Sometimes it all works out -

[calmloki]

So we flew down to PalmSprings to see the gal's Mom - didn't get the tickets bought with 14 days notice, so they were spendier. OTOH, gal has an Alaska Visa card that allows a free companion ticket - nice bonus for a $75/annum car. Afet applying the companion air free ticket it only cost $85 extra for me - total about $650 for us both, but a stright through ,no stops flight that would get us in at 1:30. Got to the airport this AM and the flight was overbooked and they wanted some volunteers to take a later flight. That flight would have put us in PS at 9:30 - not worth it for the $200 each credit they offered. then they said they could get us in at 6:30 - m'kay, that sounds like ok wages. asked if they could throw in some meal vouchers and they could.. more later.

 

[NW-Bound]

I can't help if the following story makes anyone envious, but I've got to tell it now. This happened several years ago.

We were going to San Antonio from Phoenix for a vacation. We didn't pay anything for the tickets as they were from frequent mileage. The flight was overbooked, and since we were on vacation, we volunteered and were picked. For compensation, we got a pair of domestic round trip tickets to any destination that this airline served. AND they got us on a flight to San Antonio with another carrier. This one flew direct (our original flight got one stop), left less than 1 hr after the original one, and got us there before the original flight.

So, from a pair of free tickets sprung another pair, and we got to San Antonio even quicker on another carrier.

How lucky is that?

 

[calmloki]

K, here's the rest: They were going to fly us up to Seattle, then down to Sacraon to, then on to PS - first leg to Seattle was at 11:15 or so. The gal heard an announcement for a flight to PS; "last call for passengers Joe Bob and Allice Smith, Joe Bob , Alice Smith?". She hotfooted down to that gate and asked if they didn't have two openings on that flight - why sure enough, they just did! That flight had a single stop in San Jose and was scheduled to get to PS at 2:30, about an hour after our straight through original. Cool! We board and find the stewardesses trying mightily to get us seated together - they were awful embarrased that no one would move to allow that, so gave the gal a bottle of wine as an apology and thanked us for being so understanding - shoot, we were happy to be flying! Did get us seated together from San Jose - other slight problem was that our luggage went on the original straight through flight, so we would have to pick it up at the baggage office.

Flight got in 10 minutes early at 2:20, we went straight to the baggage office and uh-oh - no baggage. After we explained the circumstances the nice lady said "oh, that straight through flight had a medical emergency and had to land in Ontario - it just got in a few minutes ago and the luggage is on the carousel still - and sure enough, there were our bags!

So two RT tickets cost about $250 after we load the two $200 credits into our accounts. Only bad thing is i managed to lose The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need. Just bought that copy for $2 and have read enough to know i'll spend full price if i have too... Gave a new copy to a nephew who really should read it, but doubt he will.

 

[NW-Bound]

I see that you fly down to see Mother-in-law often. Wouldn't it be cheaper to move her up to one of your rentals?

 

[calmloki]

I see that you fly down to see Mother-in-law often. Wouldn't it be cheaper to move her up to one of your rentals?

Much. Of greater import, I wouldn't have my gal gone for weeks at a time! Guy could starve to death. Thing is, MIL & FIL bought smart 30 years ago near the edge of the Joshua Tree National Monument and built their own home. The ten mile view with very few roofs in sight in 3 directions is pretty darn special here. Can't offer her that up home - also anything under 83 degrees is "bitter cold". At 94 she's got no desire to move, and my feeling is that someone who gets to that age and is a nice person has a Golden Ticket.

 

[NW-Bound]

I wouldn't starve as I have learned to cook for myself. But I would miss her.

I have often seen nice houses built out of nowhere in the desert. A lonely house on a hilltop with trees, or an empty seashore, I wouldn't mind. But the desert? I guess we are all different.

Anyway, I just remember now on our lucky trip to San Antonio, there were another couple who volunteered, but we got picked over them. The reason: we were traveling with only carry-ons, while they had checked-in luggage that had to be pulled off the aircraft. One more advantage to traveling light!