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Londoner
25th Mar 2001, 03:05
I'm cross-posting to a couple of other forums. Here's the situation - bit of a complicated one:

I need to get to the Netherlands from San Francisco probably at the end of next week or early the following week in order to accompany someone who is sick back to the US. The sickness involved is not physical and involves severe anxiety/panic attacks.

She has a business class ticket booked on KLM, which should be transferrable to another airline.

I don't really care too much about how I get out there (though ideally a direct flight would be good, since I plan to turnaround immediately). However, for the return portion I do need to be seated next to her for, hopefully, obvious reasons. Given her condition, I do not want her sitting in economy, and a direct non-stop flight is preferred for that segment.

Perhaps this sounds cheap, but does anyone have any thoughts as to how I can get out there and fly back with her in business class without having to pay for a full business class fare? At this late date, even economy round trip is turning out to be $2300 on KLM.

If necessary, I will pay whatever I need to, so if I have to do full fare I'll do it but I'm ever hopeful of another solution.
I've already tried the frequent flyer miles route and that doesn't seem to offer any options. I was wondering about "jumpseat rides" to get myself over there, but not sure how that works. I have no connection with an airline, so I'm pretty sure that rules out US carriers (somehow I don't think my US student pilot certificate would cut it...) I'm not sure whether non-US carriers are less restrictive than US ones in that regard.

I know that the most obvious solution is that she doesn't travel until she's better, but she wants to come home and we also don't know when she will get better.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

David.
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Londoner (edited 24 March 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Londoner (edited 24 March 2001).]

ExSimGuy
25th Mar 2001, 14:38
I'm afraid that with your PPL, you have absolutely zilch chance of a jump seat with a US carrier - it's illegal.

Even with non-US carriers, jump seats are usually only given to non-staff as a courtesy for a period after take-off and before landing, not to non-ticket pax.

Have you tried Virgin or one of the other "cheaper" carriers for the outbound? Don't think you have much chance of getting KLM to do anything for you other than full one-way business class for the return sector (which may cost more than a return ticket!)

Good luck!

BayAreaLondoner
25th Mar 2001, 21:23
Many thanks for the info!