Toddler Age Cutoff?
Jul 13, 2005, 7:01 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ATL
Posts: 386
Toddler Age Cutoff?
My daughter is almost two. How strict is DL on buying tickets at the age change? I want to take a short (600 mile) flight when she is 2 years + 2 weeks.
She has flown almost 50k miles already and I feel that I need to get her seat for most flights but this one is short and she is manageable.
Opinions?
She has flown almost 50k miles already and I feel that I need to get her seat for most flights but this one is short and she is manageable.
Opinions?
Jul 13, 2005, 7:10 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,630
Originally Posted by Northern Willy
My daughter is almost two. How strict is DL on buying tickets at the age change? I want to take a short (600 mile) flight when she is 2 years + 2 weeks.
She has flown almost 50k miles already and I feel that I need to get her seat for most flights but this one is short and she is manageable.
Opinions?
She has flown almost 50k miles already and I feel that I need to get her seat for most flights but this one is short and she is manageable.
Opinions?
Jul 13, 2005, 7:26 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MCO
Posts: 3,030
Deleted
Last edited by vinnmann; Aug 9, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Jul 13, 2005, 11:27 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA USA, DL FO
Posts: 344
I've never had DL ask for proof of age and did travel with my son after he had turned 2 on a short flight with him on my lap.
Southwest, on the other hand, ALWAYS requires proof of age.
Southwest, on the other hand, ALWAYS requires proof of age.
Jul 13, 2005, 12:00 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, DL DM since inception, 3+ MM, HH Gold, SPG-Gold
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I for one would not be happy sitting beside an adult with a normal 2 year on the lap for obvious reasons (especially in coach and especially on a CRJ. But rules are rules and we all have to live with them - as we do -, however, I would be adamantly opposed to breaking the rules to acommodate a 2+ year old and hope the ages on obvious toddlers closing in on two are checked
Jul 13, 2005, 2:02 pm
#6
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Originally Posted by zman
The rule is 2 years and proof of age
http://www.delta.com/travel/special_...ions/index.jsp
Why the different cutoffs for the different players. What about ASA?
Jul 13, 2005, 2:59 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Originally Posted by indufan
While I was looking for the "proof of age" requirement, I came across this.
http://www.delta.com/travel/special_...ions/index.jsp
Why the different cutoffs for the different players. What about ASA?
http://www.delta.com/travel/special_...ions/index.jsp
Why the different cutoffs for the different players. What about ASA?
Jul 13, 2005, 3:24 pm
#8
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Originally Posted by ecaarch
My WAG - operating with different cabin pressures based on equipment used or routes flown may be harmful to very small child?
Comair has all CRJs and ASA and SkyWest have plenty of those.
Jul 13, 2005, 7:47 pm
#9
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Originally Posted by indufan
OK, call me stupid, what's WAG?
Jul 13, 2005, 8:26 pm
#10
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Originally Posted by pbiflyer
WAG - Wild A$$ Guess
Jul 13, 2005, 9:16 pm
#11
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
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Originally Posted by indufan
Thanks. Is ... one of those words you can't use here? I guess I will find out in about one second.
I just get ticked off when we can't use the female dog word (b*tch) during the Westminster Dog show.
Jul 13, 2005, 9:31 pm
#12
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Originally Posted by obscure2k
Guess, the ... word is acceptable. I just get ticked off when we can't use the female dog word (b*tch) during the Westminster Dog show.
I just get ticked off when we can't use the female dog word (b*tch) during the Westminster Dog show.
Jul 16, 2005, 8:59 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 115
Originally Posted by Northern Willy
My daughter is almost two. How strict is DL on buying tickets at the age change? I want to take a short (600 mile) flight when she is 2 years + 2 weeks.
She has flown almost 50k miles already and I feel that I need to get her seat for most flights but this one is short and she is manageable.
Opinions?
She has flown almost 50k miles already and I feel that I need to get her seat for most flights but this one is short and she is manageable.
Opinions?
Jul 16, 2005, 9:17 am
#14
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Originally Posted by TXTBIRD13
Also, if they as for proof and you don't have it, you can be forced to buy a ticket at the walkup fare. I'd play this one straight.
Jul 16, 2005, 11:01 am
#15
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Originally Posted by indufan
I am kind of funny on this "proof" thiing. Just how does one prove that a 1 year 51 week old kid is under two and a 2 year 1 week old one is over two? Birth certificate proves nothing, although I admit that a lot of people think it does. So, do people really carry their kids birth certificates with them when they travel? What other ID is available?
People might not carry their child's birth certificate when they travel but they should. If the kid looks like he could be older than 2 then the birth certificate would be the best way of verifiying the age. No one expects a child to have a state-issued photo id. (However many children today are issued SS cards/numbers before leaving the hospital.)
I do not understand your assertion that "Birth certificate proves nothing," and the implication that a lot of us ignorantly think that it does. When applying for a Passport or SS card one has to provide a birth certificate. So how can you say it proves nothing? They come with a seal or stamp from the issuing city/county/state authority. Sure they can be forged, but any document can be forged. What is the alternative? No id required anywhere for anyone because it "proves nothing"?
A birth certificate has the date the child was born and the name of the parents (if known). If Mom were to hand the agent some OTHER kid's birth certificate it would be obvious that it was not legit because HER name (mom's) would not be on it and the airline definitely has HER name on the reservation. The birthdate would be used to calculate if the child is 2 yrs or 2yrs plus 1 day old. Mom could very well hand the agent a certificate for one of her other children that WAS under 2 years old but that would mean she had two children, one under two and one over two, that are so close in weight and length that one could pass for the other. Possible? Yes. Fraud? Yes.
A birth certificate is really the only reasonable way to verify a child's age. Taking the parent's word for it is NOT a viable option. Airline consumers by nature (and defininitely by action) are cheap. Parents would be trying to pass off 4 and 5 year-olds if the policy were to take their word for it. Even if a parent presents a phony, desktop published birth certificate there is the potential for fraud charges. This is no different than someone presenting a fake passport or driver's license to ANYONE ANYWHERE. Fraud and identity misrepresentation are crimes.
What mechanism for identifying a child's age do you recommend?