A grieving couple had to wait nearly three months for a refund from Wizz Air when they canceled their flight after their son died unexpectedly.

Emma Whale and her husband James were planning to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in Italy in September.

But tragedy struck when their 21-year-old son Marcus died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage while on holiday in France on August 31.

The heartbroken couple had to cancel their holiday to grieve for their eldest son Rowan, 24.

They also had to arrange for Marcus to be returned to the UK and organize his funeral, which took place in October.

The couple had booked their flight from Rome to London with Wizz Air through an online agency.

Lawyer Emma, ​​53, contacted the company to request a refund and sent them a copy of Marcus’ death certificate.

But after a nearly three-month wait, they were only able to receive a refund of £235 (€282.98) for a one-way flight earlier this month.

Marcus Whale, 21, died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage while on holiday in France in August this year.

Marcus’ parents, Emma and James, were planning to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in Italy the following month but canceled after learning of their son’s death.

Although they contacted the company to request a refund and send them a copy of Marcus’ death certificate, they were able to receive a refund for a one-way return flight earlier this month after a nearly three-month wait.

“It’s morally reprehensible,” Emma, ​​from Basingstoke, Hampshire, told What’s the Jam.

‘What could be worse than losing a child and having to jump through hoops to get a refund? This is the clearest case.’

He added: ‘We explained what we experienced.’

Healthy Marcus had a condition that went unnoticed and undiagnosed throughout his life.

The bartender, an aspiring wine connoisseur, woke up feeling unwell and then fainted during an eight-day holiday in Bordeaux.

While Emma was at work, she received a call from a French doctor with the news that Marcus would not make it. The family took the next plane to France.

Emma said: ‘Marcus was always strong and healthy. She was in the prime of her life, a normal, beautiful young man and having a great time on holiday.

‘I received a call from a French doctor saying that he had suffered a brain haemorrhage and that it was a very serious outcome.

Happier times in the Whale family (left): Marcus, older brother Rowan, father James and mother Emma

The bartender, an aspiring wine connoisseur, woke up feeling unwell and then fainted during an eight-day holiday in Bordeaux.

Marcus’ mother, Emma, ​​received a call from a French doctor while at work with the news that Marcus would not make it.

‘It went out like a light. I asked if they could wait until we got there, and they said they would do their best.

‘We flew to France and were at his bedside that night. They did tests and he was declared brain dead. This is a nightmare. He donated his organs and saved many lives, so we are relieved.

‘We are a hard-working, good family and have had quite a fascinating life. I don’t know anyone around me who was unfortunate enough to lose their child. It’s scary, but that’s what fate offers us.

‘He didn’t suffer, he just left. Bad things happen to good people and it sure sucks, but there’s always someone worse off and you should try to find a silver lining.’

Emma and James, 55, had planned to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary in Tuscany, where they spent their honeymoon.

They ‘couldn’t imagine’ leaving Rowan at home and going on holiday after their sudden loss.

Emma said: ‘Apart from the grieving, we had a lot of formalities to attend to, such as bringing Marcus home from Bordeaux and arranging his funeral.

‘We definitely couldn’t afford to go on holiday. We have another son and we desperately needed to be together.’

He claimed: ‘It may not be a lot of money but it’s the principle. This is shocking behavior.

‘They need to improve their systems to prevent other families from experiencing this situation.’

The delay was due to the couple booking through an online travel agency and not directly through the airline.

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: ‘We are sorry to hear about the heartbreaking circumstances that led to the customer’s trip being cancelled.

‘Once appropriate documentation has been presented, we have issued a full refund to the original payment method for the booking; in this case this was done to the online travel agency through which the customer had booked.

‘We always recommend booking direct to avoid any complications.’