Humanity in business

I am astounded by the lack of basic human kindness I'm experiencing in general customer service these days.

In particular I'm going to name and shame EasyJet - for its astounding lack of compassion and understanding. 

Yes I know it is a budget airline - but that doesn't mean it shouldn't have some scruples does it?

Sadly a close family member of mine has had a traumatic time recently due to serious  illness and was due to fly on an EasyJet service this month - but unfortunately the date clashed with a life-saving operation so obviously the flight couldn't have been made.

The company is refusing to give a refund, but is instead (after a battle) offering a credit voucher which runs out in six months.  Now this family member is due for more treatment lasting more than six months and is not keen on booking a flight without knowing how they are going to be feeling. Obviously.

So they thought it perfectly reasonable to ask for a refund and book again when fully recovered.

When this was explained to the 'customer service' supervisor, they basically shrugged their shoulders and said tough. Take it or leave it.

Now I may be biased in this particular case - but on a more general point - surely when a case is clearly extreme circumstances and sensitive - some basic human decency wouldn't go amiss?

Or is the era of goodwill well and truly dead now?

Is the world of business now so cutthroat and cruel that those operating in it cannot afford to show some compassion now and again?  I truly hope I never work for a business with that kind of attitude.

And I definitely won't ever be flying with EasyJet again - I have well and truly learned my lesson.