Paying full adult price for hotel & flight for 2 year old?!

[Khtchkn]

We have a holiday booked for this May but highly unlikely it will go forward! My son will be 23 months, and I specifically made sure to book before his 2nd bday so we don’t get charged. When trying to re-book our holiday for another time (my son will be 2 by then), it shows the full adult price for the hotel and flights. Is this right?! We have booked with tui. Surely it’s not fair to charge an adult price for a 2 year old, the room was still the room we initially booked! So no difference?! A 2 year old won’t even eat adult size portion meals?! I understand airlines charging but not the adult. Is this the normal?

The airline is fair enough, they’re using a seat after all. The hotel should be the same price or a small charge for an extra person, if you arnt using any extra beds. Call them and talk to them, their stance may be different in person.

YABU Judge the room!

Oh and contact TUI. Their product, their rules, no one here can bend them for you.

@Bellasorella1

YABU Judge the room!

Oh and contact TUI. Their product, their rules, no one here can bend them for you.

If the threads thw room aren't you the one reading it wrong?

I queried this before- went to a really nice hotel with a 1.5 yo and decided to go back the next year only to find it would cost 3x full price adults... noticed this with a lot of similar hotels, seems to be a thing unless they specifically advertise child places. General explanation was the included items, ie child facilities (childcare etc) vs adult food/drink (it was an AI hotel).

I have never paid per person when booking a hotel, it is a room price perhaps?

If they are not sitting on your lap on the plane then you need to pay for the seat they are taking up, although most airlines do discount it.

Yep that’s normal, certainly with TUI. We had the same problem with our cancelled TUI holiday from last year.

I always had this with tui and other package holiday companies when Dd was young. Always charged full adult price even as a small child. Free or discounted kids places are only there if 2 adults.

In effect if they sell a holiday/hotel room to one single adult they’re losing money on if two adults were in the room as you pay per person. If it’s two adults and kids they do discounted kids prices as the kids are squeezed in a room/slightly bigger room with two people paying full price. So if you’re a single parent as soon as the kid hits 2yo they charge full whack.

Yes if you’re a single parent and some hotels with couples.

They also don’t do free child places on every single booking so even if there are 2 adults your chosen hotel/dates might not be participating. I find with searching TUI that it’s often the big AI type places that are geared to families (and a bit much for me) that have the offer. If you can get a refund I’d recommend looking on Jet2 holidays too for their free child places (if there are 2 of you to get these) as they sometimes have different hotels available and included in the free child offers.

Yes it’s normal. Look for a holiday with a free child place.

Have you. thought about booking independently with the same hotel?

Sometimes they offer different deals.

It’s often cheaper to book the flights and then the hotel room and a transfer independently.

However when Dd was young and I used to go abroad just her and me I’d pay more to go with a package company. Just because in the unlikely event I became ill and in hospital I kind of hoped the rep would help. I probably worry too much. 😁

The entitlement of some parents baffles me.

Yes your child is a human and needs to be paid for just like anyone else.

Package holiday companies offering free child places have to get their money from somewhere- charging adult prices for children for some and free places for others all balances out in the end for them.

Have a look at separate flights and accommodation, basically any non package holiday and see how the costs compare. Companies like Tui will price even the smallest hotel/apartment on 3/4 occupancy and charge under occupancy if there are less people. Often the free child place is almost wiped out by 2 adults in a room they deem suitable for 4, don't use free child place against occupancy numbers and charge under occupancy for 2 people. Package holidays are convenient but often not cheap.

We travelled one week before our oldest was turning two to not pay the airline fair. Big mistake absolutely a nightmare keeping a practically two year old on your lap and that was 3 hours each way. If I had the opportunity to buy a third seat there and then I would have.

We had a holiday cancel last year and that was tui, adult was £750 per person and children was £349 so paying for the plane seat. I would call and politely query and see if you can get a better deal or transfer to a holiday that does discount.

Why are you even thinking about going abroad? I know that's not what you asked but I just cannot believe people are still planning holidays - and I am in the 'Over 50' group that are being accused of rushing to book holidays .

I would love a week in the sunshine - or just doing something different - but it seems madness to think about holidays at the moment.

Have you compared the holiday price for you three compared with what it would for two adults. Is it actually 50% more?

From 2 airline regulations are that they have a seat. Not all hotels allow a third person in the room either. Even if they do the toddler counts towards the numbers in the restaurant, pool, there might be kids club etc. The way around it is to book flights, hotel and meals separately as you generally pay per room for a hotel and just pay for the food and drink you need. There are deals for kids but it's not automatic because they are a person, often with packages there's a reduction per person if there's 3 people in the same room

I found that with TUI. We paid full all inclusive prices for the children. The pricing isn't fair.

Don't assume that it won't be going ahead. The winter pressure on hospitals will be over.

You have to suck it up about flights. Think it more that you are paying per seat. A 2 year old needs their own seat.

For us, hotels started to be less appealing once we had children. If you are on a budget search for hotels with family rooms. If you are spending decent £s on a hotel, look at villas or apartments to rent instead.

I hope you get your holiday some day soon

If your booking as a package you will pay per person per room and individual seats on the flight
2 year old need their own seat
However if you book the hotel room direct you might find if cheaper
But you will probably find it a lot harder to get a refund if you are booking separate flights and accommodation

Example if you book separate flight and hotel If the hotel is available but you can’t fly due to a lockdown you will lose the cost of the hotel if paid in advance
At the moment with Covid I would only book a package deal or a fully refundable hotel / apartment where you can cancel right up to the arrival date

Why should an airline reduce their income purely based on age? If they wish to then fair enough but a 2 year-old child occupying a seat on a plane occupies the same space as an adult. Most countries charge room rates for hotels. I could understand a slight reduction for child portions of food (but nothing large enough to quibble over).

@ragwort

Why on earth shouldn't we think of a holiday? Should we only think of the doom and gloom that is covid19? Is looking forward to a brighter future forbidden too?

OP, YANBU. Flight, yes, because price per seat. Hotel, no, because price per room (so either no charge or a discounted rate if there is food and drink involved). It doesn't seem fair to me to pay adult price when a 2-year-old simply doesn't cost the same.

I’ve had a look at the Tui website and I couldn’t see any holidays where a child of 2 cost the same as an adult. I did lots of searches for 2 adults (at say £700 per head). Then tried the same hotel search for 2 adults and a 2 year old and the adults were cheaper than £700, for example all three travellers were £550 each.