[EdwardseanRyan]

Recently a colleague and I were schedule to fly on a United Airlines flight from Boston to San Francisco for a conference. Unfortunately two days before we were supposed to leave our Senior Vice President of our company passed away unexpectedly. For a company of our size it was a devastating loss, which was compounded by the rules, regulations and attitudes of United Airlines and the reservationists when we went to cancel our trip.

With all the bad press the airline industry has been receiving lately, how can you in good conscience can United charge an individual $100.00 per ticket for canceling their reservation? It is obvious these seats would have been sold at a higher rate to another passenger who couldn’t get on a canceled flight by another airline.

Even though our company might be small we do travel extensively and provide travel services and recommendation through our website and numerous magazine publications. After this recent experience with United Airlines I would never recommend your company and would find it hard to even recommend it as a back up when traveling.

[ChrisH]

It is extremely unfortunate what happened to your companies VP. The airlines have policies, like any company, and they must be obided by, no matter what the circumstances. Please read the contract of carriage of the airline that you fly on next, and it will explain "cancellation fees", "change fees", etc. ALL airlines do it.

[EdwardseanRyan]

I am the travel manager and regional director of travel for the company I work for. This company is a publishing firm that has numerous travel based magazine and products. United was the first company to institute the additional fee based structure years ago. Delta America USAirways and a few others were to follow.

First of all, last year one of our employees' mothers died unexpectedly and we had to cancel her trip which she was on a Northwest and American flights. The service personnel I spoke with at both airlines were able to give her full credit for each flight even though their policy said they "Could Charge".

Unfortunately with United their off shore reservation person couldn't have cared less about "why" this reservation was being cancelled. Airlines do have the ability to evaluate each cxl on a case by case basis. United just chooses not too.

[Silent Bob]

Normally if show proof of bereavement United will give full credit/refund without a charge. I don't think it's the company as a whole who is charging you, rather an individual who is upholding policy. Try taking your case up with another agent or a supervisor as not everyone is heartless or a stickler to the rules. I find the agents at United are most helpful in comparison to other airlines.