United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Yikes, I just got off the phone with Continental Airlines. Their special medical rate would cost us $510 for each ticket. That's with a 75% discount! I don't understand why it is so high. Has anyone gone through the program at American? I'm scared to just book a regular flight off the Internet since we'll be out of luck if we miss our flight home for some reason. I'm going to try Southwest but I don't think they have a direct flight out of Philadelphia! Any ideas?
Thanks,
Rachel

Flying direct is definitely the better option if you can do it. We almost always fly Southwest (not many choices in our neck of the woods) and have had good luck with flight changes. We've had to stay an extra day and were even released early one time and neither time did they charge us to change our tickets eventhough we had the nonchangeable internet fares. If you have enough notice, you should be able to get some specially reduced tickets. Good luck!

Rachel, We flew roundtrip Chicago to Texas a few weeks ago. The tickets would have cost us $575 each. When we found out the price, we considered cancelling the surgery until Spring Break was over and the prices went down. My husband called American Airlines directly and told them the reason we needed to fly was not for pleasure but for surgery. They gave us their "compassion" rate, which dropped the price to $389 each. (That was the total price with tax)
Have you checked Francine's web site for traveling? It has some ideas on how to get free or reduced airfaire. Also, if you need a hotel, the Best Western on Old Spanish Trail has a medical rate of $64 which includes free continental breakfast. Good luck, I know how stressful it is when you are already under enough stress!

Try an organization called Pilots for Christ. They flew my daughter and I out to Houston for nothing. They are pilots who volunteer their planes and their time to help people like us. They were wonderful. They didn't want to fly us all the way to Houston from where we live in Alabama, so they flew us to New Orleans then paid for our tickets for Southwest to fly us on to Houston and the return fair was covered. I think the web site is www.pilotsforchrist.com
Jana

Rachel,
Go look at this site: http://www.patienttravel.org/
They should be able to help you find a way to get to your surgery destination!
Kristie

Hi, Rachel. The reason the tickets are so expensive even with the discount is b/c that's most likely the price for a fully refundable / changeable ticket. To me, it's a waste of money getting that kind of a ticket b/c you could spend much less on a non-refundable and non-transferrable ticket. Even if something changes this time, it is quite likely that you'll be flying there at some point. Right? So, the worst case scenario would be changing both flights -- there and back. Even if you were to do that, you could most likely find a lower fare. Plus, as Stacy pointed out you might not even have to pay for a change anyway if you explain the reason for the flight change. Another thing you could do to help avoid making a change is to put a little cushion in the stay. Nicole's last surgery was on a Monday. We were told she'd be discharged Tues or Wed so I booked the flight home for Wed afternoon. That worked out perfectly. She was discharged late Tues and we went to TCH Wed a.m. for an outpatient OT visit to check the splint, then flew home that afternoon. I didn't book a Tues evening or Wed morning flight b/c I didn't want to cut it too close. Southwest was great for us, but I think you're right about them not flying directly out of Philadelphia. I like Southwest b/c they don't assign any seats and when you have a child who needs assistance you can pre-board and have pretty much the first pick of seats. Plus on the way back, you can ask to get on first before any other pre-boarding passengers so that you can select appropriate seats that will best accomodate the splint. We haven't tried any of the specials through American or Southwest yet b/c the insurance always reimbursed us for Nicole's and a companion's tickets, but we'll check them out in the future. I've read of others having great success with the programs though. I hope all goes well. -Tina

RAchel do you have Aetna US healthcare?? I forgot...

well if you do....you buy two tickets at that price and they will pay you back for them so that if you have to change the departure, then you and amanda are covered. By your husband's ticket regular..cheap...with the penalties...should be $240 or something like that....

If you do not get your airfare refunded to you...then I'd call angel flights or miracle flights or one of those and just get them to bring you down there...

http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/travel.html

southwest does not fly out of philly...

hope this works for you,
francine

Bumping Up
Carolyn J
LOBPI/75++++ [and lotsa time lol]

I love to fly, but can not afford the tickets! Plenty of resources waiting to be found.

Good luck and SMILE!

Tony/ASC
ROBPI/Adult