Issues involving children very near 2-year-old age cutoff
Sep 3, 2013, 11:49 am
#31
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 18
Thanks everyone.
We are flying from MSP to the UK, preferably Edinburgh but London if it's significantly cheaper.
My 21 month old son has been on approx. 20 flights so far, all of them as lap infant but nearly all of them he's been able to get his own seat thanks to helpful flight attendants! So, I've had success with taking the risk of booking him as a lap infant and still getting a seat.
The BA information intrigues me. So I could book him as a lap infant and he'd still have a seat somehow?
For the record it's a 3 month trip, so he flights to the UK at 22 months and back at 25 months.
We are flying from MSP to the UK, preferably Edinburgh but London if it's significantly cheaper.
My 21 month old son has been on approx. 20 flights so far, all of them as lap infant but nearly all of them he's been able to get his own seat thanks to helpful flight attendants! So, I've had success with taking the risk of booking him as a lap infant and still getting a seat.
The BA information intrigues me. So I could book him as a lap infant and he'd still have a seat somehow?
For the record it's a 3 month trip, so he flights to the UK at 22 months and back at 25 months.
Sep 4, 2013, 12:23 am
#32
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: France
Programs: United Plus
Posts: 1,761
http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/...nning-your-tri
If you're travelling with an infant who reaches the age of two during their journey, your child will need their own seat for any flights on and after their 2nd birthday. However, there is no charge for this; you will still only pay the infant fare for the entire journey.
As your infant will only be required to have a seat for part of your trip, this can't be booked online, so contact us and we'll be pleased to help you.
Contact us
If you're travelling with an infant who reaches the age of two during their journey, your child will need their own seat for any flights on and after their 2nd birthday. However, there is no charge for this; you will still only pay the infant fare for the entire journey.
As your infant will only be required to have a seat for part of your trip, this can't be booked online, so contact us and we'll be pleased to help you.
Contact us
Sep 11, 2013, 9:58 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 18
I'm about to book these tickets, and I just selected infant on the BA website. The info you posted about says to call, but it seems to be bookable online.
Also, how does it work with codesharing? I'm booking on the BA website and the flights that are operated by American are much cheaper. Will they still let me travel with my just-turned 2 year old as an infant? Or do I have to fly BA proper?
I can't seem to find 'child fares' anywhere. When I attempt to do this with United (which is actually cheapest) it just says there are no flights found....
Argh, this is very confusing. I don't want to pay a full fare for him if I don't have to as tickets for my travel dates are around $1300 per person right now.
Also, how does it work with codesharing? I'm booking on the BA website and the flights that are operated by American are much cheaper. Will they still let me travel with my just-turned 2 year old as an infant? Or do I have to fly BA proper?
I can't seem to find 'child fares' anywhere. When I attempt to do this with United (which is actually cheapest) it just says there are no flights found....
Argh, this is very confusing. I don't want to pay a full fare for him if I don't have to as tickets for my travel dates are around $1300 per person right now.
Sep 11, 2013, 10:46 pm
#35
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cambridge, England
Programs: BA, VS, Le Club Accor Gold
Posts: 1,208
I'm about to book these tickets, and I just selected infant on the BA website. The info you posted about says to call, but it seems to be bookable online.
Also, how does it work with codesharing? I'm booking on the BA website and the flights that are operated by American are much cheaper. Will they still let me travel with my just-turned 2 year old as an infant? Or do I have to fly BA proper?
I can't seem to find 'child fares' anywhere. When I attempt to do this with United (which is actually cheapest) it just says there are no flights found....
Argh, this is very confusing. I don't want to pay a full fare for him if I don't have to as tickets for my travel dates are around $1300 per person right now.
Also, how does it work with codesharing? I'm booking on the BA website and the flights that are operated by American are much cheaper. Will they still let me travel with my just-turned 2 year old as an infant? Or do I have to fly BA proper?
I can't seem to find 'child fares' anywhere. When I attempt to do this with United (which is actually cheapest) it just says there are no flights found....
Argh, this is very confusing. I don't want to pay a full fare for him if I don't have to as tickets for my travel dates are around $1300 per person right now.
Sep 12, 2013, 1:37 am
#36
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Sep 12, 2013, 2:39 am
#37
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: France
Programs: United Plus
Posts: 1,761
Also, how does it work with codesharing? I'm booking on the BA website and the flights that are operated by American are much cheaper. Will they still let me travel with my just-turned 2 year old as an infant? Or do I have to fly BA proper?
American Airlines is under FAA jurisdiction and they are very strict about lap babies. Once they have had their 2nd birthday, they have to have a seat. There have been ugly incidents at the airport over this. Also, the burden of proof is on you to prove that your lap baby has not yet had his 2nd birthday.
BA is under the CAA, which is less strict.
With codesharing, the rules of the actual airline you're flying always apply.
Rarely do I see "child" (2-11) fares. Sometimes they're more expensive than regular fares so beware!
American Airlines is under FAA jurisdiction and they are very strict about lap babies. Once they have had their 2nd birthday, they have to have a seat. There have been ugly incidents at the airport over this. Also, the burden of proof is on you to prove that your lap baby has not yet had his 2nd birthday.
BA is under the CAA, which is less strict.
With codesharing, the rules of the actual airline you're flying always apply.
Rarely do I see "child" (2-11) fares. Sometimes they're more expensive than regular fares so beware!
Sep 12, 2013, 3:37 pm
#38
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cambridge, England
Programs: BA, VS, Le Club Accor Gold
Posts: 1,208
Also, how does it work with codesharing? I'm booking on the BA website and the flights that are operated by American are much cheaper. Will they still let me travel with my just-turned 2 year old as an infant? Or do I have to fly BA proper?
