I cancelled my flight due to a death or illness. Can I get a refund?
What Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia and AirAsia say about bereavement and medical cancellations, the documents to send and where to go if they say no.
Sometimes, but it depends on your fare rules and the airline's compassionate policy. Qantas, Jetstar and AirAsia each consider these requests with documents such as a death or medical certificate, and the result is often a credit rather than cash. If the airline says no, the Airline Customer Advocate reviews complaints about Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia.
Rather not chase this yourself?
Ajust writes to the business, tracks the deadline and escalates if they don't fix it.
Can you get a refund if you cancel because of a death or illness?
Sometimes. When you cancel, the outcome comes from your fare rules and the airline's compassionate policy, so it varies by airline and by what happened. A request with the right documents, made in writing before the flight, gives you the best footing.
Jetstar says its bookings are generally non-refundable but that it may offer different options on compassionate grounds. Qantas runs a compassionate fares program for the death or grave illness of a customer or an immediate family member, on Qantas-operated flights, with supporting documents.
| What happened | What the airlines' published policies say | What to send |
|---|---|---|
| The passenger has died | Virgin Australia's policy allows a full refund of the deceased passenger's unflown flight, requested by the executor or administrator | Death certificate and proof you act for the estate |
| An immediate family member has died | Qantas lists this as a compassionate refund category. AirAsia considers it but still charges cancellation fees | Death certificate or funeral notice, and proof of relationship |
| You or a family member is ill or needs surgery | Qantas covers grave illness under its compassionate fares. Other airlines decide case by case | Medical certificate saying you cannot travel on that date |
| The airline cancelled the flight | Different rules apply. See our guide on airline cancellations and credits | Your booking and the cancellation notice |
AirAsia charges cancellation fees per passenger and per flight, even on a bereavement cancellation. Its support page defines immediate family as a spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters and grandparents.
Ajust has handled over 40 cases about flights cancelled because of a death, illness or surgery.
- In these cases, the typical amount at stake is about $710.
- When Ajust secured a confirmed result in one of these cases, it typically took about 13 days.
- A result is often a travel credit rather than cash. In Ajust's Jetstar cases the credit typically lasted 18 months, and Virgin Australia refused cash at every level of complaint.
- In Ajust's cases, a chargeback through the card issuer pushed Booking.com and Gotogate to a full refund.
What should you do first?
Cancel or ask for a change before the flight departs, then put a compassionate request to the airline in writing with your documents. If you booked through a travel agent, the request goes to the agent.
Step 1: Gather the documents
Get a death certificate or funeral notice, or a medical certificate that says you cannot travel on the booked date. Add proof of relationship if the person who died or is ill is a family member, and your booking confirmation.
Step 2: Ask the airline in writing
Use a channel that gives you a written record. Ajust's recommended channels:
- Jetstar: the written complaints form, which gives you a case reference to quote in follow-ups. Jetstar also takes compassionate requests through its own request form.
- Qantas: the Customer Care complaints and claims form.
- Virgin Australia: email to VirginAustraliaCustomerCare@virginaustralia.com.
- AirAsia: email to callcentresf_au@airasia.com with your booking number.
- Aunt Betty: email to assist@auntbetty.com with your booking reference.
Subject: Compassionate refund request – [booking reference]
Hello,
I am writing about booking [booking reference] for [passenger names], flying [route] on [date].
[Name and relationship] [passed away on [date] / was diagnosed with [condition] on [date] and has been advised not to travel / needs surgery on [date]]. [I am the executor of the estate of [name], who was a passenger on this booking.] As a result, [I am / we are] unable to take this flight. I am requesting cancellation on compassionate grounds before departure.
Attached are [the death certificate / the funeral notice / a medical certificate dated [date]], proof of my relationship to [name] and the booking confirmation.
I am asking for a refund of $[amount] to the original payment method. If you can only offer a credit, please confirm in writing its value, its expiry date, whether it is in my name or the passenger's and whether any change or cancellation fees will be deducted, so I can consider it before accepting.
