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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

... to think my infant son should be entitled to a baggage allowance?

57 replies

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 15:38

First AIBU - go easy

I have been in contact with Monarch airlines over the past few days regarding this and I would be interested in other peoples views.

A few weeks ago I travelled with them and my son, who is 17 months but long, spent most of the journey kicking my neighbour - which was not too bad as it was my husband. I am now travelling alone with him (17 month old) so have booked an extra seat. I am aware that he needs to sit on my lap for take off and landing.

To book an extra seat I was advised by their Customer Service dept to book him as a 2-12 year old on their website, which I have done. The difference in price is £15 for travel on lap; £95 for extra seat. Fine, for the 2 1/2 hours of hell I can take that.

If he is classed as an infant and on my lap he is entitled to 10 kilos hold baggage. However, as I have bought him a seat they are saying he is a child (even though he is still only 17 months!) and I have to pay for any hold luggage.

Now, I am rather riled at this. Last time my luggage was 23 kilos - so not massively over but it just seems so unjust. Their compromise is that he can take 10 kilos of hand luggage. How on earth am I supposed to carry him and 20 kilos of hand luggage?

Is it me or is it them? I would be interested to hear your thoughts as I have a supervisor calling me (apparently) some time this afternoon to discuss.

Many thanks

OP posts:

whatname · 04/06/2010 17:11

I know this is no use now, but I did a fair number of flights on my own with DS as a toddler and I always booked the flight for naptime or bedtime. And he always slept! except for once, transatlantic, which was a joke!
Get a little packback for him for his toys or have you seen those little ride on suitcases look like animals, that would be cool. Mind you, you might as well just pay for the extra bag, if you end up doing that!!

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 17:13

Online there are 3 types of tickets: infants, 2-12 years and adults.

If you book an infant seat you cannot pre-book an allocated seat.

I phoned the customer helpdesk and they advised me to book him as a child. It is the only way to get a seat for an infant.

I think as has been suggested it is a policy which hasn't been thought through properly (or no-one has complained yet). To be honest, if I was travelling with my dh and we booked ds a seat I wouldn't quiblle about his allowance either but I am travelling alone.

OP posts:

stressheaderic · 04/06/2010 17:17

Did you have to put ina false age then, or didn't it ask?
What a strange glitch in their system. What captainplanet said is right, but I do agree that they sould make an exception, so therefore yanbu

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 17:17

I just wish you lot worked at Monarch!

whatname - The first flight I took with him (8 weeks old) was an evening/night flight and the announcements they do - flogging drinks, duty free, scratch cards, general announcements etc. kept waking him up. It was my worst flight ever!

It may different now he's a bit older but I dont think so. Last time he slept for 30 mins after take off and someone walking past woke him up (didn't even touch him!)

OP posts:

SongBiird · 04/06/2010 17:18

Sorry to say this but yabu. The rules are the rules and if you have paid for a 2-12 seat you have to take the 2-12 allowance or none in this case. Always but always read the small print!

I do think it's a stupid policy, you should be able to book an extra seat.

Have you thought about buying a trunki. I'm not sure if your little one would manage it but I bought one for mine when we were travelling and it was a God send. Also you can take it as hand luggage.

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 17:18

No, didn't have to put in an age. The only time it did was when I had made the booking and had to enter my API. Of course, it doesn't include 2009 as an option!

OP posts:

knickers0nmyhead · 04/06/2010 17:20

Strange...my two year old had a luggage allowance at the beginning of the year and also has some this time round too....havent had to pay any extra of luggage at all.

Mingg · 04/06/2010 17:25

I doubt 17 month old would manage a trunki...

Knickers - my toddler has a luggage allowance too. It depends on the airline you are travelling with, national airlines tend to have better luggage allowance than non-national/budget ones.

diddl · 04/06/2010 17:28

So the problem really is that you can´t use your son´s allowance as it´s too many bags for you to handle plus him?

Don´t they have any staff to help in this sort of situation?
Not necessarily the airline, but the airport?

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 17:28

Hi SongBiird

I couldn't find anything in their terms about this. I guess it is a grey area.

Thanks for everyone's views though. It is very interesting to see other viewpoints - especially those that agree with mine .

I think he would fall off/not stay on a trunki and it would be more trouble than it is worth. I know this as he only stays in a supermarket trolley for a maximum of 5 mins and I have to do the shopping pushing the trolley whilst holding him under my arm. As he is so heavy (and wriggly) this is no mean feat!

OP posts:

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 17:31

Diddl - as a 2-12 year old he is allowed 10 kilos hand luggage. I cannot manage that plus him (and all the paraphenalia we need for the flight anyway)

When I asked last time for assistance at the bottom of the aircraft steps to keep my toddler from running off I was told (and had to!) ask another passenger. They don't have any staff available to help and there is no ground crew.

OP posts:

Linziwam · 04/06/2010 17:55

overworked, we're going to alicante this week too, with Monarch!
dd is 18 months and we're having her on our laps, but only cause theres 2 of us. i would be booking an extra seat too if it was just me and dd travelling.
we fly a LOT with dd as my parents live in alicante and FWIW i would def try the trunki idea.. My dd manages it quite well at 18 months, you can fit loads in, and you can take as hand luggage. I also know how long you have to walk when you arrive before you pick your pushchair up, and a trunki is great for that bit!
good luck x

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 18:01

Thanks Linzi. You are not going on Sunday, are you? ha, ha.

