Whilst that is a tragic story, I completely agree with the view that this is what travel insurance is for. When people are happy to book a cheap flight you accept the terms and conditions and all airlines strongly reccomendaions you take out travel insurance to cover events like this.
I cannot comment on the 'rude' staff with the 'crap attitude' but all calls are recorded and by all means pass it on that it would be investigated if a complaint was made. Staff are never intentionally rude, the full conversation will be on record. However rules are rules, and if one exception is made then why the hell would anyone ever stick to the rules again?
If there was such an issue, I would strongly suggest you complain by the official methods and not on here so something would be done about it. However Zag23, you mentioned the crap attitude of the staff, you haven't exactly set a good example on attitude they way you responded to flybar who was giving a perfectly valid answer to your post. If thats the attitude and tone the Jet2 staff wwre faced with them I'm really not surprised they were shirty. I fully understand that it can be frustrating, and yes before you have a pop at me for being insensitive, I have been in a very similar situation myself and yes we dealt with it like adults as the marvellous Thomas Cook were just as helpful as a chocolate teapot.