tmelanio

I am retired. Is it against airline policy or regulation to market yourself part-time as a flight companion for the flight challenged such as children or the elderly? Having perks would be a huge complement to such an undertaking. Has anyone done this?

LondonElite

It's not against airline policy (since how you advertise yourself is none of anyone's business) but I don't think you're going to find too many parents willing to let their children travel with a person promoting themselves as a retired travelling companion.

tmelanio

I am retired, thus I am available. I should think most parents would not even consider even an established and reputable companion service since most airlines offer services far cheaper if not free for children travelling alone. And I am not a qualified care giver for the elderly.

However, a group of up to 8 healthy adults simply flying with me receive:
Choice at booking of economy plus seats
Three 70 lb priority handled luggage allowance each
First class check-in, a shorter security line, and boarding group 1
A good chance for CPUs for two if I donate mine
I can escort one into an international Star Alliance Lounge

Is there a market for this? Would I be violating United policy by letting strangers share my perks by paying to fly with me?

The problems inherent in accompanying an individual or group is that I am going to need an additional RT sandwiched in between their stay to get back home until they are ready to return. And it would probably be cheaper if one person simply purchased a first class fare. However a group would probably save by flying with me if they wanted economy plus seats or a larger luggage allowance, although it would probably be far more convenient to simply pay United for them without me in the middle.

Perhaps the only salvation in offering such a service is to make it a full service:
Flight Search - help with luggage - transportation to and from the airport - escort to 1st class check-in, escort through elite security, escort through boarding group 1, escort to connecting flights, escort through immigration and priority baggage claim and customs, escort into a star alliance lounge, and a priority phone line.

I found scant such services online - I do not know how successful they are and doubt that they are.

Bottom Line - I am retired, 1K til the end of the year when I will become MM, and it would be an adventure for someone to pay me to fly with them somewhere. Am I being ludicrous? Has anyone out there done this or have info?

How about transporting pets?

MSPeconomist

IIRC there was a guy who had purchased the two FC tickets for life contract from AA who was hiring himself out.....and AA revoked his privileges, although this involved free tickets for which AA received no revenue being "sold" to third parties.

mikelat

Every perk you mention can be purchased. Are you suggeesting folks pay for your ticket and pay you a premium so that they can share the perks? What would your rates be? Why would people not just buy directly from airlines as almost all are priced individually now anyways.

I think you may be putting too much value in to the perks and I do not see them as something you can sell to others.

MSPeconomist

It should be easy to add up the cost of buying perks versus the price of a ticket for the OP.

tmelanio

It appears that so far nobody has experience with this and probably for good reason. There are a few online services offering simple accompaniment without perks for hefty prices. They do not appear to be thriving. I thought I could offer the same accompaniment with the advantage of a lot of perks. I emailed United customer care inquiring about their policies concerning such a venture - they have not replied yet. I hope I do not get in trouble for simply asking. I am kind of hoping that United forbids it. Aside from the perks which can be purchased cheaper and far more conveniently, does anybody know if there is a market for a full service guide or escort through the entire flight experience from booking to dropping you off back home. Certainly someone with perks would have a decided edge. I am beginning to think no such market exists. Does anyone out there have related experience?

84fiero

I think any market for a stranger accompanying minors would be just about nill, regardless of the benefits.

Now, would adults who just want to use the status benefits pay for you to accompany them just for those benefits? I don't think the numbers would make it work. Most all of those benefits can be purchased outright in one form or another, including with some airline credit cards.

Let's say a passenger would be paying $50 roundtrip for a checked bag and wanted to access the United lounge both ways at $100 for two day passes. I don't know what a "typical" domestic E+ cost is these days (I realize it varies)...let's say just it's $100 RT. That's $250 so the cost for an additional ticket for you would have to be less than that to make it worthwhile. It's even worse if you would want a return trip while the customer is at the travel destination.

Sure there are some other perks like up to 70lb bags and *A lounges but I'd be surprised if the need is very high for those nuances. Would F check-in and line access be worth it to someone?

Then you have the "hassle factor" since I believe you'd normally need to be on their same PNR for most of the benefits to apply, right? So the customer would have to coordinate with you in advance of making the purchase and trust you'd make good on reimbursing them - or vice versa if you made the purchase I guess. And if your return flight to accompany them back was delayed or canceled, the customer would be SOL on using your perks.

As far as a full service sort of person...it kinda sounds like a personal assistant except just for a given trip. Maybe someone would like that service, I'm not sure it would be a large market.

It's an interesting idea though, but doesn't seem like the economics would probably work out in most scenarios.

telabadmanwot

Sounds like a paedo trap.

