Her brother was on his deathbed. Should Orbitz refund her flight?

"I was on a 16-night cruise when my niece called to say my brother was dying. I booked a flight home through Orbitz but accidentally chose the wrong airport. By the time I reached the correct airport, my Aer Lingus flight had left. I panicked and rebooked for the next day, but missed precious days with my brother before he passed."

"When it comes to a passenger's relative, refunds are handled on more of a case-by-case basis. You booked your ticket after your brother fell ill but before he died, and then you no-showed for your flight, which is an even grayer area. But it looks like both Orbitz and Aer Lingus suggested you might qualify for a refund, so you were not wrong to expect some consideration after you showed your online agency and airline a death certificate."

"And you did show them a death certificate five times! I'm not really sure why they didn't review it the first time you sent it and give you an answer to your refund request. If I had to guess, I'd say there's a customer service chatbot on the loose somewhere, ignoring completely valid claims like yours and making you wait months for an answer."

Brenda booked an Aer Lingus flight through Orbitz after learning her brother was dying, but she accidentally selected the wrong airport and missed the flight. She rebooked for the next day and missed additional time with her brother before he died. Orbitz and Aer Lingus have repeatedly shifted responsibility for processing a refund for her nonrefundable ticket, each claiming the other must approve or issue the refund. Brenda supplied her brother's death certificate multiple times, but Orbitz repeatedly requested clearer copies or additional documents. The unresolved dispute concerns a $715 refund and prolonged stress during bereavement.

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