Airfare For LODD's

[x635 4,066]

Last week, I wanted to attend the services for FF Joyce. I, like many, was very shaken up by it and would have liked to have paid my respects.

However, the airfare for a last minute ticket is outrageous, and I didn't have the funds.

I think that the National Memorial Firefighter Oranization and others should partner with airlines to offer discounted rates for FF's wishing to attend services for the fallen. Same for PD and EMS.

My only question would be how to prevent abuse?

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

Last week, I wanted to attend the services for FF Joyce. I, like many, was very shaken up by it and would have liked to have paid my respects.

However, the airfare for a last minute ticket is outrageous, and I didn't have the funds.

I think that the National Memorial Firefighter Oranization and others should partner with airlines to offer discounted rates for FF's wishing to attend services for the fallen. Same for PD and EMS.

My only question would be how to prevent abuse?

I was talking to a retired FDNY friend the other day at FF Joyce's funeral and he told me of a buddy of his from San Fran FD who Flew to Boston to honor a fallen brother. While in the air, it was arranged by both unions to pick up this FF and take him to the funeral. He attended, and was back on a plane to San Fran that same night. Maybe they arranged between UNIONS to have the trip paid for or maybe this FF just paid out of his pocket.

What if you paid upfront to attend and then have National Memorial FF organization reimburse you? I guess you would have to prove to the airline that you were infact going to attend the funeral but how do you prove that?

[abaduck 123]

This seems to have been something airlines have tightened down on in the last couple of years. I've been unfortunate enough to have to return to Scotland several times in the last few years, due to death and serious illness in the family. I always flew Continental (since they were the only airline flying nonstop from New York to Scotland), and they would waive the advance purchase requirement for cheap tickets in such situations. Technically, you were supposed to obtain a note from a doctor or hospital confirming the situation, but in practice they usually waived that too.

That changed about two years ago; they scrapped the waiving of advance purchase, and simply gave a flat 10% discount on the fare - which usually meant a pretty small discount on a very high fare. Given that that's the best they're willing to do for close family, I wouldn't hold my breath on getting any help at all for LODD. Those high-priced last minute seats are often the *only* ones on the airplane that they make a profit on!

A tip I've found helpful: when traveling last-minute, it can be much cheaper to book a short break vacation, including a cheap hotel room. You then just don't bother using the hotel room if you don't need it! I've done that more than once; the short break was considerably cheaper than the cheapest flight-only deal I could find.

Edited October 12, 2009 by abaduck

[AFS1970 504]

It wouldn't have helped with a long distance trip from Texas to New York, but I know Amtrak is very accommodating for LODD's. Amtrak ran a special train for the Worcester 6 funeral. I base this on talking with out of town firefighters I have met at funerals. I kept meeting the same two guys from Delaware at funerals in New York, for a while. I have heard but can't confirm that Amtrak conductors will waive the entire fare on a space available basis in this situation.

As for Airlines, they all make some kind of accommodation for death of family members. How to translate this into the extended family that is the fire service? I don't know. I am not sure there is any reliable way to confirm that any one of us is part of any given "sea of blue" at a funeral. I suppose the first step would be requiring flying into the closest airport. Now this is easy in NYC (or another major city), but harder in other areas. There might have to be a restriction on returning within 24 hours or something similar.

Coordinating between unions is one way, but that does not address those of us who are not union firefighters and might still wish to pay our respects. I think an umbrella organization like the NFFF is probably the best, but I don't know if there is enough of an interest for them to get involved. How do the firefighters who already travel across the country do so? I have met firefighters from Canada, California, Texas and Florida in the New York area at funerals, but I have never asked. I know in some cases the department or the union picks up the cost.

[gamewell45 258]

I think its a very noble idea, but if the airlines partner with one group then they'd end up having every group in the world demand the same treatment. I think the concept of having the fire union's pick up the tab for airfare might be more workable and easier to accomplish as opposed to approaching the airlines for ticket relief.