American couple had to spend $6500 to change flight from New Zealand: what happened

Terrible news can hit you at the most unexpected times, even when you're away from home enjoying a vacation. For an American couple, Todd and Patricia Kerekes, their trip to New Zealand turned into a nightmare when Patricia was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.

Faced with an urgent situation, Todd and Patricia requested a flight change from Air New Zealand to return home and begin treatment. However, this step cost them a considerable amount of money - $6,500, which became an unexpected necessity in their dire situation, HindustanTimes reports.

The story of Todd and Patricia Kerekes shows how important it is to have the support and understanding of airlines in case of emergency. Although Air New Zealand later apologized for the inconvenience, their decision cost the couple a costly lesson in the need for flexibility and support in difficult times.

What happened

Todd and Patricia Kerekes traveled to Auckland from New York and planned to stay until April. However, Patricia, a U.S. citizen, was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer and her surgeon advised them to take immediate action before returning home.

When Todd tried to change his flight, he encountered long delays and was shocked by the amount he was asked to pay to change his ticket.

"And it was a whole series of long pauses, and I couldn't figure out if they were consulting with their colleagues or working on it on the computer or what it was. But I had to go through a whole series of waiting periods of 15-30 minutes, and sometimes people would come back and tell me something I didn't want to hear, like it would cost me NZ$13,000 to change my flight," he commented on the situation in the media.

According to him, the cost of the ticket was four times higher than the cost of flights. As it became known, the 60-year-old man tried to protest the price for 4 hours, trying to get a more reasonable price.

"They were not rude or unkind, they just said: "Look, that's the way it is and there's nothing we can do about it." The situation I found myself in, they couldn't have been more helpful," Todd said.

It is worth noting that after a large-scale protest, the couple apologized to the airline. Air New Zealand's general manager of customer service, Alisha Armstrong, noted that they are ready to fully reimburse the additional costs incurred by changing their original flights.

"Our compassionate fare policy is designed to help our customers in the event of an unexpected medical emergency or bereavement to book a flight at the last minute or provide flexibility to easily make changes to existing bookings," she said in a statement.

The incident sparked outrage among Todd, who spent valuable time arranging a replacement flight instead of spending it with his sick wife. Despite all the difficulties, Kerekes finally returned home on February 26.

We would like to remind you that an unfortunate incident occurred on board WestJet. According to TravelWise, a passenger who frequently went to the toilet was kicked off the plane.