airlines....some offer military discounts others don't, wonder why?

[phorsenuf]

Mu son is flying home from Germany in 2 weeks to recover from some surgery. He just found out his surgical date so we were pricing flights. They are like $900-$2,000! (because of short notice)
I figured I'd call the airlines and ask if they offer military discounts. I was able to find him a flight from Germany to Boston for $491!!!!! I called 9 different airlines and only 2 offered them.
I wonder why some do and some don't?

 

[Trinity721]

Hi! I did a lot of flight shopping before DH was deployed. Since we lived in Chicago and he was in VA or FL, he came home about once a month. Most of the airlines I called did offer military discounts, but usually on certain days. I usually went through United or Southwest, and both offered military discounts. Maybe it's a lot different for international flights. But for domestic flights it was fairly easy to find an airline that did military discounts. Hope all goes well with his surgery!

 

[ErikdaRed]

The discount is to show support for the work that the military is doing, its not mandated or anything. Also, can't active military get free flights on military planes, just need to work around the schedule?

 

[SplshMtn99]

Just a question about the military discounts. Do you need to be on active duty or official business? Or can you get it simply with a military ID card & apply discount to a pleasure trip for instance.

I cannot believe I never thought to ask for a military discount on pleasure flights. Duh! I ask on EVERYTHING else!

Recently found out that our vet offers a 10% military discount -- but only found out after going there for 15 years & spending a fortune on 1 particular sick kitty. Who would of thunk to ask at the vets?

 

[Trinity721]

Free flights for military? Where is this??? I have been booking flights fo my DH every time he came home on leave for the past 2 years, and not once did we ever get a free flight. He is active duty.

As far as I have experienced, DH has never had to have a reason for his travel. I book the flights over the phone, and they do not ask me what his reason for travel is. They just make sure I know that he must have his ID present. He simply presents his military ID when he checks in to get a boarding pass. And his trips home are never on official business, just to see his family here.

 

[ErikdaRed]

As I said, I'm not sure but I thought I heard of my friends (officers if it matters) deadheading (on cargo planes mostly). The only catch is that they would leave from only bases and at weird hours.

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by Trinity721
Free flights for military? Where is this??? I have been booking flights fo my DH every time he came home on leave for the past 2 years, and not once did we ever get a free flight. He is active duty.

As far as I have experienced, DH has never had to have a reason for his travel. I book the flights over the phone, and they do not ask me what his reason for travel is. They just make sure I know that he must have his ID present. He simply presents his military ID when he checks in to get a boarding pass. And his trips home are never on official business, just to see his family here.

I think Erikdared must be thinking of Space A flights.

Yes, those are free to military, but there are so many restrictions on them that they are NOT a good way to travel. A few hitches to Space A travel:
--they only go base to base, so if you're trying to get somewhere where there's not a base nearby, you're out of luck. And they only go to certain bases, not all of them. Oh, and they don't publish schedules anymore due to security.
--military member must be in a leave status before they're allowed to sign up on the waiting list....makes planning impossible
--those in a leave status are a couple categories down in preference for the seats available...so they're less likely to actually get a seat
--you can be bumped at any time by those traveling on orders...so they could get half-way there and get bumped at a stop-over
--your return flight is handled completely separately, so even if you do get where you're going, you may not get home

Space A is good for those with no deadlines, but as we all know, leave is only for a specified amount of time....

And no, officer or enlisted has nothing to do with it. Active-duty, retired, and dependants are all in different categories, though.

For the OP--will the military not provide transportation home for your son? I would think they would provide him official transportation home to recover..... Before you buy a ticket, make sure he asks. If his doctors think it's ok to recover at home, perhaps they'll fly him home under orders (for free). Good luck and hope he's on the mend soon!!

 

[Trinity721]

Thanks Katie, for explaining that. Yes, that definitely does not sound convenient AT ALL even if it is free! I don't even want to think about how much we spent on his trips home....but we both like to think that it was worth every penny.