bennijiggs

I perused the FAQ in this sub forum an didnt see what I was looking for. I suppose I am just looking for other travelers opinions on this matter. My wife and I will be traveling from Denver to Chicago then down to Atlanta. Prices for tickets in the month we need to go are quite pricey. I can save about 600$ if I put our child as a lap child. The problem is she will be 2 years old and about 4 months and I see on the web site Uniteds cut off says 2yrs old. She is very small for her age though compared to other children. I guess my question is will United want proof she is in fact less then 2yrs old? What would some of you other parents do. Money is kinda tight but my sister is getting married and we all need to get there for her big day. Advice?

Eclipsepearl

The FAA is strict about the 2 year cut-off for "lap babies". The burden of proof is on the parents to prove that the child has not yet had his or her 2nd birthday. Many airlines ask for the birth certificate but I didn't see this mentioned on UA's website. You will probably be asked her birthdate at check-in.

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,1051,00.html

Once we did have a child over age 2 without a seat. The mother didn't speak English and was returning to Africa. Her child had turned 2 on the trip. We believed she was just misinformed and not trying to get away with anything and begged the ground staff to remove an employee to accommodate the child. We couldn't risk keeping the child on her lap as that would have been a FAA violation and we could have been personally fined.

If you are caught, you could end up paying the full fare for a place or removed from the flight.

Perhaps there is someone she can stay with there in Denver while you attend the wedding?

bennijiggs

I didnt realize it was an FAA requirement. Thanks for that heads up. We have traveled with her before on 2 diferent United flights without having to provide documentation on her age. She was only 20 months at the time. She is going to be the flower girl in the wedding and all my family is also leaving Denver to go to the wedding, so no one to leave her with.

gobluetwo

Perhaps you can cash in some miles for your wife (assuming you can all get on the same flight). As a 1K, you'd still be entitled to have them all fly with you in E+ and could still bring your wife through security, priority boarding, etc although on a separate PNR. I actually bought tix to HNL for my wife/daughter while I and my other daughter were on paid tickets. Ditto for a trip to LAX once. Otherwise, perhaps a road trip or another airline? I was loathe to fly DL to DEN last year for my uncle's wedding, but it actually wasn't too bad as a general member since families with young kids (our youngest was 2 1/2 at the time) could board early.

vicarious_MR'er

There's no question here. You don't have a choice because of her age. It's very unfair of you to even consider taking away from the comfort of others with a child far over age in order to keep money in your own pocket.

azepine00

Let's not get overly righteous here as the whole age criteria is ridiculous to begin with. If you consider safety or inconveniences to others then the limitation should be based on weight not age. 20 mo old 35 lb boy is clearly a bigger inconvenience than 28 mo 25 lb girl.

I don't see a problem with trying to sneak a very small kid on a plane as a lap child even if s/he is over the age of 2. For all practical purposes the airline only needs to verify the age to comply with FAA regulations so if you state "under 2" they won't care. That being said parents have to be ready to face the consequences if things don't go as planned so consider your own risk/reward ratio.

Personally as a 1K I would book an award ticket for her and keep an eye on flight loads and kid's weight. If by travel time she still looks small enough and there are empty seats I would seriously consider canceling the award and trying lap child approach.

vicarious_MR'er

I'll be as self-righteous about it as I like, thanks!
I hope that OP gets sizzled and has to buy a walk-up fare as punishment if he tries it.

bennijiggs

You sound like a fun person to be around. I dont see how having my 21lb girl in my lap or my wifes would be an inconvienence to another passenger. To be honest, my daughter will not sit still at a restaurant in her own high chair for 40 min, I know she wont be sitting in her own seat on 5 hours worth of airplane flying. Just seems like a waste of 600$ to me. My daughter is small. She is about 5 inches shorther and 5-9lbs lighter then kids her age. Most people we see in stores, etc, cant believe us when we tell them she is just over 2.

Anyways, I dont want to risk getting thrown off the plane so I may have to bite the bullet. My current plan is use miles for my wifes ticket, use my 350$ e cert I have saved up for mine, and then just pay for my daughters ticket. I found a much cheaper ticket to get there for only 320$ but it will require a long detour to Chicago instead of a strait shot. Would suck, but it is definately cheaper.

KSinNYC

Well, if that's the case, then why do you think she'd sit on your lap for 5 hours of airplane flying? (seriously)

Having just done a transcon trip with a 19 month old, I now totally see why a 2 year old has to buy a seat. Regardless of their size, 2 year olds are just squirmy...

bennijiggs

Because she likes to sit in mine and my wifes lap. Like I stated, in a restaurant she doesnt last long in her own seat. She prefers to be in our lap or trying to walk around the joint. If I bought her her own seat, it would remain empty for 98% of the flight, hence why I am reluctant to purchase one for her.

6rugrats

Your reluctance is irrelevant. She's over two years old and legally, you must purchase a ticket for her. Advice? Buy the seat and avoid embarrasment and additional cost when you are asked for her birth certificate at check-in or the gate, and you must purchase a ticket at the walk-up fare.

bennijiggs

I wasnt aware you needed a birth certificate for domestic travel on United for a child. Can anyone confirm this? I realize legally I am required, but lets get off our high horses here people, when the speed limit says 55mph have you ever gone 60mph? It is not like I am trying to commit murder here, its fudging 4 month off a a legal age. Hell, my wife just celebrated her 29th birthday for the last 4 years.

vicarious_MR'er

You're the one trying to pull off a scam and WE are on high horses? Really?

bennijiggs

sigh

KSinNYC

Okay, OP... I agree with you that some folks on this thread may come across as a little, well, assertive in their tone.

But I have to agree that a 2 year old probably needs his/her own seat. I say this relunctantly but realistically. It doesn't matter how small/well-behaved/[fill in word here] your child is. Airplanes are crowded, there isn't a lot of room for passengers, much less for lap children. I do think it's unfair to encroach in other people's very limited space, and with a 2+ year old lap child I don't see how you could possibly avoid it.

So I say, buy the ticket and get her a frequent flyer number.

Now excuse me I must go post in the thread about seat changes for families.