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Consumerist reader Brian recently had a death in his family and needed to fly from Rochester, NY, to Boston.When he attempted to book a flight with a bereavement discount with Delta, he was told that there was a direct, non-bereavement fare available for almost half the cost. Brian’s complaint is a common one among air travelers, and it springs from a general misconception of exactly what the airlines mean by “bereavement fare.”<\/p>\n
The idea of bereavement (occasionally called “compassion”) fares and discounts go back to the pre-Internet era of air travel, when there was less flexibility in airline pricing and available discounts. Carriers would offer discounts, often around 50%, off their full fare. <\/p>\n
But in this day of online booking (not to mention Priceline, Orbitz, Travelocity and others), passengers almost never<\/i> pay full fare. It’s like when you go to a hotel and see the rate listed on the back of the door, which is usually significantly higher than what you paid.<\/p>\n
Additionally, some airlines’ bereavement fares have options that are not available on regular fares. These range from no-fee cancellation policies to open-ended return tickets. In some situations, these options might be desirable — and might cost less in the long run.<\/p>\n
In Brian’s situation, Delta was willing to give him a discount on a flight from Rochester to Boston (through NYC). But even with that discount, the fare was $640 and there was a direct flight available for $350. The booking agent on the phone let him know of the cheaper fare up front.<\/p>\n
The lesson here is: Don’t always assume a bereavement fare is going to be the least expensive way to reach a family member’s funeral or in the case of a medical emergency. So be sure when booking the flight to make sure you’re purchasing the ticket that best suits your needs.<\/p>\n