Is it time to end one of the travel industry’s longest-running fare sales, kids flying free?
Melissa Rosen thinks so. “It’s a pretty good scam,” says the career consultant at the University of Virginia’s graduate school of business administration. “Parents book a ticket for themselves and a child. When they line up to board, the parent will claim the smaller kid is a ‘lap child.’”
They may be anything but that, says Rosen. On a recent flight, she reports, “four little legs kicked me and tugged on the tray table attached to the back of my seat for two hours straight.”
Halfway through the trip she asked the kids’ mother to tell her 4- and 6-year-old daughters to keep still. “I was icily reprimanded with a ‘They’re just children’ lecture,” she recalls.
As she left the plane, Rosen asked the flight attendant if anything could be done about the obvious fact that the two weren’t ‘lap children.’
“If the parent says ‘lap child,’ it’s a lap child,” says Rosen, repeating what she’d been told.
One of the most common lies travelers tell concerns their children’s age, says John Balzer, a regional manager for an international airline.
“They say, ‘My baby is under 2 years of age, so it will go for free on my lap’,” he says. “But at the airport, the ‘infant’ passport shows it’s 2 1/2 years old.”
Most domestic airlines allow babies to board for free as long as they’re 2 or under and can sit on a parent’s lap, says the Air Transport Association, the trade organization for the United States’ major airlines. Once they exceed the minimum age, or if they require a safety seat, discounted fares are available and vary by airlines, the association says.
US Airways, for example, offers reduced rates that vary from market to market and can depend on the time a family’s traveling, says David Castelveter, a spokesman for the carrier. The Arlington, Virginia-based airline usually doesn’t ask for proof of age unless it’s necessary to qualify for a special program, he says.
Other carriers apparently adhere to the same practice, meaning parents can get junior on board for nothing if they maintain he’s 2 or younger.
As one airline executive admits, “It’s really on the honor system.”
That means honor occasionally takes flight when cash is involved. Since most passengers are determined to save money, travelers may see some of the biggest 2-year-olds ever in the main cabin.
Just how ingrained is this “kids fly free” notion? Mark Ellis, a health care program manager in San Antonio, Texas, remembers a cabin attendant stopping him as he carried his infant son and the child’s car seat to a flight. The car seat, she said, had to be checked as luggage.
“When I pointed out that my son had his own (airplane) seat, she indicated most people do not buy seats for their children, but hope that there will be empty seats,” he says. “I guess that logic is still prevailing.”
Certainly, some parents abuse the system, but it’s impossible to say how many. The U.S. Department of Transportation doesn’t track airline passengers’ ages, alleged or actual.
Despite those cheaters, say some proponents of kids flying free, the system is not broken. Why fix it?
“An infant in a parent’s arms does not take up any additional resources from the airline and does not cause an inconvenience to other passengers,” insists Greg Nieberding, co-president of Baby B’Air, a Dallas, Texas, company that develops in-flight safety harnesses for children. “If you force a parent to buy a seat for an infant, they may choose to travel by car, which has been proven to be statistically more dangerous.”
Others, while acknowledging children usually don’t take up much more space, still feel repairs are overdue. Kevin Ives is one.
“I have had one or two times where I’ve sat next to some women with a baby, or two or three kids, and they are the most annoying little brats on a long flight,” complains the traveler from Buffalo, New York.
So it seems it comes down to this: Many parents couldn’t afford to travel if it weren’t for the generous policy airlines extend to their children. At the same time, youngsters can exact a toll on other passengers. Shouldn’t someone pay for that?
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
just by reading ur article i can tell u have no kids. not all children are brats and its very hard to make anyone under 10 years old sit still and be calm and quiet for two hours straight. I dont think i should pay full price for my two and ahalf year old son’s ticket and most airlines do not offer cheaper tickets for kids. everyone thinks they are so perfect…oh please.. its crazy to buy a ticket for a child under 5 yrs of age in my eyes just like its crazy to charge over wieght passengers for bigger seats! american is getting worse every year. its all about money money money. get over urself ppl and stop thinking about urselves and think of the ppl that are raising families and cant afford everything, but would like to enjoy life too!
