Un-Fare Deals?

I have no idea who gave you such wonderful rate information for emergencies on TWA to St. Louis (“Coping With Sudden Death,” Travel Insider, Jan. 26).

In August last year, I returned home after a visit to Quincy, Ill., to see my ailing mother, who had a pacemaker installed. Two days later, Mother was rushed to surgery for a blood clot.

I called TWA and explained the situation. I was told that the cheapest medical emergency fare to St. Louis (which included a commuter flight to Quincy) was about $990 round trip. I wound up flying standby on another airline.

At a brunch later with friends, we were all talking about how much the emergency fares cost. Nearly everyone had been caught by one, at an average cost of about $1,000.

SANDRA GUEGEL

Seal Beach

Editor’s note: TWA spokesman John McDonald replies, with apologies, that he accidently gave incorrect information on the TWA bereavement/medical emergency fare between LAX and St. Louis. On Jan. 26, it was $795, not the $198 quoted.

It was after opening ceremonies of the Atlanta Olympics that I flew out at 2 a.m. to go to my father’s bedside, wait out his last illness, plan and attend the funeral, and spend some time with my mother in the Washington, D.C., area. Three and a half months later, my my brother died, and I again went east for a family funeral.

I have never paid so much money for airline tickets as I did for these two “compassion” fares: $724 on Continental, $875 on American.

I think these fares are outrageous! If the airlines can sell the neighboring seat for much less, why can’t they also do that in a life-and-death emergency? If I’m not in that seat, it’s empty, and the airline gets nothing.

What I think the airlines should do is sell those seats for $150. If airlines can offer nearly free passage to employees, they can certainly do it in this instance.

ELAYNE SHOCHET TATAR

Los Angeles