What would you do? AITA?

[Wookie]

Eat it, and be glad it wasn’t you that was hurt

 

[arkstorm]

To promote a culture of safety in the sport, we as divers should never demand a refund if an emergency causes a dive trip to be cut short because we don’t want to disincentivize dive operators from making correct conservative decisions.

If you were the diver having an emergency, you wouldn’t want the dive operator to have to choose between helping you and losing money on the trip.

Very recently, I was on a dive boat when one diver suffered a critical life-threatening emergency (likely CO2 hit). The crew of the boat jumped into action probably saving the diver’s life. The diver is lucky that the crew knew exactly what to do, had the right equipment on board, no panic. One of the guests was a trauma nurse and she stepped right in to help as well.

For those divers on the boat doing a double dip, the second dive was cancelled as the boat hurried home to hand the victim over to waiting first responders.

Not only did it not even cross our minds to ask for a refund, but everyone tipped the boat crew without regard for the missed second dive.

This is the community mindset in diving. We support each other, and the dive operators, or there will be no more diving.

 

[therookie]

I would expect to have to eat it. Once back at shore and certain the affected diver was squared away as much as possible, I would ask the dive shop (in private) what their policy was in this case just in case I was wrong in my expectation. And I would accept their answer without fuss.

 

[Tom_Ivan]

I'd ask the dive operator to be taken out on their next planned trip for free.

 

[runsongas]

can't really expect a refund since the reason it was cut short was out of the dive ops hands

check travel insurance terms

but operator should offer a discount on a future trip for good will

 

[Sascha314]

Well
Any diver can abort a dive at anytime for any reason. And its a medical, I want to be taken care of with priority as well.

I would not expect a refund, although of course would not be happy with it either. Az least I would not ask for it.

As far as the operator is concerned of course its a financial issue for him. Personally I would have tried to give some perks for tje customers, that is some kind of voucher, extra tip ... something that would cover some (all) of the costs of the shop, but would save the customer some money. But that I would not expect.

Maybe you should check your insurance if that may cover it.

 

[Zef]

I don't understand the comments stating the diver should "eat it" or should check their insurance to see if it covers a the loss/refund. The operator should either have insurance or allocate funds for these kind of contingencies. Good customer service would never have the customer asking for a refund, it would be offered by the operator without the need for discussion.

-Z

 

[James79]

If the dive op cancels due to weather, conditions at the site, boat problems, etc. I've always been refunded or a voucher/rain check offered. Those are just as "outside of their control" as a medical emergency. I don't think expecting to be refunded for a service paid for but not provided is unreasonable, unless I am the reason it's not provided. Doesn't mean I'm going to be rude about it. Doesn't mean I think the second dive should have been a priority. Just means that the right thing starts with taking care of the emergency, and ends with squaring the business side of what was paid for vs. received.

Respectfully,

James

 

[34109411]

Looking for advice on what the typical diver would do in this scenario. We booked a two tank dive. We completed one dive and had to miss the second because of a diver in the group who had difficulty breathing and had to be brought back to shore. Would you expect a refund for the second dive you did not complete? Or do you just eat it? Obviously don’t want to be the Ahole since it was because of medical event and we obviously feel terrible what happened to the diver (who is okay btw). But seems standard to get a refund if only completed half the dives through no fault of our own? But also not fault of dive shop either

unload the guy from the boat and bring me back diving.

 

[Rilelen]

We had a similar situation happen (diver went missing on a live drift, and we all missed the second dive). The dive op offered us all a credit for a free trip in the future, and honored it when I called them a year later to ask if the offer was still good.