xxx--large companies do not donate money because it "makes them feel good." They do so in part because of the tax write-off, but also because it's good PR. It gives the public a warm and fuzzy association with a company's name.

I don't like the idea of bereavement fares to begin with, particularly when the policy seems to indicate that traveling because a loved one died is somehow more important than traveling to see a loved one who is still alive. We all travel for different reasons, and as we all know, we all seem to pay a different fare. Yes, and airline provides certain discounts, such as senior and children's fares, but try to imagine the logistics of basing fares on people's reasons for traveling!

Well, there's a world of difference between traveling for a loved one's funeral and travel to visit a loved one. The difference is that in one situation, you can take advantage of advance purchase fares, and it is called a vacation; for the other, you can't. Seems to me that if you're going to give a discount, you might as well do it for something that has a societal benefit -- helping families get together during difficult times.

Interesting, also, is that the most right-wing, hard-line people on this thread object strenously to helping out people facing this sort of family emergency, but I would guess that they usually hold themselves out as pro-family. Hmmm.

Jay, nice cynical response ... or rant. You've given the issue a lot of thought, have you? So, when someone screws you over it's just the old law of the jungle at work, and who's to complain, right? I just bet when you took American History, you fell asleep about 1910 and snored all through the consumer revolution. You missed an important trend in the 20th Century, Dude. Or else you are in dire need of a refresher course. Can someone give our friend here a glimpse of the social contract? Ciao

Hmmm, what a conversation.

I think some of you are being sensible, and some of you are simply misguided. But, it IS a fact that airlines are businesses, and such seek as a primary goal the maximization of shareholder value. Period.

Now, how they do this is where things get cloudy. Customer satisfaction is certainly an element contributing to the overall health of any business, although it may be difficult at times to quantify the exact nature of this relationship. Especially in businesses where competition is not consistently a factor. I get lots of competition and great fares in my town, but my friend 200 miles away does not, and is essentially stuck with one airline for most flights out.

One thing I do know - people time and time again say they would pay more to fly on Midwest Express, if the routes were only available. ME is a model for customer satisfaction within the domestic airline jungle. It would be interesting to hear from someone who has had experience obtaining "bereavement" fares from ME. In every other aspect of their business, it is clear that customer satisfaction is paramount, and I'm guessing they do a pretty good job on this as well.

Anyone with this info? I ask because I am convinced we as Americans are willing (collectively) to pay a bit of a premium for better service, if only it were "buyable". This tells me that customer service/satisfaction IS important to some businesses....if for no other reason than the fact that it can affect the "bottom line".

What in the world makes you think your entitled to a bereavement fare? Why does the airline have to offer a bereavement fare because you lost a loved one. Granted that is a difficult thing to deal with, but a bereavement fair is not a right it's a customer service oriented perk. I tell you what..next time I can't "get" something because of the cost involved, I'll call you because "you have more than me and it's not fair!!!"

Gimme a break!

I guess your "entiled" to other things too like health insurance or government assistance.

Why is it easier for so many people say it's everyone for themselves, rather than be on the side of sympathy and compassion?

Just Wondering-It's the ME attitude that is prevelant in this country that is the problem. Lack of compassion and manners is commonplace. Everyone is out for themselves. Sad, but that's what we've become. God help us if we ever have a national crisis or world war again.

To 'just wondering':
Speaking as a business owner I will answer your question about why compassion and sympathy don't rule the business world.
BECAUSE WE'D GO BROKE!
It's pretty simple.
You take enough hits to your profit margins then you can't pay competitive salaries to get top employess and then your entire business starts heading downhill and the story ends at Chapter 11.
To Leone:
Theoretical economics often has VERY little to do with the practical day to day issues involved in running a successful business. Ask anyone who's been to B-school and then run his/her own business how well all the theoretical issues actually helped them grind out the daily issues of running things.

