Courtney

I just booked a flight from Spain to San Diego using frequent flyer miles. I will be traveling with my 1 1/2 month old infant on my lap. I was completely shocked when the airline told me there would be a $230 charge for the baby on my lap. They charge a 10% fee for the infant which seems fair enough until you find out that the 10% fee is on an unrestricted fare of $2,300!!! Who would ever pay $2,300 for an economy class seat to begin with???? I guess I'm just venting here but is this how this situation is usually treated by the airlines? It seems like there should be a more fair way to determine the infant charge.

xxx

I am an advocate of traveling to Europe w/a child. However, I do not understand why you would book such a long flight without a separate seat and appropriate child/baby safety seat or bassinet (sp?) for your baby.

StCirq

What airline are you booked on? I never paid a penny for my kids until they were more than 2 years old, and we flew to many countries. Of course, they're 11 and 14 now - has the policy changed?

Ed

You and the baby and your neighbors on the airplane would be a lot happier if you purchased a seat for the child. Child would be a lot safer as well. <BR> <BR>St. Cirq: no charge for lapchild in domestic travel, but it's been 10% of the normal economy fare for international as long as I can remember (1959).

Bob

I agree with Ed. After flying back from Paris next to a father holding a screaming, twisting 18 month old for the whole trip, I believe that the airlines should stop allowing this. Given the more constrained seat room that airlines have been imposing on passengers, this practice makes for a very uncomfortable flight.

Mom

So Courtney, you are flying TWO people (is this round trip or one-way) for $230? Spain to San Diego? The discomfort will surely be yours and your neighbors, but it ain't costing you all that much. Think about the poor soul next to you and squirmy, cranky child! They probably paid more than $230. You were expecting what?? $50-$100? How much more would it cost to buy that poor child a seat where he/she could be properly and SAFELY secured? Of course toddlers/babies DO spend a lot of lap time, but, wow. Really.

xxx

Some of you are way removed from your removed from your memories of a baby that is only 1 and 1/2 months old. An airplane seat is virtually worthless, even with an infant seat. The baby belongs in its parent's arms - - assuming the trip can't be postponed until later, altogether. <BR> <BR>Squirmy, cranky? I don't think so. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Thyra

Well now, I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other, though If it were up to me I would leave vacation travel until the child was older and could appreciate it. However often there are families that need to travel, visiting the grandparents for example or relocating overseas... This last week we were seated across from a family that opted to hold their child(16 Months Old)on their lap the entire way, (NY to L.A) that child kicked, squirmed, screamed, wailed, bit, scratched, and generally freaked out for the entire flight, leaving the parent, fellow passengers and yes, even the child in a state of wreckage by the time the landing gears went down. I should think you would be better off giving yourself some room and getting a seperate seat for the child. I'll bet the parent of the child on that last flight was wishing she had done so.

a mother

Comparing a baby of 1 and 1/2 months and a 16-month-old toddler... <BR> <BR>...is not so different from comparing the 16-month-old to a 16-year-old. <BR> <BR>Sadly, I know that some travelers hate all three. <BR>

abc

Hello, she is talking about a SIX WEEK OLD BABY! A baby who does virtually nothing but eat and sleep.

StCirq

I guess I am not understanding any part of this equation. WHY would someone be paying $2,300 for a steerage seat to Spain to begin with? WHY would someone be paying anything - or even 10 percent - for a 6-week-old - infant? I traveled to Europe regularly with infants a decade and more ago and we always got bulkhead seats, always paid either nothing or (I think you're right, whoever wrote) 10 percent of the cost of our adult fare......but what's the deal with the $2,300 fare? Poster also says she's using FF miles. Sorry - maybe it's been a long week at work, but I don't GET it. There must be some airline weirdness going on here.