Would a little person get a discount because they’re small? Not a chance. Why would you expect that your child should?
Coach seating is cramped enough and shouldn’t be worsened with kids sitting on laps. An infant, not a big deal, but there has to be a point where the airline draw the line. 2 just happen to be it. I have a 2 year old and really wouldn’t want him on my lap for a flight. I also wouldn’t assume that, just because he is 2, I should be entitled to a discount on his seat. Buying one seat on an airline doesn’t entitle me to getting a discount on another.
Same thing for overweight people, if you take up two chairs, you should have to pay for those two chairs. Why should the airline take a loss and not be able to sell the 2nd seat? Even more, why should the airline pay for the passenger’s obesity?
FYI – If an airplane manufacture shaves 1lb from the weight of that airplane, it will save $100,000 over the life of that plane. How much does your child weigh and who should pay for that?
Lap children are projectiles. Is your child’s life worth the price of a ticket?
To most parents? No.
I can understand both side of this argument, as before I had a child I used to get very annoyed by the children on flights who didn’t stop screaming for the 12 hours it took( and 2 different planes) that this one trip to Arizona took from Maine. Although it should have been maybe a 7 hour flight, I was stuck on the longest flight of my life with a woman and her child on her lap. Now during this flight, this 2 and 1/2 year old boy did absolutely NOTHING but scream. And although the mom did try to ask him to stop, she never once considered taking him into the bathroom and reprimanding him. I was extremely annoyed and angry that I paid for this ticket and got stuck next to the next “Denis the menace” so to speak. But once I had a child and understood what it was like to be a poor single mom, I also understood how that poor mom felt.
Although when I took my year old son on a flight from Maine to AZ to move closer to my mother, I was scared that my son might get scared or antsy and cry the whole time like the other child did, but with a bit of talking and a portable dvd player with some cartoons, my child sat on my lap quietly for 7 hours!! I cant say that there weren’t a few moments where he fussed and wanted to squirm out of my arms but for the most part, he was wonderful. I even got compliments on how good he was and what a smart idea it was to bring a portable dvd with cartoons.
You people have to understand that not every child on a flight is going to be a terror and cause u to have a terrible flight. there are children who are well mannered and relatively behaved. Poor people with children shouldn’t have to pay for a ticket for a child under five as long as that flight isn’t completely booked. I think that if the airline isn’t full that a mother should be able to go onto the site a day or 2 before, and according to how full the plane is, be able to buy a ticket for herself and get a seat free for her child. That way the airline isn’t losing money since the seats would have sat empty anyways. But i agree to the fact that no, a woman or man shouldn’t be getting free tickets for a child over 2 that needs a seat on a plane thats packed full of passengers and there really isn’t a seat left to put a child in. There should be a compromise with these situations. Its really hard to fly anywhere when u have no money and u want to travel but have children. Like for me, I have a 2 and 1/2 yr old son and I have about $637 each month I get. My rent is over $40 more then that plus I have utility bills as well. I want to be able to buy a cheap ticket to fly to Maine to spend time with my husband and the rest of my family but not at the expense of the airline. I would be willing to wait until 1 or 2 days before a flight, check how many seats were available and if I could find one with at least 10 seats empty, then get a free seat for my son. I believe that would be worth the effort to wait and find a special flight.
The problem between the airlines and these financially unstable parents is that they cant find a compromise like this. And the airline is too busy worrying about money money money then to see that in the end, this would make them more money!!! because all those poor families that end up traveling by car across country due to the fact they cant afford to fly with their children, would then actually fly on their airlines. And the financially unstable parents are too busy trying to get what they want when THEY want it. Life doesn’t do what u want when u want it. U take things as they come and hope for the best. and if u are going to get a free seat for a child 5 or under then u should play along and make the sacrifice to get it.
