From: "Dr. D. Kossove" <doctordee@telkomsa.net>
Subject: AIR FLIGHTS  EXCELLENT
Date: Sunday, October 12, 2003 5:25 AM

sources of financial help; air fare, places to stay

 Delta SkyWish/United Way of America           1-800-892-2757, x285

 This is an excellent program that uses a bank of frequent flier miles to
provide free flights for medical treatment to a patient and a companion.
The treatment must be for a life threatening condition, all flights must be round trip and domestic.  Doctor verification is required.  You can only use the program once every 6 months.

 Mercy Medical Airlift/America West              1-888-675-1405

 As with the Delta SkyWish program, you can only use it every six months.
Mercy Medical purchases tickets for the patient and a companion on America West.  There is also paperwork required for this program and they need to receive it 2 weeks before the actual flight. Doctor verification is required as well as a statement of financial need (to be provided by a minister or social worker).

 Corporate Angel Network                               1-914-328-1313

 Companies who wish to remain anonymous donate unused seats on corporate jets.  No limit to the number of times you can use them but they can't always find a flight at the time you need to go.  They have a backup travel agency that gets pretty good rates with no charge for canceling the reservation if Corp. Angel finds you a flight.

 Continental Special Programs                            1-800-468-7022

 This program is only available if you are being treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX or at John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, CA.  The program allows you to purchase tickets with no restrictions (e.g. even if you make the reservations just a week in advance, you can get the same price you would have gotten had you called 21 days in advance, etc).  You will need to contact one of the two treatment centers listed above to get a patient record number before you can make the reservation. In addition, you will need to obtain a signed affidavit from the center verifying your appointment date and present it when you purchase the tickets.

 AirCare Alliance/NPATH                                    1-800-296-1217

 This is a referral agency for the various programs available.

 AirLifeLine
1-800-446-1231
 Miracle Flights
 1-800-359-1711
 Angel Flight
 1-310-390-2958
 Wings of Freedom
 1-407-363-1991

 Discount Travel Agents (nothing to do with cancer)

 Fly For Less  1-800-359-4537
 TFI  1-800-745-8000
 Cheap Tickets  1-800-377-1000

CALL THE NATIONAL PATIENT TRAVEL HELPLINE AT 1-800-296-1217 for personal assistance. It is staffed live 9am to 5pm Eastern Time Monday thru Friday.  After hours help is available within 10 minutes of leaving an after-hours message marked urgent.
You can also apply for personal assistance online by filling out the online referral forms on our Patient Travel Resources page.

 