velocity discrimiinates against infants

[GCC]

Just a heads up to those with infant frequent flyers.

I just booked myself and Toddler G on a VA flight to visit the grandparents. Although she is only 19 months and technically an "infant", we've been booking her a seat on any flight longer than about 50 minutes for a few months now. too much wriggling otherwise.

After I booked I remembered "family pooling" so went online to join her up with velocity.

I then found that you can't join Velocity if you are under 2 years old. I can't see why not? Baby G joined QFF at 5 weeks.

I also found that although I'm paying a full fare for Toddler G she is only ticketed as "Mr Extra Seat" and doesn't earn any SC's - although I can call after the flight and request that the points be added to my Velocity account.

 

[djfuzz]

Noticed this too, but am confused - are you saying that they will nevertheless allow you to pool the points to your account despite no VFF account existing for your daughter? If so, seems like that's a good outcome and demonstrates a willingness not to be discriminatory.

 

[straitman]

I would call this weird and strange but hardly discrimination.

 

[lazybones1987]

Also, isn't it free if the child is < 2 years old?

 

[markis10]

Also, isn't it free if the child is < 2 years old?

Not if they want a seat

 

[GCC]

are you saying that they will nevertheless allow you to pool the points to your account despite no VFF account existing for your daughter

It is not really anything to do with family pooling. The logic is more that because I purchased the seat, am a velocity member, and will be using it for comfort, that I'm entitled to the points from the seat. I guess the same would apply if (for eg) you bought an extra seat to accommodate your bulk if you were a larger person.

On QF toddler G is allocated the seat and as a FF member gets the points and SC's.

 

[medhead]

I'm confused you purchased an extra seat for yourself, by the sounds of it. Why didn't you just buy a seat for your child?


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

 

[MarkD]

I'm confused you purchased an extra seat for yourself, by the sounds of it. Why didn't you just buy a seat for your child?


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

He/she did, I believe it was stated in the first post, unable to book a minor apparantly is the issue

 

[Justchecking]

Not really discriminatory. Should have just booked the seat under your childs name rather than as an extra seat. Velocity points and SCs. Once onboard explained that her seat is for comfort and that you need an infant belt. The crew woud give you one as toddlers are often wriggly and need to secured on lap for landing. Is it necessary to show ID at ant point for velocity membership? I dont remember being asked my DOB. Just make her a few months older if so it hardly matters. Its not like she will use velocity memership for ID purposes later in life.

 

[medhead]

He/she did, I believe it was stated in the first post, unable to book a minor apparantly is the issue

They did, but then it says it was ticketed as an extra seat for comfort. This can only be done by calling virgin. So I'm not sure why the OP didn't just book [-]it[/-] 2 seats on the website. Even having booked on the phone I'm not sure how it got booked as an extra seat for comfort without the subject being raised during the booking process. I'm mainly interesting in this as I have never booked an extra seat and I'd like to know about the process.

Just make her a few months older if so it hardly matters. Its not like she will use velocity memership for ID purposes later in life.

It should also be rather easy to change the DOB later. Due to a series of coincidences, 3 of us born in same month and the other child on the same day of the month as SWMBO, I stuffed up a DOB when enrolling the children in QFF. Just had to fax in a copy of the birth certificate.

 

[serfty]

If you don't make special arrangements when booking the seat the airline
can easily consider it a no-show and fill the seat; nor does the OP get points for the seat.

 

[medhead]

If you don't make special arrangements when booking the seat the airline
can easily consider it a no-show and fill the seat; nor does the OP get points for the seat.

Ah my mistake, using "it" too much. I was referring to book 2 seats one for the OP and one for the child on the website. No risk of a no show as it seems they do wish to travel with the child. Previous post edited to clarify.


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

 

[GCC]

OK, so "discrimination is a little tongue in cheek." But to clarify:

• By definition an infant is a child < 2 years old.
• An infant generally travels "free" (actually pays taxes) but has no seat. Sits on your knee.
• As they get older and bigger some of us would prefer they have their own seat. !0 + kg wriggling around on your lap on a packed Y flight is not fun.
• You cannot book a seat (ie in their name) for an infant on VA.
• You can on other airlines, although the condition is that they must be on your knee and in the special infant belt for take off and landing.
• On the VA the only way I could do this was to book 2 seats for myself. A note was then put in the system that extra seat was for an infant traveling with me.
• You cannot join velocity if you are under 24 months. You can join QFF at birth - my daughter did has been accruing points via our shopping at woolies ever since.

Airlines are very particular when it comes to travel with infants. On some they can only sit in specific seats as those seats have additional oxygen masks. On QF I've been told by a CSM that there are rules about how many can be on board and how many in any one row. So if you just book 2 seats online, fail to mention an infant and then show up at the airport with an infant, there is a very good chance you wont get on the plane.
Interesting suggestion that I could lie about Toddler G's age to join her up to Velocity. But for the reasons above a > 24 month old velocity member cant actually book a seat on a VA flight - so still cant earn SC's and pool them to me.

 

[Sprucegoose]

the complexity of your issues will only increase!!