I'm NOT accusing you of being perverted, but the way you explain it, doesn't fill me with confidence. If you do pursue this, set up a company and do it professionally. Or nobody will trust you with their minors and you would be leaving yourself open to some serious Michael Jackson accusations

LondonElite

I agree with 84fiero. Most of these services can be bought, and some services you're at United's mercy of providing. If they won't let a guest into the lounge with you, say because of capacity constraints, your clients will be looking to you for a refund, not the airline. I'm assuming that you'll expect your clients to pay for the cost of your flight(s), and my bet is that the cost of that, even sandwiched across a group of three people, won't make it worthwhile. Have a read of the UA terms on commercial activity with your status, I'm sure they've drafted something.

tmelanio

Although in my first post I gave escorting children and the elderly as an example for market demand, in the very next post I conceded its unlikeliness asking if anyone had experience with any other demand for such a service. I am so sorry I referenced minors as an example - it is not being let go - I seem to have touched a nerve.

In the same post I stated that for one person it would be cheaper to purchase these perks and that for a group it would be far more convenient not to have me as a middle man because I would not be significantly cheaper. Again I asked if anyone had related experience citing that there is indeed such services online and that someone with perks would have a decided edge as their competition.

I sent resumes to two such online services and was told that they are not currently hiring but that they would keep me on file.

United got back to me stating that they have no policies prohibiting my plans. They wished me every success and thanked me for being 1K.

There is an experience I am sure every frequent flier shares with me - flying with friends, family, or business associates who utterly clueless, especially on international flights. Bonehead instructions to grown daughters for every flight I gave them were thrown out the window with hilarious results. I just sent a son to Mallorca on his first flight alone. He needed real time guidance every step of the way even though I had already already given him instructions for every scenario. I even had to text his departure gate reminding him that it was written on his boarding pass and that there are numerous departure monitors - you know, those large screens on the wall.

I daresay that there are a lot of people who are so intimidated by the flying experience that they avoid it like the plague. Perhaps the market is there.

I can't believe that mileage runners haven't entertained the notion of someone else paying or helping pay for their flights. Have any of you mileage runners ever done this? A consortium of mileage runners - hmmmm... I will be downgraded from 1K to MM next year - no need for mileage running.

I have a fascinatingly adventurous background and impeccable character. I have been told by many, including my wife, that women would use my service simply by looking at my photos.

So far I have received good advice - thank you - but no one with experience with these online accompaniment services. Anyone out there know about these guys?

tmelanio

I have never had a problem with Star Alliance Lounges. When travelling with friends or family I have either dropped them off one at a time or taken one each to different airline lounges in the same airport. Have you had a different experience?
I have already mentioned myself in a previous post that it is not economically feasible for a client to use me for just for the perks. Sure... for a group of eight - but what a hassle. There are accompaniment services available online that do not even mention perks and an elite flier would certainly have an edge over them. I am wondering if these businesses are thriving or on the brink of bankruptcy.
UA has responded that they have no policies prohibiting my plans. They wished me every success and thanked me for being a 1K.
Perhaps there is an untapped market of people who are so intimidated by flying that they avoid it like the plague. Perhaps there is a market for a guide for first flights?? Beats me... but it will be an adventure finding out.

LondonElite

Maybe you're right. I really don't know. I know that we here think of ourselves as travel geniuses, but I can't imagine a maket with enough (self-styled) dumdums who need that much help. Maybe I'm wrong and it's like the market for people driving the old ladies' white Cadillacs from Indiana to Florida while they fly. Maybe you should team up with one of those outfits and offer a truly unique service.

scoow

This sounds like you are trying to offer a service similar to American's Five Star Service, without the airline guarantee that perks will be honored, especially for a larger group (when hiring you might become cost-effective). Is there a market? I have no idea, but I suspect if there were, the airlines would be trying to capture it themselves.

I know several families that don't want "Grandma" to fly unaccompanied and have asked why airlines don't offer a service similar to the unaccompanied minor service for adults. Most people send along a college-aged grandchild or someone to help with bags and directions (no medical care is required, but perhaps a wheelchair if long distances are involved). This requires the extra round-trip ticket you would need to return home, but I think you've forgotten to factor in a hotel room at your destination... unless you can immediately catch a return flight. And what would you want for your time? Even at $10/hour, a round-trip international flight could get expensive (US-XXX-US, US-XXX-US = 30+ hours, not counting your time on the ground or any positioning flights to your client's originating city.)

wanna go now

I know if I had the money, I'd love to have some one walk me through some of the trips I've done. Meet me at the door (or better yet, pick me up), get me through check in, security, lounge, to the right seat, and especially transfers in other countries where I'm not familiar with the airport or language. I've traveled quite a bit, but I'm not nearly as savvy as most of the posters on FT,so I'd love to be pampered.
Trouble is, I can't imagine it would be cost effective to be the escort. Very wealthy people already have assistants to do this, and most of the rest couldn't afford it. There would be a very small pool of potential clients at rates that just cover your costs.