QF ticket: infant turns 2 midway through journey

[ermen]

As I understand from QF's infant policy, if a child turns 2 partway through a journey, they can continue using the infant ticket

Infant and child age requirements

So my sister had an issue with this, where her child turned 2 part way through the journey. There was some confusion at PER checkin (was PER - xSYD i HND) which took 1 hour to solve.

Finally was allowed to board, but child who was slightly over 2, was flown as a lap child.

Question is - should the child have been assigned their separate seat (I thought that a child above 2 can't fly as a lapchild?)

Does this need to be arranged by the QF call centre (I know that SQ has a good defined policy on this - where you need to call SQ to get them to block off a seat).

I am worried they will have check in problems again at HND!

 

[Pushka]

If

As I understand from QF's infant policy, if a child turns 2 partway through a journey, they can continue using the infant ticket

Infant and child age requirements

So my sister had an issue with this, where her child turned 2 part way through the journey. There was some confusion at PER checkin (was PER - xSYD i HND) which took 1 hour to solve.

Finally was allowed to board, but child who was slightly over 2, was flown as a lap child.

Question is - should the child have been assigned their separate seat (I thought that a child above 2 can't fly as a lapchild?)

Does this need to be arranged by the QF call centre (I know that SQ has a good defined policy on this - where you need to call SQ to get them to block off a seat).

I am worried they will have check in problems again at HND!

If a child was given a seat then I’d expect to have to pay for that so didn’t they do her a favour letting her travel on her lap?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well it was a long time ago, but my now 26 year old daughter turned 2 on the flight from MEL-LAX . Crossing the dateline she enjoyed two second birthdays on the plane

From memory it was a deal where the infant was free and she stayed free for our return flights with a stopover in Hawai 3 weeks later when she was a chargeable 2 year old.

 

[ermen]

Would / should they get a seat assigned to them though?

 

[Vic]

If booked as an infant travelling on a lap then they travel on a lap. You're suppose to pay for a whole seat when they get to 2 years old. I'm not seeing how getting a seat for free is a thing.

 

[Pushka]

Would / should they get a seat assigned to them though?

If they pay for it which I take it they didn’t.

 

[ozmille]

going to have this next year as well, I have no expectations at all that the airline will block a free seat for the little one

 

[ermen]

So the consensus is that it is ok for a child >2yo to be a lap infant?

 

[Vic]

I didn't say that.
The consensus I see is that you can't expect the airline to give you something for free if you don't pay for it. You linked to a policy that talks about how the ticket is handled in this situation. I cannot see anything in the linked material that says the child can't fly on a lap. Do you have something to support this view?

 

[ozmille]

So the consensus is that it is ok for a child >2yo to be a lap infant?

if the child / infant turns 2 mid trip it won't be very much older than 2, my son will be 2 years and 2 weeks for the return portion of the ticket, not much difference in those 2 weeks

 

[ermen]

No I don't have a link from QF which says a >2yo can't fly on a lap. But doesnt seemed to be allowed or commonly practiced, based on experiences with other airlines (in particular SQ). Some even say that US DOT rules prevent this.

If QF say it is OK, then it is fine. After all, its their plane.

 

[Vic]

The 2 year and 12 year thing is just an arbitrary cut off for financial reasons in my view. 2 years is kind of fair enough. I don't think what happened is good. I also wouldn't have expected a free seat because the child turned 2.

 

[ermen]

The 2 year and 12 year thing is just an arbitrary cut off for financial reasons in my view. 2 years is kind of fair enough. I don't think what happened is good. I also wouldn't have expected a free seat because the child turned 2.

I wouldn't expect a free seat unless of course it is against some CASA regulations to fly a >2 yo as a lap child. In the latter case, then, yes I would expect QF to assign a seat.

 

[Pushka]

So the consensus is that it is ok for a child >2yo to be a lap infant?

Well, not exactly. But if you don’t pay for a seat the child shouldn’t receive one.

I wouldn't expect a free seat unless of course it is against some CASA regulations to fly a >2 yo as a lap child. In the latter case, then, yes I would expect QF to assign a seat.

In which case Qantas would ask for payment or not fly.

 

[ermen]

I wouldn't expect a free seat unless of course it is against some CASA regulations to fly a >2 yo as a lap child. In the latter case, then, yes I would expect QF to assign a seat.

So I did my research myself - under Australian regulations, there is no requirement for an infant <3 year old to have their own seat (i.e. can be carried in the lap).

What I found out too that it is actually legal for 2 children to be sharing 1 seat - as long as their combined weight does not exceed 77kg.
Seems like I am being ripped off now for child fares

CAO Para 13.2 (1)
An infant may be carried in the arms or on the lap of an adult passenger, in a bassinet or in an infant seat in accordance with paragraphs 13.3, 13.4, 13.5 and 13.6 providing the bassinet or infant seat is restrained so as to prevent it from moving under the maximum accelerations to be expected in flight and in an emergency alighting, and precautions are taken to ensure that, at the times seat belts are required to be worn, the infant will not be thrown from the bassinet or infant seat under these accelerations.

Definition of infant being <3 year old

Civil Aviation Order 20.16.3 - Air service operations - Carriage of persons (02/12/2004)

 

[ermen]

Well, not exactly. But if you don’t pay for a seat the child shouldn’t receive one.

I've addressed that above.

On SQ, I expect that if I didn't pay for the seat, I would receive one though per their policy.
On QF, now I know its not the same (and not illegal).

 

[ermen]

Well, not exactly. But if you don’t pay for a seat the child shouldn’t receive one.


In which case Qantas would ask for payment or not fly.

Take a step back.
It is a hypothetical now - then they should/would not advertise their infant policy per the original post - that they would honour an infant ticket.

 

[Pushka]

Take a step back.
It is a hypothetical now - then they should/would not advertise their infant policy per the original post - that they would honour an infant ticket.

Well it’s a non issue I guess as 2 year olds can fly on a lap. And in such cases where travel commenced prior to the 2nd birthday, won’t be allocated a seat unless it has been purchased.

 

[ermen]

BA also gives a free seat if the child turns two midway through the journey.

British Airways - child turns 2 during travel - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[Pushka]

BA also gives a free seat if the child turns two midway through the journey.

British Airways - child turns 2 during travel - FlyerTalk Forums

But they were flying on Qantas so their rules apply and I’ve not had cause to check those.