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Original poster

How strict are airlines with Children’s ages?

43 replies

WildflowerPetals · 23/08/2023 22:53

I'm looking at booking a holiday with TUI. I've just discovered their free child places are for children aged 2 years+. So to take my son at 21 months it's over £400 more expensive (than a 2 year old) cause he's classed as a 1 year old, even though he doesn't get a seat or baggage allowance and a 2 year old does 🤯 My question is, if I put my son down as 2 years old, will the airline question it? And if they do, what will happen?

OP posts:
KingOfThieves · 23/08/2023 22:56

Tui will know as you’ll need to provide them with passport details. They’ll see the DOB and it will flag that it doesn’t match.

timegoingtooquickly · 23/08/2023 22:59

KingOfThieves · 23/08/2023 22:56

Tui will know as you’ll need to provide them with passport details. They’ll see the DOB and it will flag that it doesn’t match.

This! You can't lie because of the passport .

Ducksurprise · 23/08/2023 23:02

I was about to say wtf, but when i travel with my children I often put one as an adult as it saves me money and despite entering the passport details nothing has ever happened.

anotheranotheranotheranother · 23/08/2023 23:05

You are not going to get away with this

addictedtotheflats · 23/08/2023 23:06

Go with jet2 you don't pay for under 2s

MrsChilliHeeler · 24/08/2023 06:50

As @addictedtotheflats said, Jet2 are free for under 2s.

Kindly OP, this is one of the oddest questions I’ve seen on here. Whilst I feel for your plight, As rightly pointed out you won’t get away with this.

What will happen is when you check in and input the passport details it’ll through up a red flag and you’ll be refused. You won’t get a refund. It’s illegal to try and travel with false passport details, so if you lie when checking in when you go to security you’ll be refused and they will likely take you to a room to have a chat with you about it and you could in theory face criminal charges (although I doubt they’d actually bother as it’s not in the public interest).

kingat · 24/08/2023 07:03

Deffo possible on ryanair to buy child seat for infant and then amend on chat but as you buying package it maybe different, best to contact them and say you want to buy separate seat for him

kingat · 24/08/2023 07:04

I meant with ryanair you can buy seat and then change to correct age on chat

Original poster
WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 07:12

Ducksurprise · 23/08/2023 23:02

I was about to say wtf, but when i travel with my children I often put one as an adult as it saves me money and despite entering the passport details nothing has ever happened.

Thank you! This is the kind of reply I was after. I just wondered if anyone had actually ever done it and if so, what had happened. Seems sooo daft to me that I'd be paying £400 for a child that essentially gets nothing for that money, no seat, no baggage... 😅

OP posts:
Original poster
WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 07:13

kingat · 24/08/2023 07:03

Deffo possible on ryanair to buy child seat for infant and then amend on chat but as you buying package it maybe different, best to contact them and say you want to buy separate seat for him

Thanks, that's really helpful 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 07:15

MrsChilliHeeler · 24/08/2023 06:50

As @addictedtotheflats said, Jet2 are free for under 2s.

Kindly OP, this is one of the oddest questions I’ve seen on here. Whilst I feel for your plight, As rightly pointed out you won’t get away with this.

What will happen is when you check in and input the passport details it’ll through up a red flag and you’ll be refused. You won’t get a refund. It’s illegal to try and travel with false passport details, so if you lie when checking in when you go to security you’ll be refused and they will likely take you to a room to have a chat with you about it and you could in theory face criminal charges (although I doubt they’d actually bother as it’s not in the public interest).

I don't really understand how it's an odd question. I'm trying to save myself over £400, seems crazy I'd pay that for a child that doesn't even get a seat or baggage, yet if he was 3 months older he would.
I actually had a look online before posting on here and some people said they'd done it and never been questioned, but those threads were over 5 years old so just wanted some more up to date info.

OP posts:
Original poster
WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 07:15

addictedtotheflats · 23/08/2023 23:06

Go with jet2 you don't pay for under 2s

Thank you! Will look at Jet2 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 07:17

KingOfThieves · 23/08/2023 22:56

Tui will know as you’ll need to provide them with passport details. They’ll see the DOB and it will flag that it doesn’t match.

