Points for unaccompanied minors

[Jonathan Miller]

I have just bought three return tickets for my children to visit their gran in Scotland in July. As they will be travelling alone (the youngest is 11) I have to pay full fare plus an unaccompanied surcharge. I was really looking forward to the points (Qantas) after spending more than $8000, but apparently I am not entitled to them as I'm not travelling. Is this right? would it be different if I were accompanying them? Is it worth joining them up for this one return flight? I would appreciate any feedback, cheers

 

[opusman]

I have just bought three return tickets for my children to visit their gran in Scotland in July. As they will be travelling alone (the youngest is 11) I have to pay full fare plus an unaccompanied surcharge. I was really looking forward to the points (Qantas) after spending more than $8000, but apparently I am not entitled to them as I'm not travelling. Is this right? would it be different if I were accompanying them? Is it worth joining them up for this one return flight? I would appreciate any feedback, cheers

Join them all up, and then transfer their points to your account.

 

[Dave Noble]

Only the 11 year old would need to go as an unaccompanied minor and only then if neither of the other 2 are both under 15

If one of the children is 15 then they could just go together without a need to be accompanied

They are all entitled to earn miles from the trip and a family transfer can be done into another account though do make sure you sign them up using an address in scotland to avoid the joining fee

Dave

 

[NM]

You cannot earn and points directly into your account since you are not travelling. But if each child has their own FF account, they can each earn points into their account for the flights. Then once the points have been credited to their accounts, they can be transferred to your account using the Family Transfer option of the Qantas FF program.

Note the terms and conditions of the Family Transfer process. They can be found here on the Qantas FF web site.

 

[simongr]

Ok - point one if you sign them all up it's going to cost $330 - $82.50/person.

They will earn 21,172 points (based on SYD-LHR-SYD route) each a total of 85K points if you transfer them all to you - almost enough for an upgrade J to F on that SYD-LHR route.

So the question is - is 85K points worth $330?

In discount economy no one will be getting any status from this trip...

 

[Anna]

The OP said there were 3 kids..... Doesn't that make $247.50 for 63,000 points?

 

[NM]

The OP said there were 3 kids..... Doesn't that make $247.50 for 63,000 points?

you know what those accountant people are like ....

 

[Dave Noble]

Ok - point one if you sign them all up it's going to cost $330 - $82.50/person.

Not if they use the address of the gran in Scotland when signing up; then the cost will be free

Dave

 

[JohnK]

So the question is - is 85K points worth $330?

Even with the revised 63,000 FF points for $247.50 surely this is worth it anyway you look at it.

For 60,000 FF points and +++ you get a return ticket to SE Asia including HKG, BKK, SIN etc. At peak travel periods like Christmas/New Year this is valued at close to $2,000. So even taking into consideration the +++ for the "free" flight and the QFF membership fee it is still a tidy profit.

 

[simongr]

you know what those accountant people are like ....

I am an auditor remember - not an accountant nowadays

@Dave Noble - but that would be unethical!

 

[Dave Noble]

I am an auditor remember - not an accountant nowadays

@Dave Noble - but that would be unethical!

hmmm.... $82.50 *3 or zero ..... hmmm, having problems finding the ethical issues

Dave

 

[NM]

I am an auditor remember - not an accountant nowadays

So you not qualified as an accountant :shock:

 

[NM]

@Dave Noble - but that would be unethical!

And charging an joining fee to some people based on their chosen geographic residence could be perceived as being discriminatory!

 

[Jonathan Miller]

Thank you all for your really helpful comments. And David they are going to live with Gran!! This is a great community.

 

[simongr]

So you not qualified as an accountant :shock:

I do have a formal accounting qualification...

 

[NM]

I do have a formal accounting qualification...

then my point stands

 

[Baysider]

Just a comment on fares for "unaccompanied minors". My sister-in-law works and lives in the UAE and puts her 2 boys on a flight once a year to visit their father in Australia. Emirates charges a full adult fare for both boys, and then demands an additional "unaccompanied minor" fee for each of them on top.

Where do these airlines get off ? How can they be adults and not adults simultaneously ?

 

[NM]

Where do these airlines get off ? How can they be adults and not adults simultaneously ?

The child fares are priced with the expectation that they will be sold along with at least one full adult fare. So when there is no paying adult in the party, the cost structure falls apart for selling a discounted child fare. The passengers still require to be fed,, have the same baggage allowance, require the same cabin crew ratio, require the same check-in and other ground facilities, and use the lavs just as much as any adult passenger.

So its not that the airline is classifying them as adults. It is that they are ineligible for the discounted child fare due to the fact that the booking does not include an adult on the same itinerary.

 

[Baysider]

Actually, they are 13 and 15, so both have to be paid for as adults anyway. It is extremely rude though that they are also "unaccompanied minors" despite being "adults" for fare purposes.

 

[Dave Noble]

Actually, they are 13 and 15, so both have to be paid for as adults anyway. It is extremely rude though that they are also "unaccompanied minors" despite being "adults" for fare purposes.

They are only unaccompanied minors by parental choice. at 13, on most airlines, they can travel on their own without a need for them to have the UM tag.

On EK, it is optional for them to travel as UMs if at least 12 years old

from Emirates | Flying with Emirates | Young Flyers | Special Care | Unaccompanied Minors

Young Passengers are children from 12 years of age up to, but not including, their 16th birthday. Young Passengers are entitled to Unaccompanied Minors service if specifically requested by the parent or guardian.

Given that it is optional for them to travel as UMs, it seems reasonable that the airline charges for taking them as UMs

Dave