Charged more for being a single parent - again!

[rantymcrantface66]

Name changed for this as I've ranted about this elsewhere so probably outing! I also KNOW I am not being unreasonable- just posting here for traffic.

I've always been aware single parents lose out on holidays abroad and on family tickets for attractions but the other week I was searching for hotel accommodation and when I went back to look at place I was interested in for a second look I noticed the price was quite a bit cheaper. Then realised that I'd entered 2 adults (as that's always the default) and 2 kids instead of one adult and 2 kids. It was actually cheaper, not the same price as it works on holiday to have the extra adult even though it INCLUDED a cooked breakfast. I considered just booking for 2 adults then saying one couldn't attend on arrival but ended up finding and booking somewhere else

Well I've just booked camping and received a second more detailed invoice to the original booking reference. The campsite gives a price for 2 adults (actually it states 2 people) then charges extra for dc over 5. They've charged me for 2 dc despite me only using one of the 2 person allocation on the original tariff. It's not a lot but it's the principle and I'm going to challenge it. It's made me realise how often this must happen and I might not have even noticed. I wonder how often they've got away with this. Same with the hotel, had I not accidentally put the wrong adult number in I'd never have realised.

Anyone got any other examples of ridiculous cost discrimination for single parents? Or have I just been unlucky?

Is it because sometimes you get a free child place with two adult places?

No experience but that sounds completely illogical from a commercial perspective.

It's not as though single parents were a rarity that couldn't be accommodated in a standardised charging structure.

I agree, challenge it.

No there are no free child places - the hotel I can't explain as it was only a 3 bed room so no under occupancy charge as second child expected to share and even with under occupancy it would surely just be the same price as having a second adult not less (and breakfast costs - just baffles me)

The camping is just a 2 person (clearly means 2 adult but doesn't say that) then an extra cost for adding dc. It clearly states X2 on the child charge in the breakdown but this breakdown is only supplier after booking. Only the overall cost is shown pre booking and in the first booking confirmation so easy to miss.

A lot of attractions are more expensive for children than adults (things like zoos). I am a single parent with 3 DCs and find it cheaper to buy a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 DC rather than 1 adult and 3 DC.

@ReadySalt I understand that sometimes - like adventure parks where the adult is mostly watching and the dc doing the activities. I'm surprised in that situation that they allow you to use an adult ticket for dc, but in the case of the camping the dc are technically cheaper. It's quite a small supplement for them really but I just don't understand why one of them isn't counted in the base price for 2 people. The website was easy to use and fairly sophisticated so should be able to price accordingly. I can only think it's deliberate.

As a mother (not single) of 3 I can confirm that automatic booking systems often suck if you don't have 2 adults and 2 children. Often it is not possible to book for 5 or for 1 + 3 kids but it is generally a software problem and it can be solved by talking to the hotel directly.

You pay adult price for one child.
This happened to me by accident once and actually worked out cheaper that surcharges.
I booked for me , ds ans dd.
The booking went though as me and adult male + 1 dc.

Surely they should fix that software issue though? I'm sure it will have been brought to their attention before now, or maybe it's been going on years and no one has noticed and they've made a fortune extra out of the people who can often afford it the least. Plus the initial booking confirmation is automatic but that is then checked manually and the invoice sent out during office hours so Im not sure that the software can be blamed on this occasion. The child charge only appears on the invoice. It's not mentioned in the booking or automatic confirmation

@Mrstamborineman

You pay adult price for one child. This happened to me by accident once and actually worked out cheaper that surcharges. I booked for me , ds ans dd. The booking went though as me and adult male + 1 dc.

But that's not what's happened? I've paid adult price for 2 adults (well 2 people) then an additional 2 children. 2 adults and one child is cheaper than 1 adult 2 children as I've paid for 2 people then 2 dc on top. I don't mind the child at adult price - that's what I want it changed to

I think the logic from hotels is that they lose sales on eg alcohol by only having one adult but I truly hate the single person supplement and think it should be abolished.

