Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

thomsonfly does not allow you to buy child (under two) a seat

Search

thomsonfly does not allow you to buy child (under two) a seat

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 17th, 2005, 02:01 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
thomsonfly does not allow you to buy child (under two) a seat

Just thought i would share what i saw this a.m. in the bournemouth airport returning on a thomsonfly (lowcost) flight to valencia, spain.

a couple in front of me had to pay 4 kilos overweight for a child's knapsack ( she was under two). this cost them 20 GBP.

The problem was that they had TRIED to buy her a SEAT on the airplane when booking on internet and by phone, but they weren't allowed to. They were told that the company policy is "under two.. no seat,.. sits on lap, no luggage allowance". ( and they mean it). the refused to sell her a seat.

What i find a concern for is the parents who would like to put their infant in a protective car seat while flying, thus buying them a seat. or, the parent who doesn't FEEL like having kid on his lap for two full hours on full plane.

this is just a warning about some of the policies of these low cost airlines.

i still don't understand the logic behind it.

also, i was not allowed to put the knapsack on MY luggage allowance because we weren't on the same ticket, so i couldn't even help them out.

other than that, it was a pleasant flight, on time and clean aircraft.
lincasanova is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2005, 02:07 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"also, i was not allowed to put the knapsack on MY luggage allowance because we weren't on the same ticket, so i couldn't even help them out."

This kind of silly policy really bugs me. If I had been you (and if I had thought of it quick enough), I'd say to the guy, "Hey I need one of those. I'll buy it from you for a dollar", then check it through as my allowance, and when arriving at the destination sell it back to him for a dollar. What right does the clerk have to tell you that you can't take something for someone else if it would be within your limits?
Patrick is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2005, 02:14 PM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i really felt sorry for them because i imagine the 4 kilos was probably mostly water and food for the baby.. and probably more than one of the tickets they bought!
lincasanova is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2005, 02:30 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh Patrick, leave it to you to always be a quick thinker. That would have been great, buying the knapsack from the other passenger for a dollar, LOL. Wonder what this fantastic airline would have said then. Sometimes trying to save money doesn't pay although I sure understand a lot of travellers are on tight budgets.
LoveItaly is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2005, 03:46 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,111
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
Isn't it likely that not allowing you to take someone else's bags is a security thing? Good grief, in this day and age why would you even consider for a moment carrying something for a total stranger?
Barbara is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2005, 04:01 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,178
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Patrick,

Not for the first time on these boards (or even the second or third time come to that) I laughed out loud at your quick thinking!

I guess that you were probably being a little tongue in cheek and I apologise in advance if I'm taking your post too seriously, but in reality if lincasanova had bought the knapsack she would have had a problem the minute she was asked if she had picked the bag herself.

Jim
JJBhoy is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2005, 05:12 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What I feel even MORE concerned about is a pair of parents who KNEW they couldn't buy a seat for the child to protect it and traveled ANYWAY!!!
Intrepid1 is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2005, 02:15 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
many of us.. i am sure, in the past, travelled with our under two's across the ocean with the kids on our laps.

what amazes me is that an airline can OBLIGATE a family NOT to take measure to protect their child in flight now that we have been advised to use car seats, etc. on the planes.

isn't this discrimination? why can a child two and one day old have the seat when the parents of the younger child are quite willing to pay the same?

i reconfirmed with the agent, and even if you want to.. you cannot buy your child a ticket.

still can't believe it.

lincasanova is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2005, 04:36 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
OK, perhaps I was being just a bit tongue in cheek, but a couple of thoughts come to mind. I don't recall getting that third degree "did you pack this yourself?" when flying from cities in the UK to other European cities -- maybe I'm wrong.

And the idea of "even thinking of taking luggage from a stranger". Call me irresponsible, but a young couple with a baby pleading to get their baby's stuff on the plane and not pay extra and trying to buy the baby a seat? I'm not very good at profiling, but I would happily trust carrying their luggage. In any case, a quick rummage through the bag should dispel any negative thoughts I'd possibly have about some kind of terrorist equipment.

But just for the record, my quick thinking happens much more easily when I'm sitting at home in front of my computer thinking about what I COULD say, than if I were standing in the airport in line.
Patrick is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2005, 08:02 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,111
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
Sorry Patrick, but I think you're being entirely too trusting. They may not fit your profile for terrorists, but they could easily have drugs. Why take the risk?

lincasanova, I would be more concerned that the parents, knowing the airline's policy, still flew with them.
Barbara is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2005, 08:31 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,869
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't feel sorry for any people involved here. They knew the airline's regulations when they booked -- or if they didn't, they should have found out. If they didn't like it, they should have booked a different flight, it's really that simple. So they had to pay for extra baggage because they were over the limit. Well, those are the regulations. If it were only 20 GBP, I assume they still saved money over buying an extra seat.

I don't know why airlines have that rule about not being able to buy a seat for a child under two, as long as they would price it as the same as an adult seat so they weren't losing revenue. However, the fact is, that was this airline's policies. People need to learn to read and stop excepting airlines to change their stated policies just for them. If they don't like it, they do not need to fly that airline.
Christina is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
xrae
United States
14
Apr 1st, 2008 05:56 AM
mowmow
Air Travel
8
Jul 5th, 2007 09:01 AM
GoTravel
United States
57
Sep 29th, 2004 10:30 AM
dwoodliff
United States
12
Jul 18th, 2004 04:42 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On



Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -