Airline leaves woman angry
A Niagara Falls woman says she was left frustrated and angry after an airline refused to extend her travel voucher after she was diagnosed with cancer and unable to take her scheduled flight.
“What happened was not fair and I think it is wrong,” Susan Crane said.
In March 2015, Crane was scheduled to fly from Buffalo to Missouri on Southwest Airlines when she encountered a woman desperate to get a seat on the same plane.
“She was crying and upset. So, I got off and gave her my seat. I don’t begrudge getting off that plane.”
Crane, who travels frequently to Missouri via Southwest, was given $751 in travel vouchers from the U.S. carrier.
The vouchers had to be used within 12 months.
In September 2015, Crane was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm and doctors advised her not to fly.
She contacted the airline, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and was granted an extension.
After her doctors gave her the green light to fly again, she booked two weeks off work in July for a much-needed vacation. She planned to use her vouchers, which expired in early September, to cover the cost of the flight.
A trip to the doctor, however, abruptly cancelled her travel plans.
“On July 6, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I wasn’t going any where.”
She underwent a double mastectomy in August, less than two weeks before the vouchers were set to expire.
“I called (Southwest) and they said there would be no refund or extension. They said there was nothing they could do for me.”
On July 6, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I wasn’t going any where.” Susan Crane
But, all might not be lost. After Crane shared her story with The Review, she received a phone call from a Southwest representative who told her the airline would like to work with her to resolve the situation.
In an email to The Review, a company spokesperson said the representative who made the decision not to extend the voucher a second time was following the established policy,
According to the airline’s website, “validity of (vouchers) will not be extended and any unused value will be forfeited upon expiration.”
“But, due to the extenuating medical circumstances, someone from our customer relations team will reach out and work with Ms. Crane on the exception,” Lisa Tiller said in the email.
Crane was told to provide a letter from a physician confirming her medical condition prevented her from flying.
“The lady I talked to didn’t think she would be able to provide another extension but we’ll wait and see,” Crane said.
While acknowledges it went against the airline’s policy when they granted her an extension the first time, she feels the corporation should offer a second extension due to her unexpected health issues.
“I didn’t ask for an aneurysm,” she said. “I didn’t ask for breast cancer.”