It is one thing to gripe about a delayed flight or rude airline employees, as I frequently do on this blog. But the ultimate example of bad customer service is, without a doubt, being killed in a plane crash.

Technically, you wouldn't have anything to complain about, since you would be dead. But your relatives would.

So as we ponder the first major airline crash in the United States in about four years -- the tragic deaths of 49 passengers on Delta Flight 5191operated by Comair -- let's review what your relatives' rights are when you lose your life in a crash.

The contract of carriage -- the legal agreement between passengers and the airline -- doesn't specifically address a passenger's death. As a practical matter, the airline would have broken its contract, since it did not transport you from point "A" to point "B" and (I realize this is splitting hairs) a full refund would be in order.

Compensation is normally tied to the amount of insurance an airline has, and my understanding is that typical settlements are in the seven figures. Relatives of air crash victims rarely make it all the way to court, because airlines are normally eager to settle. Delta's bankruptcy, by the way, would probably not affect an insurance payout in a meaningful way.

And speaking of insurance, this is one of those rare times that buying that travel policy that covers accidental death would have been a good idea. Your relatives would be getting a double payout. Not that any amount of money would be enough to make up for the loss of a loved one.

Here's hoping that the question of compensation for air crash victims remains an academic one for anyone reading this blog entry. And if it isn't, then let me offer my sincerest condolences.