Same here - folks live near Alicante hence we fly regularly.

I am really not sure a trunki would work. I have visions of it just being another thing to carry while I chase ds... I wanted to take DSLR camera this time too and an not sure if that is just one thing too many.

If you are going on Sunday, I will be the harrassed looking one. Especially navigating that last slope after baggage reclaim with laden trolley and ds who hates trolley (can't have him in pushchair as not enough hands for both!

OP posts:

3littlefrogs · 04/06/2010 18:11

Could you manage a small case (hand luggage size) that you can pull along, plus shoulder bag plus ds on reins? Would he walk on reins?

I once travelled the length of England on 2 trains, 2 buses, and a taxi, with a 2yr old, aa buggy, a suitcase, a changing bag and a 12 week old baby in a sling.....it wasn't easy, but the reins were the one thing that made it do-able.

It was particularly galling to be struggling on the platform with one leg placed firmly through the reins in order to stop ds1 diving under the train, while the BR staff tutted and stepped over us. A very kind man did lift the suitcase onto the train for me..

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 18:27

3littlefrogs. I do have reins for him but he falls on the floor often - purposefully - which is very trying!

We will manage. Thanks for all the solutions

OP posts:

sanielle · 04/06/2010 18:44

OP I think it might be a good idea to forward this conversation on to their complaints dept., It is important they see mother's aren't happy with the arrangment and that they understand why. NO company wants this kind of advertising.

StarOfValkyrie · 04/06/2010 18:48

Oh just tell them that if you can't have the extra allowance in hold then you will require 'special assistance' or a wheelchair and porter for your bag!

StarOfValkyrie · 04/06/2010 18:53

Any action on your part that 'might' hold up the flight, gives you bargaining power, so long as you are reasonable enough for them to get ticked off my the police if they are called.

StarOfValkyrie · 04/06/2010 18:56

I travelled alone with ds at 18 months and 6 months pregnant. He couldn't do the walk to bagage reclaim and I couldn't carry him. They still refused to deliver our buggy. I merely sat in first class, and when they said it would take an hour to get it, I first breastfed ds and then supplied him with a huge bar of chocolate with great smearing potential. We got what we needed, even though they were crafty and said, - well just get off the plane and we'll call someone to meet you, - so I refused to get off until I saw said person.

chitchat07 · 04/06/2010 19:08

Op - I have flown to Australia 4 times solely with DS1, from the age of 5 months through to 2 years old. In Australia you aren't allowed to have a push chair greeting you other end so I've always had to do the 'walk', and trust me, if you think you're packed to the gills with 2 1/2 hours then you can damn well believe that I was packed to the gills for a trip that is 36 hours from door to door!!!!! (Oh and I always had to catch a connecting flight from my first landing in Australia too!)

You have to use either reigns, or a wrist strap if he is likely to run off. If he falls down, then so be it, you might just have to get to the point where you have to half drag him..... not pleasant, but thems the breaks.

You take your handluggage as a combination of backpack and and trundle bag. You might even be able to get your litle one to pull his own little trundle bag, my DS loved doing that after awhile. (I have managed to carry WAY more than 20 kilos of hand luggage in this way.)

But most of all, PACK LIGHT!!! It's only a 2 1/2 hour flight so you don't really need that much on the plane, seriously, how much do you need for him? There will be trolleys at the other end for the luggage and you quickly learn the knack of pushing a trolley and holding your DC and half balancing him on the handle bar all at the same time!!!!!!!!

chitchat07 · 04/06/2010 19:09

Oh and 4th time I was 5 months pregnant on the way out and 6 months pregnant on the way back..... !!!

cassell · 04/06/2010 19:10

I like that starofvalkyrie

overworkedmummy - I don't fly as I'm scared but I often go on eurostar on my own with wriggly non-walking ds (14mo) to visit my mum. I obv have to carry everything and ds and change trains in Paris. I use a back carrier which I can put ds in and stuff full of his stuff and then I have two hands free for suitcase/handbag/ other random stuff - would something like that work for you? One like [http://www.littlelife.co.uk/html/child_carriers/ultralight-convertible.html this] would be small enough for hand luggage on the plane which my enormous one wouldn't be! May help the other end to the baggage reclaim too!

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 19:12

Thanks all. I will write and complain and suggest they look on here.

'Taling' to you lot, I have realised exactly what my particular gripe is too. If I add a bag (20 kilos) for ds it is only £9.99 however, I cannot manage another bag. All I want is mine increased to 30 kilos as per the infant allowance. They don't allow you to pay for a 30 kilo bag if you pay extra but for a 29 kilo bag it is £9.99 for the bag (which I have paid) and an extra £67.50 for making it up to 29 kilos.

Thanks again all

OP posts:

Rosa · 04/06/2010 19:14

How did you get on ? As far as the load sheets are concerned he is an infant - He is under 2 so I would fight for the 10K of hold luggage. They have already made an extra £95 out of you and are they really going to sell the seats between now and Sunday ?

Original poster

overworkedmummy · 04/06/2010 20:55

Hi Rosa

I am not sure that I will be able to do anything about it now. As it is Friday night and I bet all the customer service people don't work at weekends (is that right?)

I am in 2 minds to turn up with more in my luggage and be prepared for my husband to have to take it home (luckily he is taking us to the airport this time) if necessary.

Unfortunately I have to take quite a lot as I will be staying for quite a while ...

OP posts:

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