Booking flights for travel with a child

[JohnK]

I'm sure I know the answer but wondering if anyone has any recent experiences.

My daughter will be 2 next week and I will take her to Sydney every 2-3 weeks to visit grandparents but her travel won't be booked too far in advance but rather last minute just in case she is not able to travel if she's not feeling well.

I can obviously buy the $100 gift vouchers for my bookings which I can use for the $119-$155 one-way airfares. I often purchase the Elevate airfares for myself for a little more flexibility.

How do I then book flights for my 2 year old daughter? She's not travelling unaccompanied but any bookings have to have an adult on the booking. I can of course wait until last minute to book both airfares but then both airfares are expensive and if I book Elevate for myself I have to book Elevate for daughter which is a waste as all I need is Getaway airfares for daughter.

What if I want to book revenue airfare for myself and award airfare for daughter? I guess I could call but then the question of assisted booking fees and change fees applies.

The same will also apply for Qantas but at this stage the travel will more than likely be Virgin as they are considerably cheaper for last minute travel.

 

[TheInsider]

Easiest way would be booking as an adult, and when you get to the airport or after booking, call and get them to change the adult to a child. Domestically it's all the same cost anyway. Just makes a huge difference to a load control perspective though.

With Qantas, it's a very easy and simple process on the day of check-in to change from adult to child.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Easiest way would be booking as an adult, and when you get to the airport or after booking, call and get them to change the adult to a child. Domestically it's all the same cost anyway. Just makes a huge difference to a load control perspective though.

With Qantas, it's a very easy and simple process on the day of check-in to change from adult to child.

It's the same in Sabre for VA.

 

[JohnK]

Thanks @TheInsider, interesting information.

I didn't think it was possible to change DOB etc on a booking. And there's also the frequent flyer account for family pooling but I guess that could be added later.

 

[JohnK]

Called Virgin regarding missing itineraries again and mentioned travelling with daughter where my flights are booked months in advance.

Advice was to call Velocity Gold and they will make the booking and link to my booking and I can even use gift voucher to pay.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Thanks @TheInsider, interesting information.

I didn't think it was possible to change DOB etc on a booking. And there's also the frequent flyer account for family pooling but I guess that could be added later.

It is, but in this case all one is doing is changing the type of passenger in the check-in process - which as TheInsider indicates, doesn't actually mean much except in load control - where it can be of significant importance.

In the CKIN process in Sabre, there is a drop-down box that appears and one can select the right load option (male/female/child from memory...its been a few years)

 

[JohnK]

It is, but in this case all one is doing is changing the type of passenger in the check-in process - which as TheInsider indicates, doesn't actually mean much except in load control - where it can be of significant importance.

Doesn't the flight booking require a DOB? How do you put 18 years old and then ask them to change to a 2 year old?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Doesn't the flight booking require a DOB? How do you put 18 years old and then ask them to change to a 2 year old?

It does require one, but it doesn't actually restrict an agent from denoting a passenger as a child if required for loading purposes.