I have booked flights for my elderly parents at Christmas. Their health is always a concern and insurance is almost impossible to obtain. I booked the flights with continental, which has the following policy:

Refund Request for Non-refundable Tickets — Unplanned Event
Continental will refund change fees and tickets in certain cases. All requests must be received before the expiration of your ticket and must be accompanied by proper documentation (see below). Once received, if applicable, a refund will be provided to the original form of payment minus a $50 USD processing fee*. This policy applies to the illness or death of the traveler, traveling companion, or immediate family members.


Mr Branson may well have a smiley face, but he runs one of the more unfriendly Airlines (in my humble opinion - sorry, don't want to offend Virgin fans, of whom there are many, I'm sure).