Purchasing infant (on lap) ticket at checkin

[noidea]

I have just made a UA award booking using my krisflyer points. I was told at the time of booking that I would have to contact UA to purchase a commercial ticket for my infant.

I've just spoken to UA and they have advised that they are not allowed to change my booking (to add the infant) and that either singapore airlines needs to add the infant or the best option would be to add the infant on check-in. They said if I was to book the commercial ticket now for the infant (if they were able to change my booking) it would be over $1200 (10% of the published fare). I spoke to SQ again and they advised they could not add the infant to my booking and tried calling UA again to speak to someone else to double check and she just said "you already spoke to my colleague - you need to do it at check-in".

Has anyone else actually done this? Is it ok to do? Feeling very nervous about this.

 

[simongr]

It all depends on the program - with AA points on a J award flying QF I had to pay the full 10% of the J fare to the UK for a lap infant. If that had been QF I wouldn't have paid a cent. Doing it at check in sounds potentially risky - the only up side is that they wont be saying there isnt a free seat...

 

[GCC]

I would be a bit nervous too.

It might be quite OK to add an infant at check in, but usually there is a limit to how many infants can be on board any aircraft on any one flight due to safety regs. It isnt a great situation to be arriving for a flight with no booking for your child.

It seems SQ are just saying we cant do it only UA can - so that is probably the case.

What I don't quite understand is whether UA are saying you wont be charged the 10% when you add the infant to the booking at checkin (ie they are saving you $1200), or that the $1200 applies either way but they won't alter the booking now.

Perhaps ask if they will give some guarantee or at least reassurance - in writing - that if do you do add baby at check in that they will be able to fly with you.

If not then I'd be worried. Try to escalate it and get the infant added now.

 

[djfuzz]

Surprised SQ can't do it - had a similar situation recently with AA awards on CX, and I ended up booking the infant fare separately with CX at 10% of the prevailing rate (ouch), which you should definitely expect to do.

Interestingly, when booking an ASA on QF, a certain amount out of the adult award points price appears to be attributed to the infant fare.

 

[noidea]

I would be a bit nervous too.

It might be quite OK to add an infant at check in, but usually there is a limit to how many infants can be on board any aircraft on any one flight due to safety regs. It isnt a great situation to be arriving for a flight with no booking for your child.

It seems SQ are just saying we cant do it only UA can - so that is probably the case.

What I don't quite understand is whether UA are saying you wont be charged the 10% when you add the infant to the booking at checkin (ie they are saving you $1200), or that the $1200 applies either way but they won't alter the booking now.

Perhaps ask if they will give some guarantee or at least reassurance - in writing - that if do you do add baby at check in that they will be able to fly with you.

If not then I'd be worried. Try to escalate it and get the infant added now.

The woman was saying it would be cheaper to do at check-in as they would be able to charge me 10% of the cheapest airfare. I asked for it in writing but she said it's not possible. Any ideas on how to escalate? Also we not only want to know we will all get on the flight but also how much it's going to cost us! So frustrating!

 

[GCC]

Well it seems that the operator is actually trying to help you out. But it doesn't make sense to me.

If I book a J or F fare for $12000 and the airlines policy that infants pay 10% of the adult fare purchased, then the infant traveling in my lap in that cabin will cost $1200 (ouch!). If the award fare is value at $12000 then same deal.

I don't see how you can buy your ticket in F or J and then arrive at the airport and check in your infant at 10% of the cheapest Y fare of the day. If it is true then its a pretty good deal!

 

[noidea]

We're actually travelling Y class...surely a full published Y fare isn't $10,000 odd? We're trying to work out a way to get 80,000 points over to our krisflyer account to just book him a seat now before the seats disappear. Wish us luck. Need to apply for an amex card, gift my points to dh and transfer to sg. Ugh the stress!