Thought there would be someone here that would know about these things.

The situations is this;

My step father is not doing very well and has just been put in the hospital. Things do look very good at this point, I am told. Although I hope they turn for the better, he has been sick for while but not this bad. I have to think about flying on a moments notice.

How is this done so you don't have to pay the huge amount in ticket prices when booking on a moments notice? Any special things to ask for? Do I tell them it's a family emergency? Any help or comments would be really appreciated on how this works. I hope the big lugg pulls through this but I feel he might be out of fight.............I love him so much. :yes:

Thanks
Joe

Fortunately I haven't had to do this in awhile but I have done it. If the rules are still the same, when the time comes that you must fly the airlines will want to know the name of the hospital or funeral home and pertinent information like hospital room number etc. They will call and check and get back to you or give you a number to call.

Prayers for strength and healing for all of you.

Not sure how much airlines are actually helping folks these days....but I think they are called "Bereavement fares' (sp?)....probably need to call the airline who runs most of the flights from the two locations and see what their policy is.


Good luck....our prayers are with you!

Dan

sorry, but as you know, I don't know crap... other than 67s rule...

I can keep you and your family in my prayers... :yes:

sorry, but as you know, I don't know crap... other than 67s rule...

I can keep you and your family in my prayers... :yes:
67's rule?..come on Buck i thought you were a truthfull person..:p

Fortunately I haven't had to do this in awhile but I have done it. If the rules are still the same, when the time comes that you must fly the airlines will want to know the name of the hospital or funeral home and pertinent information like hospital room number etc. They will call and check and get back to you or give you a number to call.

Prayers for strength and healing for all of you.
Times have changed and this is not the case any longer. HIPAA laws prohibit any information be given out by health care providers without said persons written authorization. Might be the case postmortem and funeral home, but not with a hospital.
I hope your father is doing better and will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Joe sorry to hear about a sick family member no matter whose family

here is what Deltas website shows
http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/special_travel_needs/bereavement/index.jsp

Here is a Google Search
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLR,GGLR:2005-52,GGLR:en&q=airline+Bereavement+fares%27+

You would have to figure out which airline services yours and the family members area and go from there. Also I have found Airlines will and do accept faxes from the Red Cross as well and thats just more help in getting things rolling when and if that time comes. Each hospital will have a Red Cross rep there and they can fax worldwide. Be very careful though as some use the highest fare to discount and still dont go as low as that airlines lowest published fare. Also I noticed that most of the airlines dont have this fare listed and you have to call their reservations desk and ask for it.

Thoughts and prayers go out from Hawaii for your Step Father and family

Another option would be to go to a ticket broker in your city and buy a "frequent flier" ticket someone else sold them. For example, in Dallas, there are a couple of brokers I can sell my American Airlines miles to, where enough miles for a round-trip continental US ticket gets me ~$350. The broker then sells that ticket to someone like you for $500 or so. Depending on your needs, you can save a lot of money.

First of all, I am sorry to hear of your family illness. I hope all works out well. Now, secondly, i disagree with Buck. If anyone knows crap, he does. He has two big dogs.

Everyone thank you for the thoughts and prayers, then really do mean allot. Also thanks for the humor from some of you, that really helps to get chuckle when you need it!!

Thanks for the information that has been supplied. I have some looking to do on my end and sure helps to post here to make that search a little more easy and see people with ideas and comments about the subject.

I have never posted here about an issue like this but have seen many and replied to some. Even though this is an online forum we all make friends here and when we can put faces to names like I did with the Power Tour stop in Little Rock all pretty cool. Even with no faces to the names you all have made me feel much better reading responses to this post giving your help and sending your concern, thoughts and prayers.

All I can say is thanks, it means allot. :yes:

Joe