Forced to pay twice for Lap Child...Any options for refund
Sep 14, 2009, 6:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Left Coast
Programs: United GS, SPG plat
Posts: 38
Forced to pay twice for Lap Child...Any options for refund
I am seeking some advice on this unsettling experience. I purchased 3 upgradeable economy tickets for myself, wife and 4yo child. Then used eVip ungrades to upgrade for our trip to biz class to Buenos Aires from SFO. When I got to SFO, I had the agent book a R/T lap ticket for our 16mo/old child. No problems with 2 flights from SFO. After 10 day vacation, upon check in in Buenos Aires, I was informed that I would have to pay for a oneway Biz ticket again for my lapchild. I thought, I had already purchased a R/T ticket when I left. She said the tix booked was for a econ tix. I was very frustrated and upset that I had to pay twice for my lap child. I need some advice on how I should proceed. I was thinking I would dispute with my CC. 
Sep 14, 2009, 7:01 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Back to Florida...... bye London
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Posts: 5,149
Have you tried calling AA? It seems the logical first place to start.
Also you might be running into a luxury tax imposed by the airport in Buenes Aires. You might be required to pay a percentage of the full fare of the class actually flown for a lap child, which in this instance, would be business. I believe this is the case with London airports. If the SFO agent did not collect the correct amount for business class, then that is what was being collected.
This first thing to do is call AA and find out exactly what you were required to pay and why.
Also you might be running into a luxury tax imposed by the airport in Buenes Aires. You might be required to pay a percentage of the full fare of the class actually flown for a lap child, which in this instance, would be business. I believe this is the case with London airports. If the SFO agent did not collect the correct amount for business class, then that is what was being collected.
This first thing to do is call AA and find out exactly what you were required to pay and why.
Sep 14, 2009, 7:21 am
#3
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Your R/T purchase for the lap child was an economy ticket. You subsequently upgraded to business class. The second collection was the the infant fare difference between Y and J. Sorry - that's the way it works.
Sep 14, 2009, 7:21 am
#4
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Location: Cambridge
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Interesting....
I don't think I have ever encountered the question of what happens if you have a lap-child and you upgrade.
How much did the agent in Argentina charge you?
I don't think I have ever encountered the question of what happens if you have a lap-child and you upgrade.
How much did the agent in Argentina charge you?
Sep 14, 2009, 7:25 am
#5
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when calculating the fare delta from Y to J are they using
Full J Fare - Full Y coach fare = delta
or
Full J Fare - Paid Y coach fare = delta
Full J Fare - Full Y coach fare = delta
or
Full J Fare - Paid Y coach fare = delta
Sep 14, 2009, 7:47 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2005
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I've had it happen to me in Belgium. The rule is 10% of the full fare in the cabin flown by the carrying adult. $700! 
in my case. This was on a $1500 paid J ticket. I had not been charged on the outbound.
in my case. This was on a $1500 paid J ticket. I had not been charged on the outbound.
Sep 14, 2009, 8:25 am
#7
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Since the lap child does not have a seat, I'm not sure about this- but, could you burn a SWU for the lap child and use that, instead of paying the fare difference, for the kids upgrade?
Barring that, it sure sounds like they did the right thing.
Cheers.
Barring that, it sure sounds like they did the right thing.
Cheers.
Sep 14, 2009, 8:58 am
#8
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Left Coast
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Reply
Well, we ended up paying about $600 for the lap child. I guess I wouldn't have been so upset if they had booked the R/T correctly when we left from SFO. I have flown United many times with the lapchild booked in econ while we flew in biz. I just felt since they booked it a certain way at the airport when we left, they should be responsible for their error. I ended up paying twice for the return in my mind.
Sep 14, 2009, 9:18 am
#9
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So, if someone had misticketed you for your fare and later collected the remainder, you would have felt that you were paying twice for that too?
Sep 14, 2009, 9:50 am
#10
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This was not an estimate of service rendered but an actual ticket purchased at the gate. I felt that this was an error on their end. It only reminds me why my company left AA in the first place. They will never admit an error in favor of the passenger, only to lose that paying client for life.
Sep 14, 2009, 10:13 am
#11
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sfdweller,
You're absolutely correct: AA completely misrepresented itself to you, and it's a form of consumer fraud--holding your infant hostage in a foreign country unless you pay additional $$ you were never told about is ransom.
The fact that us airline geeks over here know the rules, which are not made public by AA, is completely irrelevant to your case. It's their job to train their personnel, and it's their job to stand behind when their personnel fails (one could argue that this is due to cost-cutting on training and testing).
Incidentally, I wrote a wiki entry about the unpublished byzantine rules after I had the exact same problem at LHR. I got AA to reimburse every single penny of the money they ransomed me for, but never got anything for the supreme aggravation (we were left waiting with a 7-week old infant for 75 minutes in a crowded "transfer" hall without seating, amongst other callous things) and that episode still colors the way I see AA.
AA fought tooth and nail before coughing the money they ransomed out of me, so here is my advice:
1. Ask for the refund EVERYTHING in writing--facts only. When you changed classes of service and what the rep told you. Copies of tickets etc.
