Unaccompanied minors using AS Visa Companion Fare
Dec 10, 2018, 1:14 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver
Posts: 4,035
Dec 10, 2018, 1:20 pm
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
There is no reason to worry. Calling and asking does nothing as phone agents make mistakes all the time and they can't necessarily read better than you can.
1. You are the purchaser. Check
2, The CC you use must match the name of the purchaser. Check
3. The two kids are the passengers Check
4. The UM issue is a red herring. Could be your two maiden aunts just as well. Check
1. You are the purchaser. Check
2, The CC you use must match the name of the purchaser. Check
3. The two kids are the passengers Check
4. The UM issue is a red herring. Could be your two maiden aunts just as well. Check
Dec 10, 2018, 1:33 pm
#18
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AS 100k, DL PM, New Sagaya
Posts: 1,288
2. If my wife and I are flying with them on the other flights, do I only pay the unaccompanied minor fee for the one flight on which they are in fact unaccompanied?
Dec 10, 2018, 3:00 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,293
Dec 10, 2018, 4:05 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: MFR
Programs: Alaska MVP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 714
One other idea is to book the two minors with incorrect birth years so they go through as adults, then call in within 24 hours to correct their birth years, link to the adult reservation, and pay the UM fee for the one UM flight. Any idea if that's possible?
It might be a while until I actually get this booked, but I'll be sure to post the results here .
Dec 10, 2018, 4:57 pm
#21
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,293
My concern is that I believe you lose the companion code if you cancel within 24 hours. So if it doesn't work I might be out of luck .
One other idea is to book the two minors with incorrect birth years so they go through as adults, then call in within 24 hours to correct their birth years, link to the adult reservation, and pay the UM fee for the one UM flight. Any idea if that's possible?
It might be a while until I actually get this booked, but I'll be sure to post the results here .
One other idea is to book the two minors with incorrect birth years so they go through as adults, then call in within 24 hours to correct their birth years, link to the adult reservation, and pay the UM fee for the one UM flight. Any idea if that's possible?
It might be a while until I actually get this booked, but I'll be sure to post the results here .
Dec 10, 2018, 6:14 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,329
I gave mine away to a fellow classmate so he could take his SO home for Christmas. I had to book the fight with my card and didn't get anything in exchange for the code.
Dec 10, 2018, 9:31 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Glob, EX-AS 75k
Posts: 104
Use of the companion fare is fine per all the above guidance.
Booking the kids as UMs on only one leg of their journey is a manual operation but completely possible.
Suggest:
1) Book adults' itinerary
2) Book kids' itinerary online using your companion code -- enter one of their birth year as 2000 instead of their actual birth year so that you can book their itinerary online (as their entire journey is not an allowable UM booking)
3) Call AS UM line and ask them to
a) Link your reservations
b) Adjust your kid's birth year to be correct
c) Mark their single leg as UM after explaining
You may get an agent who does not know how to do this, but it is completely possible for the kids to "become" UMs partway through their journey. It must be the last part of the journey in either direction. I have done this a dozen times.
Booking the kids as UMs on only one leg of their journey is a manual operation but completely possible.
Suggest:
1) Book adults' itinerary
2) Book kids' itinerary online using your companion code -- enter one of their birth year as 2000 instead of their actual birth year so that you can book their itinerary online (as their entire journey is not an allowable UM booking)
3) Call AS UM line and ask them to
a) Link your reservations
b) Adjust your kid's birth year to be correct
c) Mark their single leg as UM after explaining
You may get an agent who does not know how to do this, but it is completely possible for the kids to "become" UMs partway through their journey. It must be the last part of the journey in either direction. I have done this a dozen times.
Dec 11, 2018, 10:53 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Do you have to go landslide to the ticket counter to do the paperwork (and within the listed cutoff times) or can it be done airside with a gate agent (outstation) or service desk (SEA)?
Mar 6, 2023, 11:39 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: MFR
Programs: Alaska MVP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 714
Back at it 4+ years later... new problem: You can't book multi-city unaccompanied minor trips online. Why not book as two one-ways? Because I want to use a Companion Fare.
Both kids are MVPs, so unaccompanied minor fee is waived. Trying to book them using a companion fare. So do I:
A. Just call in, give the agent the companion fare code and have them book it. I haven't booked a flight over the phone in decades.
B. Book it with incorrect birth years making the minors adults, then call in and have agent adjust birth years.
I'm feeling bad that I never reported back on what I did and how it worked in 2018, but I can't remember that trip at all, or if maybe it didn't even happen. Getting old.
Both kids are MVPs, so unaccompanied minor fee is waived. Trying to book them using a companion fare. So do I:
A. Just call in, give the agent the companion fare code and have them book it. I haven't booked a flight over the phone in decades.
B. Book it with incorrect birth years making the minors adults, then call in and have agent adjust birth years.
I'm feeling bad that I never reported back on what I did and how it worked in 2018, but I can't remember that trip at all, or if maybe it didn't even happen. Getting old.
Mar 10, 2023, 1:00 pm
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: MFR
Programs: Alaska MVP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 714
This was messier than I remembered. Here's the trick for using a Companion Fare for a multi-city unaccompanied minor ticket.
1. The companion fare cannot be used over the phone, and must be used online.
2. Multi-city unaccompanied minor tickets cannot be booked online, and must be booked over the phone.
When I call, the nice Alaska rep in Boise acknowledges and apologizes for their system limitations and works with me to figure out how to get it done! It does involve booking online with a birth year that is not a minor, then having the phone rep correct the birth year.
I compare this to the absolutely maddening conversations I have had with American and British Airlines reps in the past year, who invariably tell you their limitations and that nothing can be done.
1. The companion fare cannot be used over the phone, and must be used online.
2. Multi-city unaccompanied minor tickets cannot be booked online, and must be booked over the phone.
When I call, the nice Alaska rep in Boise acknowledges and apologizes for their system limitations and works with me to figure out how to get it done! It does involve booking online with a birth year that is not a minor, then having the phone rep correct the birth year.
I compare this to the absolutely maddening conversations I have had with American and British Airlines reps in the past year, who invariably tell you their limitations and that nothing can be done.
Jun 7, 2023, 11:53 pm
#30
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 20
This was messier than I remembered. Here's the trick for using a Companion Fare for a multi-city unaccompanied minor ticket.
1. The companion fare cannot be used over the phone, and must be used online.
2. Multi-city unaccompanied minor tickets cannot be booked online, and must be booked over the phone.
When I call, the nice Alaska rep in Boise acknowledges and apologizes for their system limitations and works with me to figure out how to get it done! It does involve booking online with a birth year that is not a minor, then having the phone rep correct the birth year.
I compare this to the absolutely maddening conversations I have had with American and British Airlines reps in the past year, who invariably tell you their limitations and that nothing can be done.
1. The companion fare cannot be used over the phone, and must be used online.
2. Multi-city unaccompanied minor tickets cannot be booked online, and must be booked over the phone.
When I call, the nice Alaska rep in Boise acknowledges and apologizes for their system limitations and works with me to figure out how to get it done! It does involve booking online with a birth year that is not a minor, then having the phone rep correct the birth year.
I compare this to the absolutely maddening conversations I have had with American and British Airlines reps in the past year, who invariably tell you their limitations and that nothing can be done.