Can u understand what I mean? I am currently getting ready to go back to Maine with my 2 1/2 year old and I cant afford to pay $1000 for 2 round trip tickets to go see my husband who is there taking care of his sick mom who had a heart attack 7 months back and is permanently unable to take care of herself now. And yes, I will most likely be saying my son is ALMOST 2 but not yet, just so that I can put him on my lap and fly him with me without having to pay another $500!! But in doing so, I will also make sure that I have a plan to keep my child occupied while we are in flight so he doesn’t disturb the other passengers who have paid good money for the tickets they are using. it just depends on the parents.
And no, a little person who is an adult shouldn’t get a discount due to the fact that they are little. Thats a deformity that cannot be helped, but they are still adults and responsible for their own fare, and an obese person shouldn’t be charged for 2 seats just because they are overweight. u say that its not the airlines fault that the passengers are overweight but some people, its not THEIR fault either!! Not every obese person is that way from eating a lot of the wrong foods. Some have medical disorders that made them that way, and they shouldn’t be charged more then a normal person due to those medical issues. Face it, over half of the population is overweight. and why shouldn’t they be?? with a fast food place on every corner, and the hustle and bustle of the everyday life, most Americans end up having to eat on the road and whats the easiest place to get food in a rush? A fast food joint. That doesn’t however give the greedy airlines the right to charge a big person for 2 seats and make their self-esteem worse then it already is!! An overweight person already has self-esteem problems, I am sure of it, they doent need a greedy airline pointing out how fat they are and charging them cause they cant fit in just one TINY seat, (which by the way, the seats aren’t all that big sweetie!!) I am only about 5′3″ and 120 lbs and I am rarely ever comfortable in one of the airline seats. I think that you should just take a good look in the mirror cause you are extremely ignorant about both of those topics.
Charging overweight and obese people more for their tickets and telling them they have to buy two to fit on the seats is DISCRIMINATION!! Thats going to cost them WAY more in discrimination lawsuits then it ever will in a seat here and there!! Maybe the airlines should stop and think about that. It seems all they think about is money so maybe that will open their eyes a little!!
Nice try Samantha, but as yet fatties are not a protected class. Since weight directly effects fuel consumption as well as taking up double the product for the price of one, their airlines are well within their rights to make the obese pay more.
I have to thank you Samantha.You gave me a chuckle.
As it is true that it’s not all overweight peoples fault for being “big”.It’s not MY fault you had a kid,pay for him instead of trying to get a “free ride”.If you ask me it’s not only the airlines thinking “money ,money, money’.It’s people like you saying “gimme gimme gimme”.You’re out there literally looking for a free ride.Then again i guess that is the new American Way.
Michelle, I have to disagree that it is impossible to keep a child under 10 occupied and well-behaved during a long flight. My 5 and 9 year old are living proof. But they have been taught how to behave and how to amuse themselves and have been known to do so for even longer than 2 hours. Plus I make it my mission when traveling to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. Sure all the kid haters are obnoxious, but not more so than the parents who don’t think they should be responsible for their kids’ behavior.
I understand the financial reasons for wanting to save money on a child’s airfare, but seriously why would you do that to yourself, your kid, or the unfortunate people around you? Kids are heavy and squirmy. Coach seats are cramped even without the kid on your lap. The kid will be uncomfortable. You will be uncomfortable. Bad behavior will ensue. Everyone around you will wish for you and your child to get sucked out the window in a freak aviation accident. Stop whining and buy your child his or her own seat.
We have a one yer old, and whenever we fly on Southwest, they ask for a copy of the Birth Certificate to ensure she qualifies as a lap child. I think that all airlines should do this, as it will keep people honest about their kids’ ages.
During her first year she has traveled from Las Vegas to Hawaii, Atlanta, Texas, California and Colorado all by plane, and has never had any problems sleeping in our lap on on our shoulder. We make sure that when she is awake, she has the food and drinks and toys that she needs to keep occupied.
Our only complaint was with the trip to Atlanta, Delta’s planes did not have the fold down changing tray that other airlines have in the bathroom, so my wife changed her on my seat while I stood there blocking the view for anyone.
The “view” of a baby being changed isn’t going to offend people nearly as much as the stench of a “loaded” diaper filling the entire cabin. Block THAT!
