How much do you think Infant airline seats should cost?
By greatsasuke
@greatsasuke (472)
United States
December 26, 2009 12:53pm CST
Personally, I think they should be free. The airline companies have other views. The real question is what is a fair price for an infant? Given that some infants are silent passengers and others are a nightmare for the airline staff, is it even possible to come up with a set rate for infants? For example, I have heard that airlines have quoted a wide range of prices for a 6 month old passenger, which ranged anywhere from $47 to $374 for the same destination points. To me this price range is too big of a spread. Most cases if the destination is within the U.S. and Canada and the infant is not getting its own seat the charge is within 10% of the adult fair, unless the child is over 2 years old. They will charge tax, however, and most of the time the tax will be the same amount as that of an adult passenger. There is also varying rates depending on which country you are departing from. Some airlines leaving from a particular country will charge and additional luxury tax for traveling with infants.
What do you think of these infant rates? Should there be any at all, or should the airlines just let infants and children under the age of 2 fly for free? Unless someone is traveling with multiple infants. In that case I can see charging something.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@ElicBxn (63608)
• United States
27 Dec 09
a seat on a plane is a seat on a plane - and if its an infant in a car seat or an old man, its still a seat.
if a child rides on the parent's lap, well, they are trying to bar that because unrestrained children become projectiles when there's an accident - and do YOU want your child to become a projectile? pretty fatal for the projectile I'll add...
so... honestly, I can see that airlines look at the situation, require infants to be restrained in a seat but they still have to cover that seat and should, therefore, pay the price of that seat that might be sold to another customer paying a full price...
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@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
29 Dec 09
Agreed, but in any case if the infant is seated on the parent's lap for the whole flight, then I can't see charging them a fee. Once the child is sitting in a seat, then the infant should be charged. I do feel that 10% of an adult seat is more than fair.
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@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
26 Dec 09
I think that an infant's airline seat should be free or up to 10% of the adult ticket price. I wish that children from 2 to 11 years old had to pay 50% of the adult ticket price. I think that it is fair to let on adult that pays their fare that one infant free. If the adult has twins then he or she should get two free infant seats.
Air fares are complicated. I took my son to South Africa when he was 20 months old. We flew from London to Cape Town. He flew for around 10% of the adult fare. I took him to Latvia when he was 13 months old. I had to pay a lot extra for the airline to carry his 5kg travel cot. I took him to Portugal when he was 4 months old. Now he is over 2 the prices are silly.
In June 2010 my son will be 3 and my daughter will be 1. So with this airline he pays the adult fare and she goes for almost nothing. I looked at other airlines but overall the final fare would have been higher. I went for reasonable airport tax. The cost is ever so high because it will be early summer. I loved it when my son paid less because he was under 2.
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@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
27 Dec 09
If an infant takes up a seat why should they not pay the commercial fare. I've never really understood why children travel at lower prices. They take up a seat same as an adult. A "group discount" is different. That said, I've never said no to a discount! LOL.
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@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
28 Dec 09
Thanks for the informative response. It gives a clear picture about the fluctuating prices for infants on airlines. If it is going to be 10% of the adult ticket, then it should be 10% all the time and across nations. I think all airlines can agree on this. As for the tax, well that can stay the same I guess. I know airline tickets are tricky, but I don't feel they should be when it comes to infants.
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@wiccania (3360)
• United States
27 Dec 09
There's generally no charge for an infant if they're going to be held for the entire flight -- at least that's how it was the last time I checked. If you're bringing a carrier to put in a seat for the child to sit/lay in during the flight, they're not charging for an infant, they're charging for the seat. As a general rule, there's no discount because of the age of the passenger, the cost of a seat on a plane is essentially the same regardless of the age of the passenger who's going to be using it. There will, of course, be variations based on seat availability, popularity of the flight/destination, etc -- it'll fluctuate the way any other seat on an airplane would. It would be nice if airlines would give you a free seat for an infant, but they're not in business to give out free flights.
@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
28 Dec 09
Yes, I think because of the financial obligations the airline must face, it is hard to give any seat for free. I did read, however, that they would give a discount of 10% of an adult fare again depending on the criteria you have listed above. From what I am hearing then, children under the age of 2 are free, as long as they sit on the parent's lap. Is that true for all flights, including transcontinental flights?
@drakesuyat (1063)
• Philippines
27 Dec 09
it should be free. with their size, there is no way they can occupy the whole seat. mom will for sure carry her baby instead of leaving on their seat. well maybe its business but charging an infant with the same rate as adult is too much. i never even heard of any airline service were steward babysit a baby passenger.