2. Point out issues of consumer fraud, unfair practices, etc.
3. Most importantly: copy the Department of Transportation and both your senators and representatives (there is long-overdue airline consumer protection coming up for discussion) asking them for help on this one. AA will be more likely to cough up the illbegotten money if it senses a PR issue (I'm sure that's why I got my money back, but they threw their invisible "rule" book at me first).
4. Watch the clock: if you haven't received the $ before 60 days from the credit card statement, ask for a refund through your credit card company; your rights expire at that deadline. Technically you must ask in writing to trigger the consumer protections under the law; you also have to ask the merchant first before contacting the credit card company.
It will take you 20 minutes to send out the 4 letters--a huge ROI!
You're absolutely correct: AA completely misrepresented itself to you, and it's a form of consumer fraud--holding your infant hostage in a foreign country unless you pay additional $$ you were never told about is ransom.
The fact that us airline geeks over here know the rules, which are not made public by AA, is completely irrelevant to your case. It's their job to train their personnel, and it's their job to stand behind when their personnel fails (one could argue that this is due to cost-cutting on training and testing).
Incidentally, I wrote a wiki entry about the unpublished byzantine rules after I had the exact same problem at LHR. I got AA to reimburse every single penny of the money they ransomed me for, but never got anything for the supreme aggravation (we were left waiting with a 7-week old infant for 75 minutes in a crowded "transfer" hall without seating, amongst other callous things) and that episode still colors the way I see AA.
AA fought tooth and nail before coughing the money they ransomed out of me, so here is my advice:
1. Ask for the refund EVERYTHING in writing--facts only. When you changed classes of service and what the rep told you. Copies of tickets etc.
2. Point out issues of consumer fraud, unfair practices, etc.
3. Most importantly: copy the Department of Transportation and both your senators and representatives (there is long-overdue airline consumer protection coming up for discussion) asking them for help on this one. AA will be more likely to cough up the illbegotten money if it senses a PR issue (I'm sure that's why I got my money back, but they threw their invisible "rule" book at me first).
4. Watch the clock: if you haven't received the $ before 60 days from the credit card statement, ask for a refund through your credit card company; your rights expire at that deadline. Technically you must ask in writing to trigger the consumer protections under the law; you also have to ask the merchant first before contacting the credit card company.
It will take you 20 minutes to send out the 4 letters--a huge ROI!
Sep 14, 2009, 10:24 am
#12
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sfdweller,
You're absolutely correct: AA completely misrepresented itself to you, and it's a form of consumer fraud--holding your infant hostage in a foreign country unless you pay additional $$ you were never told about is ransom.
The fact that us airline geeks over here know the rules, which are not made public by AA, is completely irrelevant to your case. It's their job to train their personnel, and it's their job to stand behind when their personnel fails (one could argue that this is due to cost-cutting on training and testing).!
You're absolutely correct: AA completely misrepresented itself to you, and it's a form of consumer fraud--holding your infant hostage in a foreign country unless you pay additional $$ you were never told about is ransom.
The fact that us airline geeks over here know the rules, which are not made public by AA, is completely irrelevant to your case. It's their job to train their personnel, and it's their job to stand behind when their personnel fails (one could argue that this is due to cost-cutting on training and testing).!
Cheers.
Sep 14, 2009, 10:53 am
#14
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Post #13 really clarifies what was left unclear in post #12
Sep 14, 2009, 11:12 am
#15
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Back to Florida...... bye London
Programs: Hilton, AA,, Delta
Posts: 5,149
A quick search of AA.com brought up a page about traveling with children and lap children.
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...ling.jsp#Fares
It basically says to contact reservations. It sounds like the OP decided not to contact or inform AA of the lap child at any time prior to showing up at the airport. Why? Perhaps this could have been avoided if the OP had contacted AA prior to checking in, perhaps when the eVIPs were added?
Was AA right to demand payment in Buenos Aires for the return flight? It's questionable in my opinion. The original check-in agent made a mistake in calculating the 10% lap child fare if the eVIPs had already been applied to the economy tickets. If the upgrade occurred after the OP had checked in and paid the lap child fare, then the agent in Buenos Aires was correct to collect the additional fare since the fare class had changed.
If you contact AA and give the details and ask for a refund you might well get it.
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...ling.jsp#Fares
It basically says to contact reservations. It sounds like the OP decided not to contact or inform AA of the lap child at any time prior to showing up at the airport. Why? Perhaps this could have been avoided if the OP had contacted AA prior to checking in, perhaps when the eVIPs were added?
Was AA right to demand payment in Buenos Aires for the return flight? It's questionable in my opinion. The original check-in agent made a mistake in calculating the 10% lap child fare if the eVIPs had already been applied to the economy tickets. If the upgrade occurred after the OP had checked in and paid the lap child fare, then the agent in Buenos Aires was correct to collect the additional fare since the fare class had changed.
If you contact AA and give the details and ask for a refund you might well get it.