest Airlines has made an exception and offered Barr a refund upon documentation from his doctor that he was unable to fly due to medical reasons.
The reality is that almost every airline ticket is “non-refundable”. Not all of us will have the help of a consumer advocate and as compelling of a story.
This means that if you cancel, the airline will not give you a refund. You may be able to use the cost of the ticket to purchase another ticket on the same airline, but look to pay a $50 to $200 penalty. LookRight offers and recommends optional travel insurance that covers trip cancelation and baggage protection (always read and understand the details of insurance coverage when purchasing).