Jim:
A re-regulated US Airline industry would not change that fact that non-refundable still means non-refundable.
Paul:
Fill out a complaint with the DOT at
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems While, we do not have the authority to require the carrier to provide a refund to non-refundable tickets, we can ask the carrier to make an exception to their refund policies in situations like you described. Generally, the carriers are willing to make the exceptions.