I don't know anything about archictecture so I would never presume to try to tell an architect how to do his job.
People who have never run a business (or at least carefully studied business), I'm willing to bet, are the ones here whining for the airlines to cough up cut rate tickets because it's the "nice thing to do".
What a boatload of crap.
Pretty damned tragic when someone's house burns down. Does the Ritz Carlton hotel down the street owe them a cut rate room?
If you answer yes, you're hopelessly beyond help and should try to find a commune somewhere to go hide away from real life.

We are talking about a very small minority of passengers who are travelling because of a death in their family. Certainly, businesses must remain profitable to continue, but I think that there is room for a little compassion, too. I don't advocate free rides, just the same discount that they offered other passengers on that same flight. It's not right to gouge someone just because they didn't have the option of planning ahead.

Dearest Grip,

Thanks for setting me straight on how tough it is to eek out a meager profit running an airline in an oligopoly with a Republican in the White House. Particularly if you and all your buddies in the airline industry have already been busted once for price collusion. Guess that's why they all want to just merge and be done with it.

As for getting discount seats or hotel rooms or whatever, you're right there, too. Of course, the first thing a business should do when they know someone is in dire need is jack up the price. Discount? Not when there's a buck to be made.

That gives me a great business idea. I'll start a service that monitors reports of home fires. Then, I'll provide the victims' names to all the local hotels, and these victims won't be offered the low rate others are paying; they'll be offered the special tragedy rate -- highest possible price! Once I get going real good, I'll also include the names of those recently evicted or foreclosed. Want to get in on the "ground floor" on this one? (Get it? That's a little hotel humor just between us big bad business owners.)

I have to say I thought that was pretty funny.

We had a positive experience with US Airways in regard to a bereavement fare. Last year we had to leave the following morning (making reservations at 8PM the night before) going from NY to FL. We ended up paying full coach fare but was told by the agent to call back upon our return home and speak to a manager in regard to our situation. She would note our situation on the reservation. I called upon our return home and they reimbursed us for more than half the ticket! They were the ONLY airline willing to help us.

Last summer when I needed last minute flights due to my mother-in law's death I had an idea - there are so many people who have more frequent flier miles and vouchers than they will probably ever use, why not do something to help others in need and sell them off? It could even be like an e-bay site where frequent flier miles(of course they would have to be transferable)would be auctioned off.For some family memebers the choice to attend a funeral means either go in credit card debt for the flights or don't go at all. And there sits business travelers with more miles than they know what to do with. It was just a thought I had when I was so frustrated having to pay last minute outrageous fares and the plane was half empty.

Mr. Grip, with all due respect, I'd might ask a B-Schooler to implement a solution, but never find one. We're a global society ... but we know death and illness will occur, and we need to be able to travel quickly to where we're needed when we are. Sort of the human version of "just in time" used by industry to manage inventory. Same approach avoids disrupting life by pre-postioning ourselves merely to respond to an event that will occur sometime. So, what are the two things we cannot avoid? Death ... and taxes ... speaking of which, lets step outside the box for just a moment or two, and think about the 1040. When Congress saw a growing citizen push for public funding of elections, it authorized the optional dollar check-off. A beautiful concept of individual freedom earmarking funds for a specific goal. We are a country of user fees ... think about interstates the next time you gas up. The trust fund and "pay as you go" ... or closer to our issue, that tax on your airline ticket ... and that trust fund which provides new runways, radar, etc. So, being totally outrageous now, what about am Airline Travellers Bereavement Fund? On your ticket, an optional dollar check-off for this dedicated fund, to be used by eligible travellers in times of major illness and death to close family. To be operated by airlines, who will establish the eligibility policy, pay themselves whatever they believe is a fair fare for each B ticket, and reimburse themselves off the top for all administrative costs. And the part you'll enjoy most, bring in the B-Schoolers to handle the B Fund and keep it flying. We've complained enough ... now lets create some options. The ATB Fund is one. Ciao

Maybe you've found your life's work, L.
Chuck that government position and go do something that makes a visible difference, and is for the betterment of society.

