Page 2 | How strict are airlines with Children’s ages?

Avocadot0ast · 24/08/2023 08:01

My god tui were such a pain when we purchased a seat for our nearly 2 year old on a flight. You’d think it was common practice and I’ve never had trouble doing it when we fly long haul with BA or Virgin Atlantic, but I spent weeks trying to get the sorted out emailing back and forth and the airport staff were just as useless on check in, they kept asking where the other child was as I had to have the ticket for a lap infant as well as the upgraded seat for a child listed. We were on a package holiday and just called up to do it, I don’t know if it would mean you’d get the free child place but absolutely wouldn’t attempt to cheat the system by putting in a date of birth that doesn’t match the passport. You run the risk of not being allowed on the flight at all if at check in it’s noticed and then you’ve lost the holiday as they won’t amend at check in or let you board as a result. Best thing is to call them and sort it all out or go into a branch.

StillWantingADog · 24/08/2023 08:04

I don’t think I paid anything (or a very small fee) to take mine on Easyjet before they turned 2 and took buggies and car seats and all sorts.

that is a ridiculous rule, if you really want to go with Tui then call them and question it. And if they can’t sort it don’t book with them. But don’t lie and hope for the best.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 24/08/2023 08:23

Are you sure you have to pay for the 1 year old, they are normally free or a very small charge?

Annon1234 · 24/08/2023 08:25

If you’re doing a package it’s likely nothing to do with the flight price why it’s more expensive for an infant vs a child. It’s more than likely the room type, either there is under occupancy in the room when it is the adults plus the infant, or the room has to be bigger to accommodate the cot space as generally all under 2s will automatically be given a cot. It’s not worth lying about, even if it doesn’t get picked up at the airport if the hotel asks for everyone’s passports it will certainly be picked up then

YouAreBeingUnbearable · 24/08/2023 08:27

I actually accidentally did this with SAS! I had the month of my child’s birth wrong in my head (June/July - I know, I know. I was very sleep deprived) and thought he’d be under two when travelling. They caught it at the check-in desk and it was a big hassle. I burst into tears at my own stupidity and they kindly refunded his ticket and let me book again with the correct ticket type - however, obviously being only 2.5 hours before the flight, the price was astronomical.

I wouldn’t risk doing it on purpose!

Ducksurprise · 24/08/2023 08:36

Gosh no, I wouldn't put the wrong DOB, I have just selected adult and then put the child's DOB.

Even if it is a package holiday it will just mean the child has a bed not a cot.

Original poster

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 08:39

Just to clarify, I wouldn't put his DOB wrong, I know that's illegal and obviously wouldn't match his passport. It's just when booking with TUI they ask for the child's age not DOB, if I put 2 years old it's over £400 cheaper than if I put 1 year old.

OP posts:

Original poster

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 08:39

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 24/08/2023 08:23

Are you sure you have to pay for the 1 year old, they are normally free or a very small charge?

Yeah, it's exactly the same holiday, same room and flights. But if I change his age from 1 to 2, it drops by over £400!

OP posts:

Annon1234 · 24/08/2023 08:40

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 08:39

Just to clarify, I wouldn't put his DOB wrong, I know that's illegal and obviously wouldn't match his passport. It's just when booking with TUI they ask for the child's age not DOB, if I put 2 years old it's over £400 cheaper than if I put 1 year old.

when you come to make the booking you’ll be asked for dob and if it doesn’t match the age you put in originally it will tell you

Original poster

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 08:42

Annon1234 · 24/08/2023 08:25

If you’re doing a package it’s likely nothing to do with the flight price why it’s more expensive for an infant vs a child. It’s more than likely the room type, either there is under occupancy in the room when it is the adults plus the infant, or the room has to be bigger to accommodate the cot space as generally all under 2s will automatically be given a cot. It’s not worth lying about, even if it doesn’t get picked up at the airport if the hotel asks for everyone’s passports it will certainly be picked up then

It's exactly the same room.
His DOB would match his passport, it's just TUI asks for the age of the child not the DOB when searching for holidays. If I search for exactly the same hotel, room and flights, a 1 year old is £400 more than a 2 year old.

OP posts:

TheWayoftheLeaf · 24/08/2023 08:43

You can't get away with it OP. Those are the terms of the offer however nonsensical they seem.

Wait 3 months or pay the extra.

Annon1234 · 24/08/2023 08:45

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 08:42

It's exactly the same room.
His DOB would match his passport, it's just TUI asks for the age of the child not the DOB when searching for holidays. If I search for exactly the same hotel, room and flights, a 1 year old is £400 more than a 2 year old.

Show quote history

If that’s the case it’s under occupancy in the room, if your booking say 2 adults and an infant the infant to the hotel is free and they aren’t Charging for them but because the room could accommodate say 3 people they will charge under occupancy, when it’s a child, even a free child you don’t get charged the under occupancy because the room is full

watermeloncougar · 24/08/2023 08:47

@WildflowerPetals I don't understand why you've picked an offer that doesn't work for you. The thing with package deals is they either work in your favour, or they seem nonsensical because they work against the ages/ numbers of your family.

In your shoes I would pick another airline. It seems bonkers to go with tui at the moment. In a few months time, this deal would work for you. Until then, it doesn't!

Usernamen · 24/08/2023 09:09

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 08:39

Just to clarify, I wouldn't put his DOB wrong, I know that's illegal and obviously wouldn't match his passport. It's just when booking with TUI they ask for the child's age not DOB, if I put 2 years old it's over £400 cheaper than if I put 1 year old.

That would be lying about his age though. Or am I missing something?

I think airports / international travel is the last place I would risk being caught lying tbh.

Original poster

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 09:21

So, after looking a bit more into this I've realised I was wrong in what I said originally. I was focusing on the price per person and that was my error.
A child over 2 is classed as a "person" and a child under 2 isn't. Therefore, if you're a family of 3 and the child is over 2 you end up paying 3x the price pp, but if they're under 2 they're already technically free and you just pay 2x the price pp - even though in this case the price pp has gone up when changing the age to 2. Hope that makes sense and helps someone else!
Thanks for the discussion 😂

OP posts:

inloveandmarried · 24/08/2023 09:48

WildflowerPetals · 24/08/2023 08:39

Just to clarify, I wouldn't put his DOB wrong, I know that's illegal and obviously wouldn't match his passport. It's just when booking with TUI they ask for the child's age not DOB, if I put 2 years old it's over £400 cheaper than if I put 1 year old.

I'd just do this. You are ticking a box and still putting all the correct passport details in.

It's not as though you are changing details of the passport.

As it's an infant on your lap I expect the worst that might happen is you have to pay at checking in for an infant.

It's not as though the seat will disappear as he's travelling on your lap.

punnetofcherries · 24/08/2023 09:56

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?

If your child is over 2 he'll have to have his own seat and will not be allowed to sit on your lap for landing or take off as he's too old for a lap strap

If he's under 2 he has to sit on your lap unless he has his own seat with a car seat fixed into place (suitable for an aircraft)

You cannot get away with lying about his age at all

RosemaryDill · 24/08/2023 12:09

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?

This.
We always paid for a seat for under 2s and just had them on the lap for take off.

I have also come across anomalies with pricing. So under 12s don't count as adults for apartments and you have to pay an under occupancy supplement which ends up costing more than for four adults. I got round this by phoning the travel company who were happy to adjust and classify the DC as adults.

Worth a try?