Please confirm the outcome in writing within 14 days of this email. If I do not hear back by then, or the request is declined, I will ask for an internal review and then take the complaint to [the Airline Customer Advocate / my state's consumer agency].
Regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]
Step 3: Ask for a review if the first answer is no
Reply to the decision in writing and ask for it to go to an internal review or a supervisor. Quote your case reference and keep every reply.
What if they refuse?
Ask for an internal review first, then take it outside the airline. For Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia that means the Airline Customer Advocate, once you have exhausted the airline's own process.
| Where | What it covers | When you can go |
|---|---|---|
| The airline's complaints team, then an internal review | All airlines and travel agents | Straight away; get a reference number |
| Airline Customer Advocate (1800 813 129) | Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia only | After you have exhausted all avenues with the airline |
| ATIA complaints process | Travel agents accredited by the Australian Travel Industry Association; not all agents are | After the agent's own complaints process |
| State or territory consumer agency | Any business, including overseas airlines selling in Australia | After the business has had a chance to respond |
The interim aviation industry ombudsperson has no formal resolution or investigative powers, because the scheme is not yet legislated.
If the airline doesn't resolve it, it can be escalated to the Airline Customer Advocate, a free service. Ajust handles the escalation for you, including the internal review that has to come first.
The Aviation Consumer Protection Bill 2026 would set up an aviation ombuds scheme for complaints. It was before the Senate when this page was checked on 22 October 2026, and the scheme is expected to start in 2026/2027.
Tell Ajust what happened and we do the heavy lifting for you. Emails, calls, escalations until it's resolved. While you get on with your life.
Get help from Ajust
What doesn't work
- Treating "non-refundable" as the final word. Jetstar and Qantas both publish compassionate options that sit outside the standard fare rules.
- Asking without documents. Qantas asks for supporting documents and AirAsia asks for proof of relationship, so a request without them stalls.
- Asking only by phone. A call leaves no record of what was offered. Put the request and any offer in writing.
- Accepting a credit before you know its terms. Ask for the value, the expiry date and any fees in writing first.
- Going to the Airline Customer Advocate too early. It takes complaints only after you have exhausted the airline's own process.
- Making the request for a passenger who has died without estate papers. Virgin Australia's policy routes these through the executor or administrator.
Common questions
I booked through Aunt Betty or another travel agent. Who do I ask?
Ask the travel agent first, since it holds the booking and deals with the airline. If it won't help, use its complaints process. The Australian Travel Industry Association runs a complaints process for accredited agents, but not every agent is accredited, so check before you rely on it.
The airline offered a credit instead of cash. Should I take it?
A credit can be a fair outcome if you will fly with that airline again before it expires. Before you accept, get its value, expiry date and any fees in writing, and check whose name it is in. If you won't use it, say so and ask again for cash.
The passenger was the person who died. Who can make the request?
Usually the executor or administrator of the estate. Virgin Australia's policy allows a full refund of a deceased passenger's unflown flight when the executor or administrator supplies proof, and lets them choose the original or another form of payment.
Does the compassionate policy cover my grandparent or sibling?
It depends on the airline's definition of immediate family. AirAsia's covers a spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters and grandparents. Qantas refers to an immediate family member. If the person isn't covered, make the request anyway and explain the relationship.
Is anything changing in how airline complaints are handled?
Yes, but it is not law yet. The Aviation Consumer Protection Bill 2026 would set requirements for airlines and an ombuds scheme for complaints. It was before the Senate when this page was checked on 22 October 2026.
I've asked twice and the airline keeps saying no. What now?
Stop repeating the request on the same channel. Ask in writing for an internal review with a 14-day deadline, then take it to the Airline Customer Advocate or your state consumer agency. This is the point where most people hand it over: Ajust runs the review and the escalation for you.
- Department of Infrastructure, Making a complaint about an airline
- Department of Infrastructure, Aviation consumer ombuds scheme: progress and next steps
- Parliament of Australia, Aviation Consumer Protection Bill 2026
- Qantas, Compassionate airfares
- AirAsia, Cancellation and refund
- Virgin Australia, Void, cancellation and refund policy
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