Re: Plane tickets...off topic

[Guest guest]

Connie -

Congrats on the surgery date! I am sorry that I did not respond sooner to

your great news. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer last week

and I have been very busy keeping her spirits up and taking her to doctor

appointments.

I am also interested in any information on travel arrangements. I am hoping

to have the lap DS done by Dr. in Georgia in February. My husband and

I were on vacation in California a few years ago when he got sick. I checked

into coming home early (why pay for a nice hotel room and rental car if you

can't enjoy it). I knew that there was a $75 per ticket penalty to change

the ticket. I figured that the $150 total would still be cheaper than

staying the week. What no one tells you is that you are going to pay a

PREMIUM price to get a last minute ticket with less than 7 days advance

notice. Instead of a round trip ticket of $219, it was going to go up to

$625 plus the $75 charge!

So, if we don't know if we will be in the hospital for 4 days or 14 days, how

have those that have flown made arrangements? Also, my husband and I usually

purchase 3 coach seats (we are both large). Has anyone used Priceline for

First Class tickets? I wonder if it would be close to the same (using

PriceLine) as it would be for 3 coach seats.

Thanks!

in Illinois

[Guest guest]

Hi Y'all - I'm a travel agent - I'll be happy to help you look for good deals if you want but, here are a few quick thoughts. Open tickets are VERY expensive. You can change the return on your ticket for a $75.00 change fee if you can get the same class of service that you had before. that little letter k,q,v next to your flight number. If you book your reservation for the longer period and decide to go back earlier you have more control than if you want to extend - once you miss your flight they have the upper hand in the game. most often 21 day advance purchase tickets are the cheapest, followed by 14 and 7. Saturday nite stay is the other piece for getting a less expensive ticket. And of course...all bets are off over the holidays - too many travelers - very few deals - hope this helps!!!! Happy thanksgiving....

W

Pre -op Dr.

Denied on 10/26 and fighting mad!!! - Prudential POS

5'5'' 301 - BMI 51

Mire fuera de Prudencial, está muy enojado....

[Guest guest]

I'm not a traveler, so I really have no idea how to do these things. Do I have to see a travel agent, or can I order them online or over the phone? If I have to wait until I'm ready to come home, I can't order

Dear Connie,

I suggest that you call a Travel Agent and order an open date ticket .. if you are making them at least 14 days in advance-- then when the time is close you call the airlines and see when they a seat available .. they almost always hold some out for same day boarding at the airport on all flights.

Your sister could do the same thing ... yours would only need to be open on the return flight. Hope this helps ... Judi In MS

[Guest guest]

Sherri, Hope you had a Happy THanksgiving. Unfortunately, you must sit in a seat when you fly. There is no place on a place for a wheelchair and no way to keep it locked down.

If you are to large for a regular seat then I guess you'd have to buy 2 - which is still a lot cheaper than 1 first calss or business class seat to Spain. If you do end up going to spain your best airfares will be during the winter - Nov 15 to March 15th (dates may vary with airlines) - if you travel during the winter its possible that there will be empty seats on the flight, without having to buy an extra, but no guarantee - it kind of stinks. A child traveling to Europe gets a discount - I don't know if an MO person can buy a ticket and a child's ticket, or if you have to buy 2 adult tickets.

How large are you? I'm right at 300 with BMI of 51 - and I can fit - uncomfortably, but I can do it.....with a seat belt extension -the rest rooms are a challenge though.

If you can't do your surgery in the winter choose spring and fall, the "shoulder seasons" - less expensive than the summer which you really want to avoid. Summer is June 1 thru Sept 15 (usually)

If you rent a wheelchair and plan to take it with you they can check it at the gate, after you get on the plane, and bring to back to the gate to help you get off.

I know that this it really not what you wanted to hear...Sorry.....

W

Pre -op Dr.

Denied on 10/26 and fighting mad!!! - Prudential POS

5'5'' 301 - BMI 51

Mire fuera de Prudencial, está muy enojado....

[Guest guest]

A round trip first class ticket to spain costs in the vacinity of $6,000....ick!!!!! pretty discouraging....2 coach tickets during the winter from ATlanta would be between 800 and 1100 for both - ($450.00ish each) but you've gotta buy your own drinks and you don't get linen tablecloths......

W

Pre -op Dr.

Denied on 10/26 and fighting mad!!! - Prudential POS

5'5'' 301 - BMI 51

Mire fuera de Prudencial, está muy enojado....

[Guest guest]

, maybe you can help me. How do people in xtra large wheel

chairs fly? Do stay in your chair? How do they do the pricing?

I may have to go to spain for my surgery and I am way to large for

the seats on an airplane. I also cannot walk more than a few feet.

So, I may have to rent a wheel chair for the trip. Thank you for any

information!

> Hi Y'all - I'm a travel agent - I'll be happy to help you look for

good deals

> if you want but, here are a few quick thoughts. Open tickets are

VERY

> expensive. You can change the return on your ticket for a $75.00

change fee

> if you can get the same class of service that you had before. that

little

> letter k,q,v next to your flight number. If you book your

reservation for

> the longer period and decide to go back earlier you have more

control than if

> you want to extend - once you miss your flight they have the upper

hand in

> the game. most often 21 day advance purchase tickets are the

cheapest,

> followed by 14 and 7. Saturday nite stay is the other piece for

getting a

> less expensive ticket. And of course...all bets are off over the

holidays -

> too many travelers - very few deals - hope this helps!!!! Happy

> thanksgiving....

>

> W

> Pre -op Dr.

> Denied on 10/26 and fighting mad!!! - Prudential POS

> 5'5'' 301 - BMI 51

> Mire fuera de Prudencial, está muy enojado....

[Guest guest]

Generally the first class plane seats are much wider than the tourist class..

----- Original Message -----

From: trebor610@...

If you are to large for a regular seat then I guess you'd have to buy 2 - which is still a lot cheaper than 1 first calss or business class seat to Spain.

[Guest guest]

Oh well. Maybe Dr. will finally send in my LOMN and get Cigna to approve. I hope so, I really don't want to go to Spain...at least for this reason. I am 481 lbs. so I can't even imagine how I could sit in an airliner's seats. Thank you for the info.

Re: Re: Plane tickets...off topic

Sherri, Hope you had a Happy THanksgiving. Unfortunately, you must sit in a seat when you fly. There is no place on a place for a wheelchair and no way to keep it locked down. If you are to large for a regular seat then I guess you'd have to buy 2 - which is still a lot cheaper than 1 first calss or business class seat to Spain. If you do end up going to spain your best airfares will be during the winter - Nov 15 to March 15th (dates may vary with airlines) - if you travel during the winter its possible that there will be empty seats on the flight, without having to buy an extra, but no guarantee - it kind of stinks. A child traveling to Europe gets a discount - I don't know if an MO person can buy a ticket and a child's ticket, or if you have to buy 2 adult tickets. How large are you? I'm right at 300 with BMI of 51 - and I can fit - uncomfortably, but I can do it.....with a seat belt extension -the rest rooms are a challenge though. If you can't do your surgery in the winter choose spring and fall, the "shoulder seasons" - less expensive than the summer which you really want to avoid. Summer is June 1 thru Sept 15 (usually) If you rent a wheelchair and plan to take it with you they can check it at the gate, after you get on the plane, and bring to back to the gate to help you get off. I know that this it really not what you wanted to hear...Sorry..... W Pre -op Dr. Denied on 10/26 and fighting mad!!! - Prudential POS 5'5'' 301 - BMI 51 Mire fuera de Prudencial, está muy enojado....