I agree it's silly. We often get frustrated that there aren't family tickets for a couple with one child. Often meaning it's cheaper to pretend we do. Why can't there just be different family tickets so everyone gets a slightly better deal than paying separately? Families come in lots of forms and I feel we are penalised for having only one child. Companies need to offer more options.

Sometimes with holiday resorts the accommodation isnt where they make their money. I wonder if its cheaper with 2 adults instead of 1 because the room price assumes two adults spending money in restaurant/bar etc, and if you under occupy they can't fill the hotel to capacity and maximise revenue?

I don't actually mind the single person supplement if it's leaving an empty bed they could charge for for a room of 4 for example- And the camping I'm quite happy to pay such a supplement (ie pay for 1 dc as an adult rather than a cheaper child place) but paying for 2 adults then 2 kids on top when you are using your own tent is bizarre. The standard cost is for 2 not 4 - they don't charge child free couples extra so why charge for 2 kids on top of a 2 person space that only one is using

I don't think they have a restaurant or bar tbh - it's just a campsite with shower blocks and a laundry room

It's terribly unfair, but maybe the hotel (along with other establishments) is thinking of potential additional sales. A two-parent family is likely to be financially better off and thus may be able to 'release' one adult to go to the bar in the evening.

Even if the adults don't split up for entertainment/socialising in the evening, they're much more likely to spend longer (and more money) together in the restaurant, if the kids are a bit older and able to entertain themselves and/or they take a baby monitor with them. A single parent (most probably a mum) is highly unlikely to linger on her own in the restaurant - may even not use it at all and just grab some sandwiches from a supermarket.

I've thought before how it seems odd when theatres charge full adult prices and discounted children's prices for shows that are very clearly aimed at kids, with the adults purely there because the kids can't go on their own - but thinking about it again now, a child attendee might want endless ice creams, sweets, overpriced tat character merchandise, pay to have their photo taken with Peppa etc. and end up making far more for the theatre per seat than an adult supervisor who might buy a coffee but nothing more.

I have literally never seen a hotel that costs more for one person rather than two. Surely the charge is surcharged per room no matter how many people are in it.

And re the hotel bars - there's no guarantee people will use those surely and this particular situation was one free adult breakfast more, but costing less. I didn't book it so i'm less annoyed but the camping has made me irrationally cross. Sorry for ranting 😆

Maybe it's because they think 2 adults to 2 children is less disruptive than 1 adult to 2 children? Perhaps even based on their experience?

@Jaxhog

Maybe it's because they think 2 adults to 2 children is less disruptive than 1 adult to 2 children? Perhaps even based on their experience?

Is that sort of discrimination even legal though? Is being a single Irene a protected characteristic - I'm not sure. If it's not it should be 😆

*parent - not sure who Irene is

Yeah, I'm also a single parent with two DC and have also had exactly those two experiences. Regret not challenging it, esp the camping. Sometimes there is sense in it if it results in under-occupancy, sometimes I think it's just greed tbh.

@Jaxhog

Maybe it's because they think 2 adults to 2 children is less disruptive than 1 adult to 2 children? Perhaps even based on their experience?

Ah yeah, like Butlins and Irish surnames right?

Pontins, even - sorry Butlins for unfair maligning! I wish MN had an edit function sometimes.

I agree that the only argument is the hotel lose sales by having single adults rather than couples.

@NellWilsonsWhiteHair

Yeah, I'm also a single parent with two DC and have also had exactly those two experiences. Regret not challenging it, esp the camping. Sometimes there is sense in it if it results in under-occupancy, sometimes I think it's just greed tbh.

Yes this is definitely not under occupancy as price is based on 2 then extras are by supplement. There's 3 of us yet I'm being charged for 4. I'm definitely going to challenge it even though it's a relatively small amount. I'm always going to check the costs against 2 adults and a child in future. It's eye opening really.