Adam Kirtley

Hi, I would like a case study of UK travellers who feel airlines are ripping people off with infant fares, for my BBC radio Five Live business slot this afternoon at 12.30 UK time. If you would like to come on air please respond asap! Thanks Adam (five live).

vicarious_MR'er

Can you please explain how it's a "ripoff" to charge a fee for each passenger on the plane.

emma69

I guess the 'rip off' is that the infant doesn't get their own seat, doesn't get a meal, doesn't use the IFE etc etc. I think the only thing that you could argue is used is the baggage portion, for airlines that do allow infants baggage and stroller / car seat. If it is to pay for baggage, then wouldn't it make sense to be a flat fee (like extra bags are charged at) and not 10% of the fare (as 10% of economy is very different to 10% of first, but the baggage still weighs exactly the same).

vicarious_MR'er

I'm still failing to see the "ripoff."

I'd think a 90% discount of getting from point A to point B more than makes up for the lack of seat, meal, etc. That's what it costs, so if you don't like it, don't buy it.

...and you're assuming international.

On a domestic US flight, a dog pays for the transportation even if it is an in-cabin dog and not cargo while the infant does not. How does that make sense?

fredandgingermad

fancy registering an account just to post that

i also wonder what he meant by infant fare rip off, i never had a problem with what i was paying for my daughter when she was under 2 Now if it was about how much i pay now however

dingo

This is a mamby pamby view on travel. The airlines' business is transporting people from point A to point B. Measured that way, it doesn't really matter where one sits...if you're partaking of the service, you should expect to pay and be glad that a discount is granted at all.

Put that on BBC 5.

TrojanHorse

Is it 10% of the fare that the person bringing the infant paid?

vicarious_MR'er

I can't be sure, never having done it myself. (We buy seats for the kids...)

I have heard all sorts of variations, though, so I don't know if its by-airline or what.
I have heard:
1. 10% of the adult fare of the person traveling with the child (assuming tix bought together at same time)
2. 10% of the lowest fare available at the time (if not purchased at same time as parent)
3. 10% of full fare

GUWonder

Each of the above is normal practice -- depending on airline and/or airline agent and/or travel agent and/or accompanying passenger's ticket/fare type. There are even more varieties than just those three practices above, but the above three practices are the most common.

fredandgingermad

On certain airlines you can't buy seats for infants until they're six months old

CarlTheWebmaster

We've taken a number of TATL award trips in F on LH, UA and in C on OS, with little Miss CTW as a lap infant at 10% of the full fare for that cabin.

It wasn't cheap (IAD-VIE via MUC on LH F = around 10k so 10% = US$1,000) but I looked at it as three of us in F for $1000. which is a pretty good deal. The miles came from trips for which my employer paid.

YMMV, but not really a "ripoff" IMO.

Eclipsepearl

On certain airlines you can't buy seats for infants until they're six months old

I believe those are U.K. companies.

The FAA gives parents the right to purchase a seat and use an approved car seat on board, no matter what the age of the child.

I would see a better subject of investigation as being why British parents don't have the same rights and why the car seats, when they are allowed, have to face forward.

But those lap baby fares can add up so it is wise, especially if you have a lot of luggage, to look into the difference in paying for a seat vs. flying with a lap baby, safety issue aside.

fredandgingermad

I for one would be interested to know why the CAA have different rules to the FAA

Eclipsepearl

They actually wrote me once and explained that they don't want rear-facing seats in case the person in front of them can't recline (not too safety conscience, huh?) What if it's a bulkhead seat? No one in front? A member of the family who is willing or doesn't necessarily want to recline their seat? Guess the CAA didn't take those situations into consideration...

Also, they require belly belts to keep the child from being thrown around the cabin. True because the baby could injure someone. The FAA bans belly belts because it's unsafe for the child (so it's a case of who is put at risk).

I didn't ask about the under 6 months rule but that ties in with the rear-facing car seat ban, since they're too young to face forward and infant buckets can't install foward-facing anyway.

fredandgingermad

Virgin Atlantic have a infant seat that can be installed if a seat for the infant has been purchased, if not its bassinet or belly belt, which i've seen on all but the US airlines i've flown with including those in the middle east :/ Some of the low budget airlines don't allow car seats in the cabin full stop either