Are stopover and layover the same?

A layover is any connection between flights. This could include a stop as short as 30 minutes (depending upon the airport) or as long as four hours (or up to 23 hours and 59 minutes on international flights). It’s ok to use layover and connection interchangeably. A stopover, however, if …

In the olden days I could get a refund of a non-refundable ticket for a medical reason with a doctor’s note. Is that still the case?

In the olden days, when non-refundable also meant non-changeable, that was indeed true. However, that practice was virtually eliminated when airlines began allowing the value of non-refundable tickets to be retained for future use, minus a change fee. Some airlines may reduce or waive the change fee with appropriate documentation. …