Dilemma for trip to USA

[bnroz]

I have a dilemma, need a bit of advice maybe

My family (2 adults and 2 kids - 3yrs old and 9 months old) are going to USA next year (departing May 22 2010), we are flying into LAX or SFO, then doing our own thing internally, then flying from NYC back to Adelaide (June 12 2010).

We have enough Qantas Frequent Flyer points for the 2 adults and also the 9 month old (we only need to pay taxes for her). So my dilemma is we need to get our 3 yr old son on the same flights as us on (JFK - LAX - BRIS - ADL) on Qantas.

so do i book the frequent flyer flights for the 2 adults and 9 month old and hold off and wait until Qantas release sale fares to the USA then book my 3 yr old on the same flights as us (only pay 75% of fare as he is a child).

OR..... do i just book the Qantas frequent flyer points from JFK to Adl for all 4 of us, then maybe wait for some one way sale fares say on V Australia to get over to USA, knowing that we aer all confirmed on the Qantas flight from JFK to ADL......

 

[harvyk]

I'd make the bookings for an adult, the child and the infant using points and then book the other adult on as a separate booking. The problem is with booking a 3yo on a separate booking is that QF may treat them as an unaccompanied minor.

The other method you mentioned was flying one way on points and then buying a one way fare back. This could also be very expensive as oftan the one-way fare is as expensive (if not more expensive) than a return booking.

Once the bookings are made call up QF and ask for the bookings to be linked so that you don't end up with one of you on the wrong end of the plane to the rest of you.

 

[bnroz]

I'd make the bookings for an adult, the child and the infant using points and then book the other adult on as a separate booking. The problem is with booking a 3yo on a separate booking is that QF may treat them as an unaccompanied minor.

The other method you mentioned was flying one way on points and then buying a one way fare back. This could also be very expensive as oftan the one-way fare is as expensive (if not more expensive) than a return booking.

Once the bookings are made call up QF and ask for the bookings to be linked so that you don't end up with one of you on the wrong end of the plane to the rest of you.

hi harvyk, i did think of that, but it costs the same amount of points for a 3 yo than it does for an adult. so what i was thinking was, since the 3 yo gets to pay only for 75% of the adult fare, might as well pay for that and it will work out cheaper than if book him on FF (remember same amount as adult FF) and then purchasing an adult return fare. make sense.

cant they link the 3 yo booking with the FF flyer points booking?

surely they would allow a 3 yo to sit at opposites ends of the plane to the rest of the family....

 

[Dave Noble]

Booking the child on cash should be no issue though may need to be done over the phone; they should be able to associate the paid kid with the adult to avoid the unaccompanied minor issue

Dave

 

[harvyk]

hi bnroz,

Technically the way you originally thought (using points for everyone bar the 3yo) should be fine. The problem is if you get a person on the phone or at checkin who is not really with it you may have some problems.

I've on more than one occasion had everything ticketed and requested \ allocated perfectly only to have the checkin agent to have a brain melt, which meant that everyone in our family was scattered throughout the plane, and we ended up going to another checkin agent to re-issue our boarding passes so we where back together.

This is why I suggest paying for the Adult, because last thing you really want when your checking in with two kids, on the other side of the world, who may or may not be looking forwards to the trip, and who may or may not be in a good mood, is to also have an unhelpful check-in agent that say's "the rules say this" (re child on their own booking), and won't lift a finger to help.