The last time I needed a bereavement fare, the airline graciously offered to sell me a full-priced ticket at half price. Over $500 to get across the country. I used frequent flier miles instead.

I think this is unfair, particularly to those who don't have frequent flier miles. The bereavement fare ought to be half of the lowest discounted fare, which would have been more like $200. Perhaps 4 tickets per decedent could be available at the bereavement fare.

I know the airlines would make less profit if they made these changes, but it seems to me that it wouldn't cost the airlines much to do this as a public service. How many people on any given flight are traveling on bereavement fares, anyway? The last thing you need at a time of personal hardship and suffering is a whopping airfare bill.

I don't know if 1/2 the lowest fare is reasonable, but certainly they should be offered the lowest fare or even the lowest fare offered within the last 2 weeks. That is very often much less than the 1/2 off full fare rate. We had a similar experience when my husband's father died. We actually got a promotional fare that was cheaper than the the bereavement fare.

I agree completely. When my grandmother passed away 7 months ago, I went online to check out fares (NY to CA) The cheapest was $610+taxes. I then called around to the airlines and found out that their so-called bereavement fares were actually HIGHER than the ones I found online! Most of the reservation agents did not seem at all surprised and seemed kind of apologetic and embarrassed by this.
Fortunately, we had the means to make the trip but I really do feel bad for families who are basically getting gouged when they're already in the middle of a crisis and need to be with their families. Should they then have to come home to a financial crisis because they've had to lay out $1000-2000 unexpectedly and the airlines idea of a "break" is no break at all?! In my case I just bought my tickets online (I think it was expedia.com) and it saved my husband and I $200 over the airlines "bereavement" fares! The airlines really ought to be embarrassed by this. Either they should abolish the bereavement fare policy or offer a genuine discount (with documentation of course).

A bereavement fare 1) gets you on the flight (even if overbooked) 2) CAN be cheaper than last minute flying (but not often) and 3) is a remnant of airlines when they were regulated.

I disagree.
Why should airlines be obligated to help you out in a crisis?
Does the tailor owe you a discount for the funeral suit?
The hotel you might have to overnight in?
The restaurant that feeds you on the way?
Where does it end?
I'm not trying to be harsh....of course those would all be very thoughtful gestures, which some establishments would indeed take into consideration, but as far as being obligated to help out, I don't think so.

I could buy maybe giving you lowest discounted fare, but there is no reason why they should give you a fare for half of the lowest rate? You don't even understand the reason for the policy which is 1/2 coach, which is to give flyers who, through no reason of their own, could not book way ahead of time to get APEX fares. Why on earth should you get half off the lowest fare? Nobody owes you a present because you are bereaved. I personally think you are really cheap and whiney if you are complaining about a last-minute fare of $500 all the way across the country, that seems pretty reasonable to me. Try getting half off your meals at a restaurant or on a car rental during that time because you are bereaved, that makes as much sense as saying you should get special rates below any other fares just because you are bereaved.

When I've contact airlines about travel to a relative's funeral, we spent more time on funeral home documentation than fare or schedule. A year ago Delta generously issued a $450 ticket for my same-day travel, Tampa-Atlanta at noon, Atlanta-Tampa 5 p.m. Their policy, I'm pleased to report, did not exclude peanuts and soda at that price point. I suppose I didn't help the situation ... I failed to mention I'm their SkyTeam Partner. Ciao

I agree - airlines are in the business of making money for their stockholders - not subsidizing peolpe who choose to move thousands of miles away from their families. Rather than expecting something for free, you should have taken this possibility into consideration when you chose to live 3000 miles away form your loved ones.

To Jay and Christina:
Nobody is saying that the airlines owe me or you or anybody anything because there's been a death. What I'm saying is that the airlines have these supposed policies about trying to accomodate people in a family crisis and all it is now is just public relations B***S***. Like I said in my FIRST POST, if they don't want to offer a discount, so be it, but they should at least have the balls to just SAY SO.

Sorry for the THIRD post but I just had to tell that a**hole XXX that I didn't move anywhere. My mom's family moved away from her in 1968 when they disowned her for marrying a black man (my father). I know that's got nothing to do with airfares but I'm not going to let a jackass remark like that pass without comment.

Hey Alexis - and you want to go back there? Sounds like youre the jackass.

And its called a bereavement fare - not a discount - and I have never seen the airline market this as such.

Just ignore XXX ... it seems to be one of his off-brain days ... you know, plan ahead and never be away in the event someone might die. Odd thinking for a travel website. Ah, sweet mystery of life ... or is it just a gigantic actuarial process gone bonkers? Just the same, it could be worse ... we could have only UAL ... then, how would one explain death to an owner-operator? Ciao

Shut up Leone. Once again - another post from you that makes no sense.

I'm sorry, but I agree with Christina that demanding half-off the lowest discount fare is ridiculous. I think airlines should offer bereavement fares (not all do), because it makes the difference for many between not being able to manage to be by a loved on's side and being able to, but there's no reason they should charge you less than they do ANYONE else. It is a business, and in most seasins, $500 for a cross-country trip is near competitive for an advance-purchase fare. You didn't plan to have to spend this money now, but that hardly makes the airlines responsible for your unfortunate situation.

One thing about bereavement fares is that you can change your return flights and dates at no charge for up to a year. I also was furious about the high cost when I need one, but felt some what better when I was able to fly home when I was ready. In addition, how can the airlines really regulate who gets these? If they were really cheap, we'd all be bribing funeral homes to give us certificates!

I, too, find the bereavement fares to be a cruel hoax. Strikes me as akin to false advertising. A corporate shell game, for the reasons pointed out earlier. Either abolish the whole thing, or make them a product that better fits the stated need: a flexible, reasonably-priced ticket offered as a public service, with no right to earn FFB miles on the flight. Imagine the great PR for the airline that announced a true bereavement program.

As for the hard-core folks out there who think the airlines owe us nothing, I would point to various charitable services that do put people up in hotels when loved ones are in distant hospitals, or transport sick people by air to distant hospitals.

Boy, Christine, you are not being very nice at all, are you? Why call names like "cheap" and "whiney"? And on what basis would you say I don't understand the basis for a bereavement fare. If you disagree with me, fine. Maybe half of the lowest fare is too deep a discount and would lead to cheating. No reason to be nasty and get personal, though.

Now, now, XXX ... first, some grammar. It's "Shut up, Leone" ... comma, comma, comma, guy. Kinda hear an R&B rhythm. Now, my mom wished to take issue with you (she calls you "porno") ... it made perfect sense to her. She's always kinda homiletic (under H, yikes), ya know ... she said life is thinking. Well, I couldn't have said it better myself. Ciao

Cindy - that is why they are called charities - not for profit businesses with the express purpose of making money for stockholders.

I see your point, xxx. But as you know, for-profit corporations frequently engage in "charity" work, and they often take out large ads to tell us all about what they're doing.

Also, for-profit companies often give discounts to some folks over others without regard to need or financial hardship. Discounts for seniors. Discounts for children. Discount seats for infants on planes. Why not discounts for bereaved people? I'm not saying there ought to be a government mandate. But I think a little public pressure would probably do the trick.

As an aside, it is a little funny that some folks would be furious at the idea of someone getting a big discount in an industry that already has some of the strangest pricing practices around.

Anyway, I think the discussion is interesting.