A “loaded” diaper isn’t any different than the person who decided to eat the very convienent fast-food cheeseburger 20 minutes before flight. You can’t stop a child from going potty and you surely can’t control which they go. I do believe that charging a full-fare adult ticket for a two year old is obsurd.
well i have read a few of these comments an alot of people have very different opinions but true opinions i have a daughter who is 27 months old..soo i know about kids an how noisy an very needy at times but my point is i feel like a child who is mannered an could be still(decent) on a parents lap should be allowed to fly on the lap at no cost or the tax cost what ever of course under 5 yrs.old..seriously jus because the are people with out of control children should not have to ruin it for the rest of those proud parents who have controlled childre…yes i would be completely annoyed if i sat on a plane for hours with annoying bratty children…who wouldnt!!?but if the parent doesnt have enough respect…self dicipline in themselves!!to actually try to make there young child fly hours knowing they cant sit still an exspect them to sit still!!exspect people not to complain!!!well then maybe people should jus have to wait until there child understand yes an no right from wrong play an stop!! my daughter is very good for long rides an would be better if she was on my lap an at 27 months old i feel i should not as well as many other parents should not pay for the lack of dicipline in other families house hold!!have enough respect an WAIT to fly with ur child until they can sit that long without bein a pest!!no everyone else fault
I googled children flying on a plane and I came across this article. I agree It is so obvious that you do not have children and that is ok but you should not make statements as if they are factual and not opionion based.
Comparing a child to a little person is not air or a baised comparison and I am sure if you talked to a little person they would not be thrilled about that. A little person is an adult who makes their own decisions and lives there life like any other person or adult. A child is resposnsible and taken care of by adults, so if the parents have to fly somewhere then the child needs to go with them. If there is not room for a mother and a child to be in a seat together then yes they need to purchase an extra seat just the same as if there was not room for an extremely obese person to fit in a seat then they would need to purchase an extra seat as well.
Air planes are not comfortable and they are used as a source of transpertation. People to realize that they do not know everyones story and they cannot even begin too. I had an emergency where I had to fly when my son was 6 months old. There was an emergency in my family and my husband and I had to go, so if we had to go then our son had to go because he is our child and we are responsible for him. I was so terifed to get on a plane with my son because I had no clue how he would act and I was upset that we were now paying almost $1500 for 3 tickets. When the airlines let me know that he could fly for free I felt so relived and I felt like it was fair because when children are young like that they are a part of their parents.
I have been on planes when the person next to me was throwing up, should I have yelled at him for getting sick and told him if he was going to get motion sickness why did he get on the plane to start with? I was actually on a plane once when a man had a heart attack and we landed in the closest city, should I have kicked him and asked him why he did not get his stress test? How many times are you next to people when they are snoring or yelling on their cell phones before they take off or right when they land, should all of these people not be allowed to fly or be yelled at?
Planes are uncomfortable bring your i-pod and lsiten to music and realize that everyone is miserable. The person who is proably the most miserable is the mother who is stressed about her child. Remember everyone will be in a situation in their life where they count on strangers for help or understanding, when you are in this situation you will undrstand.
While it’s true that many (perhaps most) children are reasonably well behaved, the ones that aren’t can make the lives of the people around them completely miserable. There is nothing as rage inducing as having Mommy’s little Angel kick the back of your seat for 5 hours straight, while Mommy and her Angel remain oblivious to your looks and requests to stop.
If your child can’t stay occupied and seat belted for the hours required for flight, then they should not be on an airplane, period. This comes from someone who used to fly alone from California to Texas every summer to visit Grandma from the time I was 7 or 8 till I was 11. I understood that my job was to be quiet, sit still and color or read until the plane got there, and that’s what I did.
And this business of allowing children under 2 to fly on a lap? Eliminate the subsidy, period! Coach is WAY too crowded already to allow anything but a brand new infant to fly on a lap. WE are subsidizing YOUR child’s free plane ticket, and if I am doing that, I EXPECT to AT LEAST not be annoyed all to h*** by your obnoxious rugrat! You know what? If you can’t afford it, drive! That way only you will enjoy the presence of your little Angel, and the rest of the paying customers will be spared! I travel with my cat fairly frequently, and if I have to pay 100$-150$ each way for the privilege of cramming her into a carrier and shoving her under the seat in front of me (she doesn’t even get a seat!), then I hope you understand that I have absolutely NO sympathy for you parents whining about having to pay for a seat for an actual person!
