After a couple of years, traveling with a lap infant. Trying to get them ticketed, but seems like a complete pain, and wondering if there is something I can do to get it pushed through.

Before anyone asks, I didn't do it on the website. With my older kid, I found trying to add a lap infant online meant no one got ticketed. Tried this twice...once with domestic, where an agent who was able to get it done, including adding the infant to the PNR, said the system gets confused by the fact the lap infant doesn't need a ticket, and just needs to be added to the PNR. When I tried online to Canada, it correctly charged the taxes, but never issued tickets - I'm not sure why. So still had to sort it out. Agents have told me it works online now, so maybe I'll try next time, but for now, here's the situation.

Have two reservations - booked the adults online successfully and without issue. Called to add the lap infant. The first is a one-way US-Canada ticket - flight is on AC. Second is ex-Canada - SJC - CVG. First agent told me first flight would be ~$6 in taxes - I ignored the fact that it should be $0 - and that the second would be ~$16 and change - which sounded normal. Told these would be issued in 24-48 hours.

Called back a few days later. Agent was able to get the first reservation ticketed - and confirmed it wasn't costing anything (and subsequently confirmed AC has a record of the ticket). The ex-Canada to US flights still aren't ticketed. Called back today, and was told that these tickets are issued based on travel date, and would only be issued sometime between a week and two days before travel. I said I've always had it done within a few days of adding the lap infant before, even when booking a month or two in advance, and that couldn't be the case, citing my first reservation which has already been ticketed (for travel on July 27). Agent claimed to go back, and was told there was no way to push it through earlier.

Seems to me that this only makes it a pain for everyone involved. If this was solely domestic travel - I wouldn't be that worried, as I suspect its fairly easy to add an infant to the PNR since they don't need a ticket. But my concern is a) - UA doesn't tend to have the greatest systems and so I don't trust that it will happen as its supposed to, b) I don't want to have to worry about it - seems it would be better for everyone involved to just get it done and no one has to worry about ticketing issues, find time to call day before travel to sort it, etc. and c), I don't want to have to deal with solving this at check in at an international station if it doesn't ticket, not to mention having to rely on contractors telling me they can't ticket an infant last minute.

Any thoughts on how to push this through earlier? And for future, anyone have positive experience booking a lap infant on the website and it working properly - either for domestic travel, transborder (where just taxes are involved), or true international (where 10% of fare is charged). Appreciate any insight.