Even if you’re a frequent traveler, you might not be aware of all of the deals you might be missing out on.
For example, being a member of AAA may entitle you to discounted rates on hotels and other services. Even having the right mobile carrier could entitle you to numerous benefits and freebies.
There are also some “deals” that a company will give you in the event of a tragedy. While a hotel reservation might not be refundable, for example, some chains will choose to allow you to cancel a booking free of charge if you can prove it was for a covered reason.
Consequently, many people think that “bereavement” fares for hotels and flights are among the cheapest options on the market. However, as one traveler recently learned, this isn’t always the case.
What Went Wrong On These Flights?
In a video with over 10,000 views, TikTok user Mads (@mads_ventures) explains why she believes Delta’s bereavement fares are a “scam.”
“I think the big airlines knew that Spirit was going to fall this week, because I had some of the worst customer service I’ve ever had in my life and a terrible, terrible week,” she starts.
According to Mads, she booked a United flight via Priceline to West Palm Beach, Florida, to visit her maternal grandparents. However, while she was there, she learned that her paternal grandfather was “not doing well and was likely going to pass away.”
Consequently, Mads needed to figure out a way to get to Cleveland. This proved harder than she thought.
“I called United. I said, ‘Hey, um, is there anything I can do?’ They keep me on the phone for 30 minutes trying to figure it out for me. Then they say, ‘Oh, this is a bulk price flight because you booked your Priceline, so we can’t help you,’” Mads recalls. “Why was that not the first thing you checked?”
She Looks At Bereavement Flights
At this point, Mads remembered that she had previously taken a bereavement flight with Delta. However, when she looked into it, she saw that a bereavement flight was $929.
“I said, ‘That seems really, really expensive.’ So, let me go look at the regular rate,” she says. “$719. Still absurd. I could fly to Italy for $719.”
Confused about how a bereavement flight could be more expensive than a standard ticket, she contacted Delta.
“[The customer service agent] said, ‘Oh, well, this flight is more flexible,’” Mads recounts. “I said, ‘How is it more flexible? It’s not refundable and it’s not changeable.’ She said, ‘Yeah, but we just—we try to make these flights more flexible for our customers. It’s not guaranteed to be cheaper.’”
“I said, ‘OK, well, the Delta Comfort Plus flight is only $829 … and that is completely refundable and completely changeable,’” Mads continues. “‘It seems like you’re just up-charging grieving customers who don’t have time to check. Seems a little scammy to me.’”
The customer service worker, she says, did not have an adequate response.
“She goes, ‘I completely understand why you would feel that way. I can’t imagine going through this, and Delta making your hard time more difficult. But … our bereavement flights are never our cheapest option,’” Mads says. “OK? So they, literally, are useless.”
She Finds A Flight
Thankfully, Mads was eventually able to book a flight with SkyMiles. In order to make this flight, however, she would have to take her United flight home, then get on the Delta flight to go to the funeral.
However, numerous delays from United meant that she was likely to miss this flight. This led to numerous issues, including multiple attempts to rebook, near-missed flights, and substantial headaches for Mads.
Finally, she was able to secure a journey that took her to where she needed to be—but there was a catch.
“Because this was a delay of 2 hours and 50 minutes instead of 3 hours on the dot, I do not get any refund for all of the trouble they cause me, the rudeness they cause me.
What Are Bereavement Fares?
According to the Delta website, a bereavement fare “offers flexibility and discounted fares for SkyMiles® Members needing to travel due to the death of an Immediate Family member.”
The website further states that the company’s “Bereavement Fare Policy provides flexibility to the outbound and / or return portion of your trip by waiving service fees; however, fare differences may still apply.” Delta’s site also concedes that customers may be able to find lower promotional fares on the airline’s website.
The “flexibility” noted here appears to be limited to the waiving of service fees. Per Delta’s own website, a customer buying a bereavement ticket should be able to move their flight without paying a fee, only the fare difference.
Given this, it’s unclear why Mads said she was informed the ticket was neither changeable nor refundable. Other customers shopping for bereavement tickets with Delta have reported they were told something similar. We have reached out to Delta via media contact form for clarification.
Commenters Sound Off
In the comments section, many users called out the sorry state of the American airline industry.
“This is why it’s so sad Spirit is gone. They were always my go-to for quick and cheap flights,” a user wrote.
“My personal recommendation is to NEVER use anything except directly through the airline,” another said.
“Everybody needs to start using Amtrak. It’s really a vacation in its own, and they don’t have any of these transportation issues airlines have,” stated a third. “Plan your vacation or traveling needs a little in advance, and I promise you you’ll enjoy it far more. It’s so much more elegant so much more legroom and you’re treated like a human human being. Instead of a paper ticket.”
@mads_ventures DELTA BEREAVEMENT FLIGHTS ARE A SCAM!! they wanted to charge me $929 for a flight where Comfort Plus was $829. truly evil. United was a bunch of useless, wrong information and a million mistakes.
BroBible reached out to Mads via TikTok DM and comment and Delta via media contact form.