I am very offended by referring to all children as “brats.” My child has been flying since she was three months and does very well on flights. However, I understand that some children have never flown and may be scared and react accordingly. Also I understand that the airlines have to draw a line somewhere, but I wish it were drawn based on weight rather than age. My two-year old and I together weigh less than an average full grown man. So why should I have to pay for an extra seat for a little girl weighing less than a carry-on? Everything else goes by weight; larger customers have to buy two seats, luggage has a weight limit, why not use weight as the determining factor? Seems more consistent to me.
Wow!!! Some reall A**holes on here.. I can’t stand the fact that some people on here are making themselves out to be some high all mighty people and that people with children are annoying, low class people and that all children are brats.. what a child is a brat because they move around on a cramped airplane that they have been sitting on for hours. But you, you can sit there still for the whole flight and your a better person. You don’t have to think about paying an extra $600 for a loved one to fly with you.. You can be selfish and think of yourself. If it bothers you so damn much that children exist and they fly on planes with you and obviously money isnt an issue then get your own damn plane and fly with all the old farts you want. You were a child once you know, show some respect to the people that hold one of the hardest jobs in the world, Be glad that you can sit on your A** on a plane and not worry about all the judgmental people staring at you, and that you dont have a whole other person to make sure is happy, quiet, comfortable at all times. Anyway, I thank the airlines for allowing my son to be able to fly to Hawaii more often to see his family!!
Melissa with you one hundred percent; In a recent decision by Southwest a child and her parent were escorted off the plane; the reason being that the required announcement could not be heard by the passengers due to the child screaming I WANT MY DADDY; The airline did apologize and gave this Pamela or whatever 300.00 and the next flight out; the flight attendants did all they could to calm the child down. In a survey 80 percent supported the fa decision; I in fact emailed Southwest in defense of their policy; Actually the majority of children if their parents provide nourishment and entertainment are delightful.kudos to that brave flight attendant you have over 80 percent of flyers on your side ,
Samantha ; we are in the middle of a horrible recession largely due to the greediness of banks,and yes greedy people; jobs are difficult to get; many middle classfamilies with good educations are out of jobs; what makes you feel you are entitled to anything special; Most airline personnel have been forced to take pay cuts; are in danger of losing their pensions . Stockholders thats people like you and me have lost considerable amounts of money due to some airlines decline in profits; what gives any special entitlements ; why should I feel sorry for you; What gives you aright to free kiddie seat if there are extra seats on a plane ;; hopefully they can be filled by paying passengers; maybe airlines could make a decent profit; and be able to give their emplyees some well deserved raises and their stockholders who invested in them some profit;
Kids are kids get over it. Don’t fly if you don’t like it. Buy a private jet!
I have no children (by choice thus far), but do love and adore them so much that I have dedicated my career to Social Work for the past 18 yrs.
However, I do not wish to fly with an out of control child any where in the plane. Its reality…you get over it..you had them and if not flying due to YOUR having children is a problem…get a bus ticket but do not expect others to enjoy your child(ren) the way that you do.
I am the parent of a 3 year old. I am a strict parent, and have worked -and continue to work hard- at teaching my daughter to be polite and considerate towards others. I can usually manage to have her entertained for the first two hours of a flight but after that, my child shows how tired she is by becoming unruly.
It’s funny that all the people that complain about how children misbehave forget that they were children themselves -and no matter how good you think you are now that you are an adult- I am SURE you must have annoyed some adult somewhere (at the movie theater, in a supermarket, in a plane). Yes, you. No way you say? Ha. I dare you to ask your parents, neighbors, cousins, family friends…I’m sure there is a tell of you becoming unruly at some point, right? The moral of the story is, we need your kindness to help us parents that are trying our best to control our children. Yes, I do feel embarrassed, yes, I try my best but at times, even my best control techniques do not work.
It takes a village…