Due to my husband sudden health problem we have to cancel our Tuesday flight to Greece from Newark on Air France. I am trying to get through to Air France. After three hours of waiting for some knowledgable supervisor I gave up.<BR><BR>Anyone had experience with canceling your flights so close to the date of travel? We will be happy if we receive credit for future flights.

I had to cancel my trip to Paris in Feb. the day before my scheduled departure b/c of my mother-in-law's death. Two different people from USAirways on the phone said I could use the ticket(considered nonrefundable) towards another flight within a year, but would be penalized $150 (and of course, would have to pay the difference if new ticket cost more, etc.); however, when I went in person to buy my ticket for rescheduled trip at the airport ticket counter, I showed documentation, and I was not penalized the $150. Get documentation from your husband's doctor and when you want to fly again, don't give up if you don't get the answer you want the first time. I'm sorry for your cancelled trip and hope your husband does well.

I'm not being sarcastic and I realize this doesn't help Frankie, but for everyone else planning a trip, buy travel insurance! For a couple hundred bucks you can buy a lot of peace of mind.

I think buying travel insurance depends upon how much upfront $$ you have put out. My plane ticket to Paris was only $353; I lost nothing on it, ultimately, and my tix to ballet probably wouldn't qualify for reimbusement under an insurance policy. For a cruise or a pkg. trip that one must pay for in advance, it is undoubtedly a good idea. In my case, I was better off w/o it.

I'm not being rude either, but travel insurance is not a smart buy unless it's the trip of a lifetime for which you've been saving for years. Compare the cost of insurance/cost of trip and compare that rate to all the other things you insure. It's terribly expensive.

I'll agree that it's expensive insurance, but if you have non refundable airline tix, it may save a lot of heartaches if you have to cancel due to death or illness. (The last olicy I bought would have covered this.)

I'll agree that it's expensive insurance, but if you have non refundable airline tix, it may save a lot of heartaches if you have to cancel due to death or illness. (The last policy I bought would have covered this.)

Many of my patients have asked for documentation regarding their illnesses when it interfered with travel. Many of these people have told me they were able to rebook without any penalties.<BR>Ask when you book the ticket what the airlines policy is.<BR>

I think most airlines will tell you that there is a penalty with the cheaper, nonrefundable tix, but as I mentioned in the post above, it proved otherwise for me when I went to the ticket counter in person. I was pleasantly surprised.

I had to cancel a flight on Air France last summer due to health problems. At the time Air France told me that my ticket was non-refundable and non-transferable. Period. My travel agent told me that I could use it towards another flight on Air France within a year and pay a fee for re-ticketing. After six months elapsed I tried to see if I could use the credit towards another flight, and this time Air France said I could, but only if I traveled within one year of the date my tickets were purchased, not the departure date. This wasn't going to be possible for me.<BR><BR>This time I talked to Customer Service to see if they would waive the one-year from ticketing rule and for the first time I was told I could ask for a refund! Customer Service gave me the number for the Refund Department and I had to send by certified mail my original tickets, a letter from my doctor certifying that he advised me not to travel and my credit card info. I waited about 4-6 weeks and lo and behold they gave us a FULL REFUND for me and the 3 other members of my family who had cancelled!<BR><BR>BOTTOM LINE: Get a note from your doctor, call Air France customer service and ask how to apply for a refund. Good luck.

I had to cancel a flight on Air France last summer two days before my scheduled flight due to health problems. At the time Air France told me that my ticket was non-refundable and non-transferable. Period. My travel agent told me that I could use it towards another flight on Air France within a year and pay a fee for re-ticketing. After six months elapsed I tried to see if I could use the credit towards another flight, and this time Air France said I could, but only if I traveled within one year of the date my tickets were purchased, not the departure date. This wasn't going to be possible for me.<BR><BR>This time I talked to Customer Service to see if they would waive the one-year from ticketing rule and for the first time I was told I could ask for a refund! Customer Service gave me the number for the Refund Department and I had to send by certified mail my original tickets, a letter from my doctor certifying that he advised me not to travel and my credit card info. I waited about 4-6 weeks and lo and behold they gave us a FULL REFUND for me and the 3 other members of my family who had cancelled!<BR><BR>BOTTOM LINE: Get a note from your doctor, call Air France customer service and ask how to apply for a refund. Good luck.