Comments on: An H1N1 end-run: How America’s airlines are profiting from Swine Flu

By: Nancy Miller

Nancy Miller — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:50:39 +0000

here’s why the airlines will fight this tooth and nail (forget about common sense) – remember back when they would change flights for no charge with a doctor’s note?

so many people gamed the system that the airlines decided to take draconian measures and made all of us pay for those who cheated

this is similar to the situation of people claiming they’re on their honeymoon, 25th anniversary, etc. (travel writer wendy perrin even advised people to lie about this in order to get special treatment) – so all the little nice things that used to happen to people celebrating a special occasion? gone!

By: Edward Hasbrouck

Edward Hasbrouck — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:40:00 +0000

If the airline refuses to transport you, their conditions of carriage almost always provide that you are entitled to a *full* and *unconditional* refund. If they refuse to give you a full refund, don’t leave the counter without a *signed* and dated letter on airline letterhead, with a legible name and title of the signer (preferably the “station manager”), confirming (1) that you had a valid ticket and presented yourself for check-in on time (otherwise they might later claimn that you were a no-show and thereby forfeited any refund), (2) that the airline refused to transport you (otherwise they might claim that you were persuaded to “voluntarily” not travel), (3) their reason for doing so, including which clause of their conditions of carriage they invoke as the basis for denial of transport (while you are at it, get a complete printed copy of your ticket — the “virtual coupon record”, not just an itinerary, their conditions of carriage, and *all* rules of the applicable to your ticket — this is legally required to be provided on request at all places where tickets are sold), (4) that you requested a full refund, and (5) that they refuse to provide a *full* refund. Make a formal complaint to the Department of Transportation, *and* consult a lawyer. If an airline is making a systematic practice of denying transport while refusing refunds, they are vulnerable both to DOT enforcement action (fines) and class action legal liability.

A full refund won’t necessarily be enough to buy a new ticket on another airline, but faced with a demand for a full refund, many airlines will waive change fees rather than refund your money and lose your business entirely.

By: Joel Wechsler

Joel Wechsler — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:16:20 +0000

I am in complete agreement with you, Charlie but I have been in this business long enough to remember when airlines freely accepted doctor’s notes as a reason for cancellation. Unfortunately, as in so many things, this became subject to abuse by lying passengers and complicit doctors, so it is not hard to understand why they might be reluctant to go back to the old ways. A few rotten apples spoiled things for the vast majority of the honest flying public.

By: Laura Townsend Elion

Laura Townsend Elion — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:43:45 +0000

I’ll never forget boarding a plane in Indonesia and watching the locals break out a can of bug spray they sprayed into the air in the cabin. I think this season I’ll take Lysol myself, does it come in a can less than 3 oz, you think????

Hmmm – you think the TSA’s ridiculous restrictions on gels (hand sanitizer anyone) contributes to the spread of disease???

(Actually there ARE products that are compliant with the regulations and now may be a good time to buy some stock).