My sis-in-law’s mother is in dire straights…she apparently had a heart attack a couple of days ago…
Tonight I get a call from the step-mom, help us get sis-in-law to Tucson so she can be with her momma…nothing I did would seem to work. I was willing to put it on my credit card to get her out in the morning because that’s the earliest anyone can get her out of C Springs.
I reserved her seat, I reserved all I could under a hard-ship thing…and it’s still a fucking 650.00 round trip fuckin deal…that’s fucked up. Yes, let’s get people down when we can, they don’t fucking care, they just want to see there loved one.
THAT’S FUCKED UP big time…a person seeing their beloved mother, possibly for the last time should be able to have a seriously reduced fare…this is fucked up. I know capitalism…blah, blah, blah, but if it were my company, hardship fares would be half of standard fares, not some fucking $650.00 for round fucking trip…I know, I know, no one knows for truth that my sis-in-law’s mom just had a heart attack but sheesh…this is fucking bullshit.
Well fuck this idea of corporate America giving a shit about true problems…guess I should get used to it.
It is fucked up, Tech’ems, but try to look at it from the other side… if they offered a Hardship Fare, do you know how many people would lie to take advantage of that? I think you’d agree that those sorts of people are reprehensible to the nth degree… and it’s because of those people that companies can’t afford to have the slightest shred of compassion.
Aren’t there service clubs you could approach there in the States, like Lions or Rotary or whatever – they might consider a help-out, given the circumstances.
I thought that the airline gave partial refunds or credits to those with a death in the immediate family. Show a copy of the death certificate and death notice to prove kinship and they’ll give you some money back (after the trip).
I’d phone the social work department at the hospital - they may have access to a limited number of cheap or free tickets if the travel is booked by them.
You could also try a couple of travel agents in your SIL’s area - they might just have some extremely cheap or complementary tickets you can access under the circumstances.
Sadly, too many people become gravely ill each day for it to be financially viable for airline companies to offer relatives reduced fares (although the international airlines do have a system for transporting people overseas for life-saving treatment at heavily discounted rate or free of charge), and the system would be extremely open to abuse.
I can’t think of any other options offhand, but I’m wondering if your credit card company could suggest something - they often seem to be closely connected with travel companies and airlines. Maybe it’s worth giving them a phone call.
When I had to fly to Michigan for my grandfather’s funeral, I went through a travel agency. All they asked me was his name and the name of the funeral parlor. After they verified the info, they gave me free tickets for the next plane out. No hassle, took 10 minutes.
When my aunt died, my parents called a half dozen different airlines asking about hardship/bereavement fares. The least expensive fare they could get was $450.00 per ticket, after the bereavement discount, and the airline required a letter from the funeral home to be presented on the return trip or we’d have to pay the difference at that time.
I feel terrible for anyone stuck having to take a plane trip in such rotten circumstances, but I have to admit that I have never understood why airlines should give people discounts in such cases. We don’t expect other businesses to subsidize us in times of distress. Why should airlines?
I think it’s just good business. A death in the family so often requires airplane flights at the last minute that the airlines will compete for that market. And people are likely to remember the airline that was really nice to them when they needed it.
Exactly what I was thinking. Do you know how many people hang around hospitals for no damn good reason, even at times they aren’t getting out of something. If the airlines gave a discount for that, why not family problems. Like say your nephew throws a ball thru a window and your sister needs you to be an arbitrator against the cruel and inhumane brother-in-law. You get 50% off the ticket, right? That is a stupid example, but not any more stupid than what people can think up, everyday.
My bitch is that the tickets cost $650 and if one had anticipated a heart attack 14 days in advance, one could call all relatives that live out of state and tell them to book their flights to save about half of the airfair.
Gee, that would be nice if only the relative would be aware that they were going to have a serious health problem so the family isn’t putting themselves in financial crisis…not that bro and sis-in-law can’t pay for the amount. The problem is, many people can’t afford such an exorbitant (sp) amount to fly to see their family member alive and possibly for the last time.
I realize they are in business to make money but why strap the people that have to leave last minute for a family emergency? If it were a business, no big fucking deal, they write it off on their taxes.
I think it’s fucked up…you can’t change my mind, it aint gonna happen.
It’s the sucky thing about moving far away from home. You just can’t be there on short notice. Not without paying the same price businesspeople do for their no-advance-notice tickets. Even the bereavement fares aren’t that helpful. I’ve missed several family funerals I really, really wanted to attend but I couldn’t swing spending an entire month’s worth of daycare to go to them. My other family members were able to drive to all of them because they’re not far-flung.
I dunno if I think it’s fucked up so much as, well, unfortunate. We miss other things, too. My mom didn’t come to my baby shower, either. She did have advance notice, but it made a lot more sense for her to spend the money on a better-timed trip. Had we lived closer, it woulda been something she drove to. She also wasn’t here to see her grandson right away. It’s a big country.