I get that it won't match the passport but as I said in my OP, will they even check it? Seems crazy he'll be 3 months off 2 and I'll be paying over £400 more for him to not have a seat or baggage...

OP posts:
Zezet · 24/08/2023 07:19

I have also often bought child tickets for infants, even when they were too small to be allowed to use them (a.i. they had to be on my lap BUT their seat, next to me, was ours to for me to put all our stuff), and that was never an issue. Just bought a child type ticket and entered the correct date of birth.

I have always understood that infants not NEEDING a seat doesn't mean you can't prefer to buy them one?

Janek · 24/08/2023 07:20

In the days when Ryanair sold 'free' flights (you only paid the taxes) it was cheaper for us to book infant dd2 as a child than as an infant. It was not noticed at check in, but caused a delay on the plane because it seemed they had one fewer passenger than they had boarding passes for. Definitely don't do it without clearing it with someone!

Kaffiene · 24/08/2023 07:21

Like others have said use the chat to amend. All airlines let you buy a second seat. It was often cheaper on short haul flights to buy a seat for my infant than pay the infant charge. The only thing to remember is that they still need to sit on your lap when the seatbelt light is on even if they have a seat. But if he is a few months off 2 I doubt cabin crew would question it either way.

Zezet · 24/08/2023 07:25

However do NOT lie about passports details. There's no way they can let you fly with wrong identity, it's one of the most tightly regulated industries.

WandaWonder · 24/08/2023 07:32

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 07:15

I don't really understand how it's an odd question. I'm trying to save myself over £400, seems crazy I'd pay that for a child that doesn't even get a seat or baggage, yet if he was 3 months older he would.
I actually had a look online before posting on here and some people said they'd done it and never been questioned, but those threads were over 5 years old so just wanted some more up to date info.

Show quote history

I would presume if it says things like, made up example, 0-2 it does not mean if the child is 3 it is ok because we just mean pick what age you want

If you don't want hassles at the airport do the right thing and just be honest

Throwaway1066 · 24/08/2023 07:46

When you book you’ll put in dates of birth, the computer will automatically correct your child to an infant seat and re-cost before you’ve paid. It’s not sneaking him through the airport and hoping people think he looks 2.

At least that’s how it worked when I was in the travel industry. Granted that in 10 years that may have changed!

Prescottdanni123 · 24/08/2023 07:49

One PP has got lucky and got away with lying. You might not. All it would take is for one airport staff member to be red hot at catching discrepancies and then you will be unable to board and might also face legal trouble.

A much safer option is to go with an airline that doesn't charge for under 2s.

averythinline · 24/08/2023 07:49

you can buy scheduled airline child seats for under2s and many do....but a package holiday and charter airline flights are different...you could talk to tui... or use a different operator

Goldbar · 24/08/2023 07:52

We booked a child seat for our DC on a longhaul flight because neither of us wanted them on our lap the whole way. DH wanted to save the money initially but backtracked when I insisted we'd have to split DC 50-50 the whole flight as I wasn't being lumbered with a lap child grabbing my food and stuff for the entire 10 hours. We didn't have a problem booking a child seat for an infant, but I did have to hold them on take off and landing, and it was just a flight not a holiday.

anotheranotheranotheranother · 24/08/2023 07:56

People talking about buying seats for infants are missing the mark here.

OP is trying to avoid paying for her child, it's not the same.

If you choose to fly with an airline who structures their pricing in such a way that you have to pay for an under 2 who would be free once they are 2 then you pay. Other options are available.

watermeloncougar · 24/08/2023 07:59

It seems odd to be considering taking the risk of lying about your child's age when you book, and risking not being able to fly, rather than just booking with an airline which has a different policy, or sucking up the payment and having a seat your toddler can use!

Because let's face it, even if Mrs Jones from Mumsnet got away with it a few years ago, you've no way of knowing whether the staff for your flight will notice or allow it. Seems crazy to take the risk.

TropicalTrama · 24/08/2023 08:00

That’s ridiculous! I think you need to talk to TUI though because me or anyone else saying that paid the child fare on a scheduled flight for their infant so they could have their own seat isn’t really relevant since this is a package holiday and charter flight. I definitely wouldn’t lie and hope for the best, it’s far too risky. If you can’t resolve it then choose another airline/tour operator.