Hire a Travel Companion

Hate the scrum at the airport? Want someone to help you navigate check-in, security lines and getting to that gate at the end of the concourse? You can always hire a travel companion to accompany you or a family member who is travel-challenged by way of a health condition or disability, or who just can't tolerate the airport chaos.

A company called Flying Companions http://www.flyingcompanions.com will provide a friendly person to accompany you on your next trip and handle all the boring details. They will also, if required, stay with you during your visit and return with you. Of course, this service is fairly pricey--for a trip within the United States costs are in the low four figures, usually $2,000 to $4,000 in addition to the cost of tickets.

If you prefer the assistance of a nurse, another company called Your Flight Nurse http://www.yourflightnurse.com could be just the ticket. They offer the assistance of a nurse specifically trained to handle medical problems. Again, expect to pay a reasonable fee.

I can see possibly paying these fees to bring an elderly relative over from some distant country. The cost of a companion would probably be less than the cost of taking a large family to visit the person abroad.

For those who love to travel, a gig as a flying companion could be attractive. I suspect that the supply of these people probably far exceeds the demand, as it tends to for all travel-related jobs.

I am indebted to the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com for the above information.