I'm afraid the safety conscious would miss my contribution ... since we try to find solutions to equally perplexing problems. The highway trust fund example is one I know quite well ... it has all sorts of workable beauties ... and the more I think about it, the less hokey the ATBF version seems. In fact, I wonder what the public response might be if an airline were to announce it was considering such a B Fund policy on is own. Some would say "sucker" ... but firms are always trying various techniques to establish their niche. Recently, as New Yorker pointed out, Dan Rather announce CBS Evening News would not report the Chandra Levy case (policy since abandoned). Some viewed this as niche marketing ... cynically, I might say. So, the idea of a B Fund would not seem to be more abberant. Ciao

Compassion-I wasn't talking about just randomly going to visit a loved one, but when that person is sick. When my grandmother had a stroke, I flew home that same day, so I could see her while she was still alive. What good would it do to go to her funeral, after she's dead? But airlines only give bereavement fares for deaths.

And, Compassion, "pro-family" is not something a political party can latch on to. There are strong, closely knit Republican families, just like there are strong, closely knit Democrat families. And for every Bill Clinton and Gary Condit, there's a Newt Gingrich and Henry Hyde. Neither party has a claim on morality or lying and cheating. It's a personal thing, not a political thing.

And for the rest of you complaining that the world's falling apart, you obviously aren't paying attention. Divorce rates hit a high in the early 1980s, and have been steadily falling since then. Murder and rape rates are at their lowest across the country in 30 years. We have the highest literacy rates in history. In my neighborhood, which is so new that no one has lived there for more than 2 years, people routinely gather together to help out a neighbor in trouble, or just to have a party.

So if you want to go back to the "good old days", when a black man couldn't get served in a restaurant, when polio was crippling my father, when people in Minnesota didn't have indoor plumbing, when life was great only if you were a white male, when politicians were screwing around, except the press didn't tell the public, when women routinely died in childbirth, when most poor children couldn't read, you go right ahead. We live in a golden age right now, and if you can't recognize that, I feel so very sorry for you. Why can't you enjoy life instead of wishing for the way things never were?

Thank you for your thoughts, Jim. I agree with you wholeheartedly, so I must have misunderstood you completely.

And as for my point about hard-liners, having a policy to help you visit a dying loved one or meet with family after the death is pro-family, and I was surprised that so many conservative people had such a strong knee-jerk reaction and are unwilling to consider some sort of initiative here, even if it isn't through government mandate. (And I thought bereavement fares were available for serious illness, with a doctor's certification).

Take care. You sound like a great guy.

Yes, I'd have to say Jim is a person who feels compassionately about what he feels and thinks ... I like that, a lot. Nice perspective ... we are in a golden age ... time to enjoy what we have, not fret about what we couldn't have. But we have to take care we don't undershoot. I really like my idea about that check-off. Most of the time I'm for fun, but from time to time, I get serious. This bereavement fare issue is certainly one I hope stays alive ... somehow it needs to be brought to the attention of the airlines. Afterall, what do the demographics indicate about our aging society. Maybe this is an issue whose time has arrived. Ciao

Why should the airlines be obligated to help you out in a crisis?

For one thing...usually when you fly, you fly a distance...if a relative dies (especially a close relative) and you need to get home, the airline should at least have the courtesy to offer the absolute lowest fare possible. I mean the fare one gets when they book in advance.

I was on a flight this past November that I couldn't get a seat on for a relative because the airline was charging an outrageous fare...guess what...there were at least ten seats on that plane that were EMPTY....that annoyed me to no end. While this has nothing to do with bereavement, the fact remains that there ARE empty seats on planes (I happened to be going to a popular destination during Thanksgiving week, FLL) I thought all the seats would be jammed. NOT!

Airlines are getting more arrogant every day, and until people get together enmasse it will only get worse!

I can't imagine having to pay anything over $400 for a bereavement fare! Anything more than that is heartless!!!!!