Booking an international child's fare on Hawaiian
May 27, 2010, 2:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 67
Booking an international child's fare on Hawaiian
I wanted to go to Tahiti this summer and the only airline serving that destination from Hawaii is Hawaiian Airlines. My son is under 12 years old and according to the contract of carriage on HA website is entitled to a child fare.
So I go online and try purchase our tickets only to find out that it does not give my son his child fare. So I call HA and am told that the only way I can get a child fare is to call the reservation department. But if I do that, I will also have to pay a $25 fee.
So my 2 choices are either book online and pay 3 full fares or book 2 full fares online and the child fare through the phone + pay the $25 fee. Of course I chose option 2. The difference in price was almost $400.
So now I am trying to dispute that $25 fee and so far the only answer I got was NO. HA policy says that you book through the phone = you pay the fee.
I do not think it is fair that the only way to book a discounted child fare is only via the phone and get slapped a fee.
As a test, I went on Expedia and it quoted me a two adults + one child fare.
So now I have 2 confirmation numbers and initially the reservation agent could not assign a seat to my son for the flight back (that was resolved after more phone calls).
Who knew it would be that difficult to book 3 tickets for our summer trip. Next time I'll stick with going to the mainland.
So I go online and try purchase our tickets only to find out that it does not give my son his child fare. So I call HA and am told that the only way I can get a child fare is to call the reservation department. But if I do that, I will also have to pay a $25 fee.
So my 2 choices are either book online and pay 3 full fares or book 2 full fares online and the child fare through the phone + pay the $25 fee. Of course I chose option 2. The difference in price was almost $400.
So now I am trying to dispute that $25 fee and so far the only answer I got was NO. HA policy says that you book through the phone = you pay the fee.
I do not think it is fair that the only way to book a discounted child fare is only via the phone and get slapped a fee.
As a test, I went on Expedia and it quoted me a two adults + one child fare.
So now I have 2 confirmation numbers and initially the reservation agent could not assign a seat to my son for the flight back (that was resolved after more phone calls).
Who knew it would be that difficult to book 3 tickets for our summer trip. Next time I'll stick with going to the mainland.
Sep 6, 2014, 4:01 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: YVR
Posts: 166
I hate to bump a thread that is over four years old but I am having the exact same situation and told to pay the $25 fee, even though there is no other way to book a child fare with Hawaiian Airlines directly other than through the reservations department!
JimNastic - just wonder if you ever got a resolution to your complaint?
JimNastic - just wonder if you ever got a resolution to your complaint?
Sep 10, 2014, 3:55 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 67
It was the first time and the last time we flew internationally with Hawaiian.
I never got a resolution to my complaint. As far as they are concerned, everything works the way it is supposed to be on their side.
Calling the reservation dept. was not a pleasant experience.
I never got a resolution to my complaint. As far as they are concerned, everything works the way it is supposed to be on their side.
Calling the reservation dept. was not a pleasant experience.
Sep 11, 2014, 11:21 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
It may be bad business to charge a phone fee when a given ticket cannot be booked online and most carrier do waive those fees in the circumstance. But, it is neither unfair nor a violation of any law or the COC to charge the fee so long as the fee is properly disclosed in advance and the consumer makes the choices.