Scolded

Long story short: I had a romantic getaway to Florida planned for this weekend with Mark.  I came down with the flu the day before we were supposed to leave, so we decided to cancel our trip.  I called Delta to explain what happened and asked if I could cancel the ticket because I'm sick and get credit (not a refund) to apply to a ticket in the future.  Delta said ok we'll give you credit and cancel your ticket, but we are charging you a $200 change fee UNLESS you can provide a note and contact information for your doctor verifying you are in fact sick with influenza.  

I feel like all I've heard from my doctor friends and the news about influenza is the following:

• it is a virus, it has to run its course, doctor can't provide an Rx (unless it turns into pneumonia or something bacterial)
• influenza is epidemic this year because the flu shot this year was the wrong strain
• medical facilities are over run with people coming in with flu symptoms and they can't do anything for them
• given all the above, don't go to the doctor for the flu--you'll just get other people sick and be miserable in a waiting room instead of your comfy bed

I thought it was lame of Delta to charge such a high fee (that's practically the cost of the plane ticket!), juvenile to be willing to waive the fee with a doctors note like I'm some lying child (trust me, no Minnesotan is going to cancel a warm weather getaway in January unless they are REALLY sick), irresponsible for them to enforce a policy that is not in the best interest of the health of the wider community, and a complete waste of healthcare resources and dollars.

So I sent my doc an email this morning asking if she'd back up my influenza without actually making me come in, and then I wrote a Yelp review expressing my displeasure with Delta's policy.  Shortly after posting my one star review of this experience, I got a note from another Yelper.  It's copied below, did I deserve that?  I guess he has a point, but I think he's an ass.  And I still think Delta's policy is dumb.  So there.

"You're a bit of an idiot.  You made an agreement when you bought the ticket.  Don't blame Delta because you bought an extra-cheap ticket that was non-changable.  That was YOUR choice.  You could also have bought insurance in this situation.  Yeah, shit happens...deal with it and stop whining like a baby.  I'm not a fan of Delta, but in this situation they are doing the right thing."