Can infants be ticketed added to the adults booking at airport / check in?

[PSC]

Hi All,

Flying Virgin domestic on a Krisflyer award redemption, and have tried to add our newborn to the booking through the virgin call centre and Singapore call centre but both are unable to do it.
Virgin can't because Singapore issued the ticket and Sing can't because I would have to book another award fare at the same award rate for the infant and only if there is award availability, even though he will be in our laps.

I have read on forum threads from a few years ago that you could turn up to the airport with an infant and be ticketed at check-in. Does anyone know if this is still valid, or has anyone tried this recently?

Cheers

 

[Must...Fly!]

I don't think you'd be able to do that with an infant on a ticket issued by another airline.

However I believe SQ are right in that infants on partners booked through KF require the same number of points and availability as an adult

 

[JohnK]

Infant as in <2 years old?

For domestic flights I used to turn up to airport and daughter was added to booking.

For international I remember calling Thai to add daughter to United Airlines business class award. They charged roughly 10% of revenue airfare.

I vaguely recall doing similar for Singapore Airlines. I wasn't charged points a full reward airfare but paid some small amount for taxes.

All this was 4 years ago so things may have changed since.

 

[planky]

I have had the same problem in the past, and after lots of to-ing and fro-ing it turns out Virgin actually can do it - you just need to find the right person, and explain that they have done it for you before and it is possible. Virgin haven't charged me whenever I have done it.

 

[tammma]

I have had the same problem in the past, and after lots of to-ing and fro-ing it turns out Virgin actually can do it - you just need to find the right person, and explain that they have done it for you before and it is possible. Virgin haven't charged me whenever I have done it.

Hey there...is there a particular department you spoke to?

Or is it a case of calling during Australian business hours and getting the domestic call centres rather than the Filipino call centres?

I am having this issue now for jan2023. I got off the phone with someone from virgin and they said not a problem. I called SQ and got my booking ticketed. Called back and VA said no

 

[PSC]

Hey there...is there a particular department you spoke to?

Or is it a case of calling during Australian business hours and getting the domestic call centres rather than the Filipino call centres?

I am having this issue now for jan2023. I got off the phone with someone from virgin and they said not a problem. I called SQ and got my booking ticketed. Called back and VA said no

I ended up cancelling the award booking with SQ, and rebooked with virgin. Spoke to many different departments at different times and they were unable to issue a child’s 10% of the fare, revenue ticket for a partner airline.

 

[tammma]

I ended up cancelling the award booking with SQ, and rebooked with virgin. Spoke to many different departments at different times and they were unable to issue a child’s 10% of the fare, revenue ticket for a partner airline.

thanks - good to know.

I am onto my second VA offshore call operator and no go. I am going to try reach the Brisbane team to see if they can help on their end.

I have called and added infants with the carrying airline no problems with mileage redemptions so I am not quite sure why SQ/VA would be any different. I understand SQ/KF seem to be a bit more strict....has this changed over the last few years or something?

I have previously added infants to a SQ redemption (albeit on SQ's own metal) and just paid a 10% fee.

 

[PSC]

thanks - good to know.

I am onto my second VA offshore call operator and no go. I am going to try reach the Brisbane team to see if they can help on their end.

I have called and added infants with the carrying airline no problems with mileage redemptions so I am not quite sure why SQ/VA would be any different. I understand SQ/KF seem to be a bit more strict....has this changed over the last few years or something?

I have previously added infants to a SQ redemption (albeit on SQ's own metal) and just paid a 10% fee.

On a Qantas multi-leg one world award, I was able to add the infant for only the price of the taxes, which was on multiple airlines but with SQ they were adamant it had to be on their own metal and on the virgin side they were unable to issue the ticket manually, speaking to various onshore and offshore teams.
Good luck and please let me know how you go.

 

[tammma]

On a Qantas multi-leg one world award, I was able to add the infant for only the price of the taxes, which was on multiple airlines but with SQ they were adamant it had to be on their own metal and on the virgin side they were unable to issue the ticket manually, speaking to various onshore and offshore teams.
Good luck and please let me know how you go.

I am in exactly this position. SQ telling me to talk to VA. VA telling me to talk to SQ.

I have 3x tickets booked. Cant add the infant. Cant even pay for a full award seat as availability on that flight has disappeared now.

Will try again with VA when they open but I am kinda stuck!

Short of cancelling and rebooking all over again I am not sure what I can do here now...I have never had any issue adding infants and VA told me it would not be an issue (which is what made me go off and ticket the flights with SQ in the first place).

It was only when I called back to VA that their tune seemingly changed.

 

[tammma]

Update: with VA pointing me to SQ and SQ telling me to buy a cash fare for the infant, I've just given up and booked a cash fare for mum + free infant direct with VA.

I will just cancel mum's SQ KF redemption and be done with it. Lesson learned.