Adding an Infant...
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,150
Adding an Infant...
Trying to book some award flights (short-haul Club Europe) for next year. Mrs Ratypus is expecting our first child between now and then...
The BA website clearly allows to select "infant" for both cash and award bookings, BUT I cannot complete the booking online since we have neither a name nor a date of birth for said infant just yet...
I want to book the seats now as there are only 2 left on the flights we want.
What to do? Book them now for me and Mrs Ratypus, then call up later to add the infant to the booking? There will be a small Avios & tax cost for the infant (from what I see on the dummy booking), but since it doesn't need its own seat should be no availability issue, right?
Apologies if this is an obvious question - have never had to consider booking with kids before!
The BA website clearly allows to select "infant" for both cash and award bookings, BUT I cannot complete the booking online since we have neither a name nor a date of birth for said infant just yet...
I want to book the seats now as there are only 2 left on the flights we want.
What to do? Book them now for me and Mrs Ratypus, then call up later to add the infant to the booking? There will be a small Avios & tax cost for the infant (from what I see on the dummy booking), but since it doesn't need its own seat should be no availability issue, right?
Apologies if this is an obvious question - have never had to consider booking with kids before!
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LON
Programs: BA Gold, LH SEN , A3*G & others less exciting that don't fit in my wallet
Posts: 1,655
Exactly that .. you have it right... make a booking for the 2 adults and when infant turns up with a DoB and a name then you can add them .. simple enough, though always wise to checkin early after having done this as in my experience sometimes it can get a bit messy when they do this with a booking ( but with an infant you'll be turning up early anyway probably ! )
#3
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Epsom, Surrey
Programs: BA Exec Club Bronze, Virgin Flying Club Red, Swiss M&M Blue
Posts: 1,023
I thought I had heard before that even thought the infant doesnt need a seat, there had to be reward availability to book for them. This may have changed or I could just be completely wrong but I'm sure someone can confirm either way.
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,150
Ha ha - thanks very much. Just booked. Double checked with BA and they said the same so all good. Looks like "infant's" first flight will be LHR-HAM in Seat 1A...start as you mean to go on.
Thanks as ever for the FT wisdom...
Thanks as ever for the FT wisdom...
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,150
BA confirmed there was no need for award availability for the infant - they just take 10% of the normal Avios plus a small taxes hit to add them to the booking.
Even when I tried the dummy booking with infant, the system showed only 2 CE seats available but let me proceed with 2 adults & 1 infant as the passengers (until it asked for a name and DOB for the baby). So seems no award availability required until the point the passenger actually needs a seat!
Even when I tried the dummy booking with infant, the system showed only 2 CE seats available but let me proceed with 2 adults & 1 infant as the passengers (until it asked for a name and DOB for the baby). So seems no award availability required until the point the passenger actually needs a seat!
#6
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,871
BA confirmed there was no need for award availability for the infant - they just take 10% of the normal Avios plus a small taxes hit to add them to the booking.
Even when I tried the dummy booking with infant, the system showed only 2 CE seats available but let me proceed with 2 adults & 1 infant as the passengers (until it asked for a name and DOB for the baby). So seems no award availability required until the point the passenger actually needs a seat!
Even when I tried the dummy booking with infant, the system showed only 2 CE seats available but let me proceed with 2 adults & 1 infant as the passengers (until it asked for a name and DOB for the baby). So seems no award availability required until the point the passenger actually needs a seat!
#7
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LON
Programs: BA Gold, LH SEN , A3*G & others less exciting that don't fit in my wallet
Posts: 1,655
Correct .. no reward availability is required for an infant , only for the adults travelling .. So in the scenario here 2 seats are required at the time the adults are booking and then when they call up to add the infant it doesn't matter what's available, or not.
#9
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,871
#10
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: North of Watford Gap
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 602
#11
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: HKG
Programs: BAEC Gold, CX MPC Gold, Avis preferred plus, MyWaitrose card
Posts: 285
#12
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Here and there
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,548
Exactly that .. you have it right... make a booking for the 2 adults and when infant turns up with a DoB and a name then you can add them .. simple enough, though always wise to checkin early after having done this as in my experience sometimes it can get a bit messy when they do this with a booking ( but with an infant you'll be turning up early anyway probably ! )
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,150
Thanks for the tips re: paperwork. Will definitely print everything for the airport.
Good point on seat selection - BA app has allocated the two (for now...) of us 1A/C on the way out and 1D/F on the way back. Both currently on a A319, though could equally be a A320 or A321 on the day depending on load.
1. Which of these seats are designated emergency exit seats? I imagine 1A/C are, but are 1D/F also?
2. If these are emergency exit seats, assume we will not be allowed to sit there with an infant on the lap? If so, I may as well re-select other seats now to avoid being moved with no choice later...
3. Aside from emergency exit seating, any view on whether Row 1 is OK for travel with an infant, or whether Row 2 (with seats in front of us) would be somehow better?
I have zero clue about air travel with a baby at this point, so anyone with any tip on seats please shout!
Good point on seat selection - BA app has allocated the two (for now...) of us 1A/C on the way out and 1D/F on the way back. Both currently on a A319, though could equally be a A320 or A321 on the day depending on load.
1. Which of these seats are designated emergency exit seats? I imagine 1A/C are, but are 1D/F also?
2. If these are emergency exit seats, assume we will not be allowed to sit there with an infant on the lap? If so, I may as well re-select other seats now to avoid being moved with no choice later...
3. Aside from emergency exit seating, any view on whether Row 1 is OK for travel with an infant, or whether Row 2 (with seats in front of us) would be somehow better?
I have zero clue about air travel with a baby at this point, so anyone with any tip on seats please shout!
#14
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,587
Thanks for the tips re: paperwork. Will definitely print everything for the airport.
Good point on seat selection - BA app has allocated the two (for now...) of us 1A/C on the way out and 1D/F on the way back. Both currently on a A319, though could equally be a A320 or A321 on the day depending on load.
1. Which of these seats are designated emergency exit seats? I imagine 1A/C are, but are 1D/F also?
2. If these are emergency exit seats, assume we will not be allowed to sit there with an infant on the lap? If so, I may as well re-select other seats now to avoid being moved with no choice later...
3. Aside from emergency exit seating, any view on whether Row 1 is OK for travel with an infant, or whether Row 2 (with seats in front of us) would be somehow better?
I have zero clue about air travel with a baby at this point, so anyone with any tip on seats please shout!
Good point on seat selection - BA app has allocated the two (for now...) of us 1A/C on the way out and 1D/F on the way back. Both currently on a A319, though could equally be a A320 or A321 on the day depending on load.
1. Which of these seats are designated emergency exit seats? I imagine 1A/C are, but are 1D/F also?
2. If these are emergency exit seats, assume we will not be allowed to sit there with an infant on the lap? If so, I may as well re-select other seats now to avoid being moved with no choice later...
3. Aside from emergency exit seating, any view on whether Row 1 is OK for travel with an infant, or whether Row 2 (with seats in front of us) would be somehow better?
I have zero clue about air travel with a baby at this point, so anyone with any tip on seats please shout!
Back in the day having taken young master rapidex aged 3 months on Concorde,you will find out travelling with the little bundle of joy is 1 expensive and 2 you will be unpopular.
And when they grow up they will use up all your avios/hotel points going off with their mates.Dont forget to add your new addition to your hha.
#15
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,871
You need to be sat where there are 3 oxygen masks (the location of which I have no clue about since I was happily flying on *A when ours were that young)