American Airlines is under FAA jurisdiction and they are very strict about lap babies. Once they have had their 2nd birthday, they have to have a seat. There have been ugly incidents at the airport over this. Also, the burden of proof is on you to prove that your lap baby has not yet had his 2nd birthday.
BA is under the CAA, which is less strict.
With codesharing, the rules of the actual airline you're flying always apply.
Rarely do I see "child" (2-11) fares. Sometimes they're more expensive than regular fares so beware!
American Airlines is under FAA jurisdiction and they are very strict about lap babies. Once they have had their 2nd birthday, they have to have a seat. There have been ugly incidents at the airport over this. Also, the burden of proof is on you to prove that your lap baby has not yet had his 2nd birthday.
BA is under the CAA, which is less strict.
With codesharing, the rules of the actual airline you're flying always apply.
Rarely do I see "child" (2-11) fares. Sometimes they're more expensive than regular fares so beware!
Sep 12, 2013, 7:05 pm
#40
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cambridge, England
Programs: BA, VS, Le Club Accor Gold
Posts: 1,208
I also just went through the online procedure for booking an infant on BA, once you've given them the infants date of birth it tells you that you'll have to phone up to complete the booking as children over the age of 2 require a seat
As for children's fares I've yet to see any offered on any US airline
As for children's fares I've yet to see any offered on any US airline
Sep 13, 2013, 7:17 am
#41
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 702
Also, how does it work with codesharing? I'm booking on the BA website and the flights that are operated by American are much cheaper. Will they still let me travel with my just-turned 2 year old as an infant? Or do I have to fly BA proper?
American Airlines is under FAA jurisdiction and they are very strict about lap babies. Once they have had their 2nd birthday, they have to have a seat. There have been ugly incidents at the airport over this. Also, the burden of proof is on you to prove that your lap baby has not yet had his 2nd birthday.
BA is under the CAA, which is less strict.
With codesharing, the rules of the actual airline you're flying always apply.
Rarely do I see "child" (2-11) fares. Sometimes they're more expensive than regular fares so beware!
American Airlines is under FAA jurisdiction and they are very strict about lap babies. Once they have had their 2nd birthday, they have to have a seat. There have been ugly incidents at the airport over this. Also, the burden of proof is on you to prove that your lap baby has not yet had his 2nd birthday.
BA is under the CAA, which is less strict.
With codesharing, the rules of the actual airline you're flying always apply.
Rarely do I see "child" (2-11) fares. Sometimes they're more expensive than regular fares so beware!
Sep 13, 2013, 8:11 am
#42
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cambridge, England
Programs: BA, VS, Le Club Accor Gold
Posts: 1,208
Twice I have heard announcements by US Airways about being prepared to provide proof of age for lap babies. These were flights to popular vacation destinations so I suspect they were "watching" for people sneaking kids on the plane that may have been past the cut off.
Sep 14, 2013, 1:02 pm
#43
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: France
Programs: United Plus
Posts: 1,761
Yes, it's a no-brainer on an in'tl flight when a passport is needed. The problem is that people can book on the net and then just show up at the airport. I believe you just tick a box saying you have a lap baby (??).
The OP obviously will have a passport for the child so the proof will be there. There's still the risk of showing up at the airport with an over-2 baby on the way back on an int'l flight. The risk is being charged the rack-rate at the airport, if there's even room.
The OP obviously will have a passport for the child so the proof will be there. There's still the risk of showing up at the airport with an over-2 baby on the way back on an int'l flight. The risk is being charged the rack-rate at the airport, if there's even room.
Sep 14, 2013, 1:58 pm
#44
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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However, not all international flights -- lap child or otherwise -- require a passport for minors (even as most will need a passport or other proof of citizenship and/or ID for international flights); some international flight routes don't even require any ID whatsoever for most minor children, unless the airline chooses to make it a "requirement". [In other words, on some international routes, passport and/or citizenship/ID docs aren't required by governments for all minors traveling internationally. [That said, most international flight routes do require a passport and/or proof of ID/citizenship even of all minors.] That's according to how official policy is set up for routine practice. [In practice, there are more "exceptions", but some of those are irregularities rather than a function of designed policy for daily, repeated use.]
Sep 14, 2013, 2:49 pm
#45
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cambridge, England
Programs: BA, VS, Le Club Accor Gold
Posts: 1,208
I've seen no exceptions with regard to lap child tickets for international flights. [That is to say, all I've seen so far indicates lap child children on international flights are required to have a ticket -- even US-Canada flights.]
However, not all international flights -- lap child or otherwise -- require a passport for minors (even as most will need a passport or other proof of citizenship and/or ID for international flights); some international flight routes don't even require any ID whatsoever for most minor children, unless the airline chooses to make it a "requirement". [In other words, on some international routes, passport and/or citizenship/ID docs aren't required by governments for all minors traveling internationally. [That said, most international flight routes do require a passport and/or proof of ID/citizenship even of all minors.] That's according to how official policy is set up for routine practice. [In practice, there are more "exceptions", but some of those are irregularities rather than a function of designed policy for daily, repeated use.]
However, not all international flights -- lap child or otherwise -- require a passport for minors (even as most will need a passport or other proof of citizenship and/or ID for international flights); some international flight routes don't even require any ID whatsoever for most minor children, unless the airline chooses to make it a "requirement". [In other words, on some international routes, passport and/or citizenship/ID docs aren't required by governments for all minors traveling internationally. [That said, most international flight routes do require a passport and/or proof of ID/citizenship even of all minors.] That's according to how official policy is set up for routine practice. [In practice, there are more "exceptions", but some of those are irregularities rather than a function of designed policy for daily, repeated use.]