Rex

StCirq - - you seem to (almost) be shouting - - and rather incredulous about what full-fare (economy) tickets cost. Maybe Courtney had this trip planned 11 months ago. she's locked in the airline on which she has frequent flyer miles accumlated. And what with having a baby and all, she just didn't get around to worrying about her baby's air travel. <BR> <BR>And that's just what it costs. Try it yourself, on expedia, for example. Type in departure dates of April 3 and return April 6 (intended to get a high-priced scenario). now add to this the asusmption that she is already booked on British Airways (regardless of what airline she earned the FF miles on). <BR> <BR>The lowest fare they offer is $2426 USD - - that's right - - not DM or FF, USD. <BR> <BR>And this is not even a fully refundable fare. Here are some of the rules of the fare: <BR> <BR>PENALTIES: <BR> <BR>CANCEL-125.00 USD BEFORE/AFTER DEPART <BR> <BR>CHANGE-125.00 USD BEFORE/AFTER DEPART <BR> <BR>CHILD DISC - CNN 2-11 YRS 25 PCT ACCOMPANIED <BR> <BR>1ST INF UNDER 2 YRS 90 PCT NO SEAT <BR> <BR>

xxx

$230 is really not that much when you realize that a person, albeit a 6 week old child, is being transported all the way from Spain to San Diego. Hopefully, to make the cost worth it, you will be getting a bulkhead seat where there is a bassinet that attaches to the wall directly in front of you so you don't have to hold your child the whole time.

StCirq

Gee, Rex, I didn't mean to be shouting , or seem to be shouting...and re-reading my post I don't know where you got that idea. If the deal is that using FF miles causes the economy fare to be $2,300, well, guess what? I'd forget the FF miles and buy an economy fare for $500 or whatever,pay the 10 percent for the kid, and save the FF miles for another trip. <BR>Am I missing something here, or why is her "economy" fare so high? I just bought tickets for an economy flight to Paris in June for $689. <BR>What's missing from the equation here? Is it that the tickets are unrestricted? Someone enlighten me, please! Preferably not Rex with his assumptions that I'm "shouting."

Rex

Well, I did say "almost" shouting - - it was the repetitive questioning with WHY in caps. <BR> <BR>Okay back to civil discourse. I'm just pointing out that - - "we" all know how to find deeply discounted air fares - - but in so doing, "we" might forget what "real" airfares actually cost. Courtney is not paying $2300. But the ticket for the baby CAN cost 10% (i.e., 90% off) of the "regularly published" fare. Which could, indeed be that high. <BR> <BR>Truce. This forum is about finding the answers. Sorry for what sounded like an attack. <BR>

Ann

I'm getting real tired of seeing the name REX! I don't know why he thinks he has to put his miserable two cents in on every post. I used to like and enjoy his postings. Now, I think he is an insecure pest. <BR>St Cirq is right on the money. Good advice.

Rex

well, i am very sorry, ann. <BR> <BR>I think that there are many more people here who do not feel this way. <BR> <BR>i have learned to endure criticism here, even to hear it as words of encouragement. <BR>

sighing

why is it that every time i see the word "infant" or "child" in a header i know the thread is going end in a brawl? and yes, it sounds like you're all brawling, even if you're not writing ALL IN CAPS.

chris

I plan on starting a family within the next year or so. My husband's family lives in Britain and my family is in the Midwest, we live in Central Europe. Geez, according to some of you we should never plan on traveling with our small children. Remember that many people live long distances from their families and not every traveller is selfishly dragging their infants around the world. <BR> <BR>And I see no problem in taking an infant on vacation. From my, albiet limited, observation of parents traveling with small children, infants look like they're a lot less annoyance to fellow travellers and easier to handle then 4-10 year olds. Of course, as long as they don't expect to push a baby carriage through a crowded museum... <BR> <BR>

Brace Yourself

You'd better get used to paying through the nose once you have a kid. $230 for an airline seat? How about $1000 for three weeks of summer day camp? How about $1500 and counting for braces on one child's teeth? And as for the cost flying with more than one child over two, well, you do the math. <BR> <BR>I say enjoy your $230 fare while it lasts, and pray that their teeth come in straight.