zgringo14

This looks like a huge improvement. I recently had to send my mother in law from IAD to BOG with a long layover in PTY. She speaks no english and had wheelchair assistance, and I gave her notes in English and Spanish with instructions that they were to take her to the VIP lounge at PTY where she would purchase a day pass. They still just dumped her off at the gate. I guess they never read the note or something. But she made it ok.

Your new itin sounds like a good plan. good luck.

pbjag

If she has (or obtains) a Chase Sapphire Preferred card, one of the benefits is pretty decent travel insurance if you pay for the ticket with that card. If your biggest concern is the medical/medical evacuation component, you can purchase a reasonably priced policy though the Divers Alert Network. No, she does not need to be a diver.

lili

Check the travel policy carefully, and check your mother's current insurance. After paying for travel insurance for several years I found out my medicare advantage policy covers me for emergency room/hospital treatment wherever I travel and I have used it several times. (Original Medicare does not cover treatment outside the US).

Most people like the idea of medical evacuation, but aren't aware that insurance will only evacuate if your case cannot be treated locally. It's hard to imagine an accident or illness that could not be treated efficiently and well in England, Germany or Italy. They are not going to fly your mother home so she can see her own doctor.

Once wound up being taken by ambulance from the plane (one of the few times UA got a real gate at FRA to the Frankfurt airport emergency room where I was treated quickly and well by an EMT, a doctor, nurse and technician all with perfect English. The visit was overkill, but airlines wouldn't let me continue on to Krakow without a doctor's approval. Clinic called for a wheelchair to get me to my next flight mostly because departure was imminent. I had to put the cost ($500) on my credit card and get reimbursement from the insurance company.

BTW the new itinerary sounds doable. Suggest your mom fly from Eugene to LAS rather than bus, and be sure she is on one ticket with one airline. They will then take responsibility to rebook her if necessary and get her to where she's going. The airport concierge service is a good idea, but if she uses a wheelchair she won't need that. They take you to the restroom, the lounge and the gate. Easy peasy.

wrightsisters

Thanks for the additional comments. My mother is thinking it over and I will talk to her again at the end of the weekend. My mother is so accustomed to driving herself to the Portland airport she might think of being bussed there as less of a novelty than flying from Eugene. One of the things I like about the revised plan is that with the exception of Gatwick, she has been in all the airports and cities before. I don't think it makes any fucnctional difference, just a psychological one. But it will be less stressful for her if she does familiar things most of the time rather than a brand new one every day.

Travel insurance is less about concerns on inadequate care here (she would trust my doctors!) but really more about making sure she can get her money back for airfare if she can't go (June is a long way away when you are 87!) but also protecting her against very unpleasant bills to pay if she were got unlucky abroad and got an injury or sudden illness that required more complex medical attention, or forced her to remain abroad resting up, and thus racking up expensive accommodation bill . (I live in a building in Italy that can only be reached by multiple steep staircases so a multiple fracture to a hip means needing a hotel.)

It always sounds faintly ridiculous to be imagining one-in-a.millon nightmare scenarios but it would be quite anxiety producing for my mother to find herself abroad in a hospital wondering how much it was all going to cost her. It wouldn't be the end of the world for my mother to end up with several thousand in unexpected costs due a medical situation, but she'd be depressed about it.

Finally, I think it is better for my mother to be accompanied through Gatwick airport and met by a pre-arranged driver. And despite her excellent mobility and strength (she is presently renovating her bedroom and doing some of the work herself), more muscles get pulled and nerves get pinched manuevering luggage (even carryon luggage) than just about any other activity I can think of, even when you are not 87. I will be on the phone while she is in transit making sure people who promised her these services are delivering.

mromalley

I understand where you are coming from re: the travel insurance. Even though my mother is covered on her CC, she takes out a yearly multi trip policy, which covers everything including medivac. To me, it is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Mwenenzi

Could also easily be 10 of thosands. Full medical evacuation to US can be in $100,000 ~ $250,000. But medical - hospital costs in Eu a lot less than USA

wrightsisters

My mother has decided not to go to Italy. She looked at it from every angle and worried that the long time spent in travel followed by the excitement of a large family event, also several days in a row, might prove to be too much unbroken activity, plus she worried about the heat in Italy at that time of year.

Thanks to all who helped her think it through! She is very comfortable with her decision, and I also think it is the wisest one. She is both very protective of her health and considerate of others, not wishing to be a great burden to them. We'll be putting it on our calendars to go see her sometime soon.

wrp96

Even if she can't go, she's lucky to have a child that tries to make things possible for her. Hope you can go visit her soon.