US media is reporting on a cancer sufferer who has had his request to cancel payments for Vail Resorts' seasonal 'Epic Pass' lift ticket rejected by the company, despite the fact he won't be able to make use of it this winter.
The skier concerned was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June and now faces around five months of chemotherapy. Even in the best-case scenario he does not think he'll be skiing this winter.
In the circumstances he tried to cancel his $899 (£685) Epic Pass which had 'auto-renewed' but was told he would have to pay for it even though he couldn't use it. Vail Resorts said he should have purchased optional lift pass insurance which would have allowed him to reclaim the cost in the circumstances.
The skier, who was quoted in Colorado media as thinking Vail Resorts' position "Kind of petty and greedy," advised skiers to take the insurance.
Vail Resorts, which operates 18 ski areas in North America and Australia, has reported revenue up 6% to $1.8 billion and net income up 73% to $463.6 million for the first three quarters of the fiscal year – despite below average snow conditions at many of its resorts last winter, particularly in its home state of Colorado.
Analysts are reporting the success is down to a number of factors including locking in lift pass purchases well before the ski season begins with its Epic Pass so it has lots of money in the bank regardless of how the season plays out in terms of snowfall.
Recently Vail reported Epic Pass sales for 18-19 were up, again, on the same time last year, by 12% in sales volume and by 19% in revenue generated.
The reports say that Vail Resorts will take the $899 from the cancer suffering skier's account in September.