@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
28 Dec 09
I think the point was that if the baby does occupy a seat, they are occupying a seat that could be charged to an adult. So, therefore, it doesn't matter the size. I think those small babies can stay seated then on their parents lap for the whole flight and should not be charged for a seat, even at a discounted rate like 10% of an adult price.
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@yinmm007 (605)
• China
27 Dec 09
I wish the seats can be free for infant.But the airline companies are eager for money and benefits.In my opinion if the children can be holden by their parents they should not be asked for tickets.If the children want to have the same insurance with adults they should cost for the insurance.
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@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
28 Dec 09
That is what I was thinking. If the child is seated with the parent for the whole flight, then why charge them for a seat? After all, they are sitting in the same seat as their father/mother. As for the insurance, I don't what the rates are and if they are the same or different for infants and adults.
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@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
27 Dec 09
I've never known there to be a cost associated with flying with an infant. The last time that I flew, my son was eight months old and flew for free on our lap. We did, however, have to pay the full cost for our daughter that was three years old at the time.
Okay, so I've actually thought about this some in the past. I think that children under two should be allowed to fly for free if they are in the parent's lap. However, I think that there should be a child's rate that parents could pay. I think this rate should be about 25% of a comparable adult fare and should apply to children through the age of 7 (this age chosen because that is how long children are supposed to be in booster or car seats in a car.
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@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
28 Dec 09
That is a fair suggestion. What if the 7 year old chooses to sit on the parent's lap, though. Just kidding. I don't think the airlines will allow that. Come to think of it, I don't think that the airlines will allow a discounted price over the age of 2 because of the high cost and competitive nature of the industry. They try to squeeze every nickel possible out of the passenger, so asking for a discount up to the age of 7 may sound reasonable, I think that the airlines will lose too much money. So, on the basis of a financial decision this will not be allowed.
@fiazio (734)
• India
26 Dec 09
HEy there, hope you doing great,
I never knew the airlines charge for infants, they should be free! This is news to me! According to me there shouldn't be any charges on infants, here India I don't think any domestic airline charges for babies on board, if they do they will loose a lot of money.
They should probably charge the parents if they baby is noisy and disturbing the other passengers, or maybe not. I just don't like noisy kids.
or they could have a special infant class for the parents with babies
I'm not really sure, have a nice day!
~fiazio
@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
28 Dec 09
Thanks for the comment. I agree with not charging infants. I don't know if it is possible because of space issues on planes to have a special infant section, but maybe we can send in the request to our favorite airlines. Who knows, we may see infant sections on airplanes in the future.
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@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
27 Dec 09
greatsasuke,
IMO, I feel that infants traveling by air should be charged 10% of the full adult fare. I understand the argument that they should travel free when they do not seem to be using any of the services on board.
But, do they really not need any services on the flight?
Firstly, when a reservation is made I feel that service has already been rendered ensuring that the name is correct, determining his/her age, required services on board i.e. baby meal, bassinet, seating preference and etc..
Needless to say that the services will eventually be delivered and taken when they travel. Also, the crew will have to be prepared for the young traveler and whatever situation that will come with the baby or babies on board.
Also, there is the other aspect which every passenger including infants are a cost to the airlines. They are required to be insured as well and tax accordingly by the governments. So, I do not think they should be traveling free.
Take care.
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
30 Dec 09
greatsasuke,
I feel that we should not overlook the fact that there were services required for infants traveling.
To begin with the reservation service where the infant has to be booked and service requests i.e. bassinets, baby meals and infant personal effects. So, we cannot say that an infant irregardless of age does not require any service.
The fact that a reservation is required is itself a service already and that service entails a smooth check in at the airport. Also, I think we should be aware that every airline is bound by the Warsaw Convention which regulates liability for international carriage of persons, luggage or goods performed by airlines for reward, which basically makes it mandatory for airlines to insure every traveling passengers on board their aircraft including infants as well.
So, I do not agree that infants do not receive services when they travel, if you see what I mean here.
@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
29 Dec 09
Very good points. But don't you think any infant under the age of 6 months should be free? They usually sit on the parent's lap anyway and there is no cost for food or service, since the parent is taking care of most of the child's needs. Just a thought.
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@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
26 Dec 09
I think that children 12 years old or younger should be free, and that children up to age 16 should get a greatly reduced price. Only people 16 years of age or older should have to pay full price for airline tickets, because usually when people younger than about age 16 travel, it is because their parents are going somewhere, and the kids have no choice but to go along...
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@greatsasuke (472)
• United States
28 Dec 09
I can't fully agree with that. I believe children up to the age of 2 should be free, but up to 16, c'mon. That is too much. There was another person who commented that since infants take up a seat just like an adult, they should be charged the same as an adult. I can't say that I agree fully with that, but after two years old I would agree with that statement wholeheartedly.
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