"Split families" on BA
Sep 21, 2004, 9:53 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YUL
Posts: 1,001
"Split families" on BA
I have seen much discussion on this site and in this particular forum about travelling in a different class from your offspring. I was checking on the BA site for general info about family travel and this little gem popped up. I guess that BA has decided to clarify their position recently. The following is copied from the BA site. This is purely to help others, I always travel with my kids, I can't afford to get away from them. 
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Question
Can I travel in a different class of service from my child?
Answer
It is becoming increasingly common in cases of families travelling with children for parents/guardians to wish to travel in a different cabin to their child/children (this is known as Split Families). While this can be facilitated for children of 12 years of age and over, we owe an increased duty of care to the children under the age of 12. To ensure their safety and security in flight the following policy is now effective.
Children Of Split Families on-board under 12 years of age:
The family is registered as a Split Family. The process for booking and travelling is as follows:
The minimum age of child must be 5 years old.
The child can be booked into any cabin as long as the accompanying parent/guardian is in a different cabin on the same flight number and date.
The child must be checked in with the accompanying parent/guardian at the parent's check in desk.
Children are to remain with the accompanying parent/guardian until they are handed over at the gate to British Airways ground staff.
Silver/ Gold cardholders may take a guest into the lounge, this may be a child. However, non cardholders on a Club/First Class ticket are only entitled to lounge use for themselves. Due to space constraints the children are not able to use the Skyflyers lounge facilities on the ground.
Ground staff will complete the hand-over form at the gate, or where appropriate, and pass it to the Cabin Crew when they escort the child onto the aircraft.
Whilst British Airways retains overall Duty of Care after the child has checked in, the parent/guardian are requested to remain responsible for the child's health, well being and behaviour both when on the ground and on-board and will retain responsibility for them in case of aircraft delays/changes etc.
Please note.If children misbehave or become upset a member of the crew will request the parent/guardian to assist, and as a last resort may also request them to downgrade in order to seat together (this action would be taken for the child's benefit).
On arrival at the destination the child will be handed over by crew to the parent/guardian. Crew can offer the parents the opportunity for the child to be brought to their cabin after others have disembarked or they can wait for the child on the jetty.
Hand-over form to be signed by parents, wherever possible.
No automatic assistance will be provided by the ground staff at the airport of arrival.
Note - Upgrades are not permitted, even if space is available.
Children of 12 years of age and over.
Children of 12 and over may travel in a different cabin to their parent/guardian without any special procedures for bookings and hand-over. However the parent/guardian is fully responsible for the well being of the child during the flight wherever the child is seated on-board. This means that if a child (aged 12 - 15 years) misbehaves or is upset, the same procedure applies as set out above i.e. If children misbehave or become upset a member of the crew will request the parent/guardian to assist, and as a last resort may also request them to downgrade in order to seat together. (this action would be taken for the child's benefit.)
Children must not visit their parents in a higher cabin unless permission has been granted by Cabin Crew.
NB. Upgrades are not permitted, even if space is available.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question
Can I travel in a different class of service from my child?
Answer
It is becoming increasingly common in cases of families travelling with children for parents/guardians to wish to travel in a different cabin to their child/children (this is known as Split Families). While this can be facilitated for children of 12 years of age and over, we owe an increased duty of care to the children under the age of 12. To ensure their safety and security in flight the following policy is now effective.
Children Of Split Families on-board under 12 years of age:
The family is registered as a Split Family. The process for booking and travelling is as follows:
The minimum age of child must be 5 years old.
The child can be booked into any cabin as long as the accompanying parent/guardian is in a different cabin on the same flight number and date.
The child must be checked in with the accompanying parent/guardian at the parent's check in desk.
Children are to remain with the accompanying parent/guardian until they are handed over at the gate to British Airways ground staff.
Silver/ Gold cardholders may take a guest into the lounge, this may be a child. However, non cardholders on a Club/First Class ticket are only entitled to lounge use for themselves. Due to space constraints the children are not able to use the Skyflyers lounge facilities on the ground.
Ground staff will complete the hand-over form at the gate, or where appropriate, and pass it to the Cabin Crew when they escort the child onto the aircraft.
Whilst British Airways retains overall Duty of Care after the child has checked in, the parent/guardian are requested to remain responsible for the child's health, well being and behaviour both when on the ground and on-board and will retain responsibility for them in case of aircraft delays/changes etc.
Please note.If children misbehave or become upset a member of the crew will request the parent/guardian to assist, and as a last resort may also request them to downgrade in order to seat together (this action would be taken for the child's benefit).
On arrival at the destination the child will be handed over by crew to the parent/guardian. Crew can offer the parents the opportunity for the child to be brought to their cabin after others have disembarked or they can wait for the child on the jetty.
Hand-over form to be signed by parents, wherever possible.
No automatic assistance will be provided by the ground staff at the airport of arrival.
Note - Upgrades are not permitted, even if space is available.
Children of 12 years of age and over.
Children of 12 and over may travel in a different cabin to their parent/guardian without any special procedures for bookings and hand-over. However the parent/guardian is fully responsible for the well being of the child during the flight wherever the child is seated on-board. This means that if a child (aged 12 - 15 years) misbehaves or is upset, the same procedure applies as set out above i.e. If children misbehave or become upset a member of the crew will request the parent/guardian to assist, and as a last resort may also request them to downgrade in order to seat together. (this action would be taken for the child's benefit.)
Children must not visit their parents in a higher cabin unless permission has been granted by Cabin Crew.
NB. Upgrades are not permitted, even if space is available.
