maisondubonheur

I belived MPC is by far the best frequent flyer program around...but I still cannot figure out why they won't accept children.

I understand most programs will take you when you reach two years old, make sense with the fare structure.

But why MPC is awaiting 18th birthday? My son had to end up being platinum on AA while he was 7 and we were travelling a lot. I have two kids, now 11 and 9...they would be both Silver, and maybe even GO.

Due to this, we now diversify between airlines...resulting in simply less flights for CX...while they could simply have all of us hooked to CX easily...

MPC still give benefits to family members, but wouldn't it be easier to get the teens addict to MPC as soon as they can?

Thanks for sharing your opinions...

Cathay Boy

MPC used to not age discriminate. I remember seeing an issue of CX magazine that Titled "Meet the Youngest SL member" with a picture of a 12 year old girl. But now they do.

All the excuses can be made, but at the end of the day, it's about cutting cost. Elites benefits are pure cost for the airlines, so to deny a segment of pax with elite benefits will "save" them money.

midlevels

It's probably due to legal reasons. If under 18 year olds get status, it means they can enter lounges without an adult and can consume alcohol without supervision.

That's not a good reason to deny minors entry to MPC, but who said the reason had to be good?

Anyway, if a minor is travelling alone in F or J, they will have access to the lounge anyway but I guess there are not many minors who travel solo in premium cabins.

BAEC has the same restriction as MPC, and the folks on the BA board seem to think it's due to the alcohol.

AA probably doesn't do the same because in their lounges, alcohol generally has to be ordered from the bar and they will ID you if you look too young.

Cathay Boy

This can be easily fix by adding a line that says: "No children under 18 can enter the lounge without their parents or legal guardian"

Of course not. CX can treat us badly and treat a celebrity chef lavishly and all we can do is... well.. nothing. But that doesn't mean we can't TALK about it in FlyerTALK.

maisondubonheur

Well, my son was holding AA platinum and Thai Gold at the same stage, and he has been flying with his younger sister as UM on many occasions.

I undestand the point with the lounge. In some airports, they have kids lounges, which make sense. In some airports, they have been left on their own in lounges, where they have alcohol, as it seems easier for the staff to keep a look at them. So personnally, the law is the law, so if a country say no under 18 (or 19, 20,21) because we serve alcohol, that's the law, and we shall abide by it.

But as a commercial point of view, a 12 years old is a full fare customer...why deny him a service you offer to others. This is the main reason why I'm not DM anymore.

I see that I can agree with midlevels and cathay boy...no reason can also be a good reason...

midlevels

I don't even know if it's really about cost either. There has to be some other reason for this.

Most minors who would have elite status would be travelling with parents who could guest them in anyway, so I think the amount of lone minor travellers clogging up lounges would be pretty small, except for perhaps LHR where many kids attend boarding school.

Besides, I think the cost of food/drinks consumed in the lounge can't be too costly. After the first few times where I used to get excited about lounge food, it's now more of a place to relax and grab a coke or small snack before flying. In fact, often at HKIA I skip going to the lounge entirely and prefer to grab a meal at Pizza Express and then just sleep through the flight.

I guess we'll never truly know why the policy exists. I could understand if they didn't want under 12 to have it because they pay lower fares, but for people paying adult fare, they shouldn't be discriminated against.

Studio54

I can't imagine it's solely down to costs. As mentioned 12 years and above will be charged the full fare. Youngsters are also likely to eat and drink less in the lounges than an adult (and of course won't be allowed at the alcoholic beverages).

Perhaps CX feels that if a child is earning enough miles to achieve status then it's likely that parents or other relatives also have status so it's not necessary to extend it to them, as they'll very often be traveling together.

To be honest I can't think of a valid reason not to let children aged 12 above join MPC.

percysmith

Make sure unaccompanied minors miss out on op-ups? Those spoilt 港童...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...grades-qf.html

CX HK

Spoiled 港童 will have already bought J class tickets

AA_EXP09

Or F.

Connecta

Agree that it's a pity not being able to apply for MPC if below 18.

Alcohol is one potential reason, but I think as well that this could be easily mitigated, e.g. by denying lounge access if unattended as already posted.

I think as well that it's rather related to cost issues. How many kids below 18 are actually making decisions and paying for their flights on their own? In many countries, contracts made by minors can be even reversed if not approved by parents. It's usually still the parents who make the final purchase decision.

So when strictly viewing MPC as a loyalty program, then minors may not be that critical/essential to the key objectives of the program when it comes to saving costs. Sure, in case of OP a family would decide to rather give more business away to other airlines. But how many cases are there, if parents are not already purchasing J or F tickets for their kids anyways? Saving costs makes most sense where it hurts least, and that is often a combined factor of severity and frequency - either one is low or even both when denying minors to join MPC. Whereas business travelers and some other groups may be more attractive to lure with benefits and for MPC/CX to pay for those.

hadsst

This topic has come up here before and to clarify (again):

The minimum age used to be 18 at first, but when the 'Young Discoverer's Club' ended in the late 1990s, the minimum age was lowered to 12. But then for some reasons it was raised to 18 again.

ernestnywang

I have written to MPO regarding this before I turned 18. I did not get any satisfactory response but this:

Anyway, my membership application was accepted when I was 16.

percysmith

I think I've racked up more Young Discoverer's club miles than Club Miles...anyone else here an ex-member?

Racking up Young Discoverer's presents was so simple back then...you just go up to Swire House and select what u want from their catalogue. I remember for one thing, the FAs don't check whether you're travelling on a cheapass package tour tix or a full on Y.

OK, no OW earning, so if I got booted by my Mum on Qantas (when flights are tight), no luck.

I wasn't able to persuade my parents to take me on a MR back then (much less let me travel UM!) tho I did succeed in nagging them to take me out of school for a week to go see my brother for his birthday (who I haven't seen for years).

percysmith

I suppose AM substituted Young Discoverer in that even infants can join and redeem for planes toys or DVDs right?