Faremax: Travel Forums

I can't understand people not covering their medical / safety costs with insurance, but when it comes to tickets I don't think its worth it. If people are booking at the last minute and going for really cheap tickets (which it seems a lot of the people who don't get insurance do) then they are unlikely to cancel, so why add the expense of cover on the tickets?

I agree.  But many people book airfare to lets say Europe (traveling during Summer) well in advance and 80% do not even want to hear about insurance.  But when something happens and they are asked to pay huge penalties ($200-$300 per ticket) to cancel or make changes they usually get really pissed.  The only time when airlines would listen and might waive the penalty is "death in family".  In all other cases your chances of cancelling or changing dates without penalties are virtually zero.  Just a few days ago we had an issue when a passenger contacted us that her sister was hospitalized with high blood pressure and she wanted to push departure date just a day or 2.  We contacted airline and faxed them hospital papers but they did not waive $225.  She called and started screaming that it's all our fault.  But when advised to purchase travel insurance she declined even though it would cost her about $50

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"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein
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I see your point there, it must be horrible being screamed at if you have done everything you can and it is the airline that is placing the charges. If you are only talking about a $50 fee on something booked a long time in advance, then insurance makes sense - plans can change for any number of reasons over a period of several months. I am used to insurance costing a lot more than that (I don't think exchange rates a kind when it comes to that sort of thing, and booking in the UK seems to be expensive anyways) and if you're booking to travel in a week or two, then I think you're taking less of a risk. Plus if you didn't take insurance, you know full well that if you do want to change, you have to pay - is that really so hard to accept?