Airline Flight Surchage for Infants

[cristletips]

I am always perplexed why when flying with a child under 2 on your lap, how the infants are charged as much tax as an adult occupying a seat. It is as if I am paying twice as much tax/fuel surcharge. And often it is more than the cost of their ticket!

It is obviously a money maker for the airlines and it seems so unfair to me.


Has anyone else felt this frustration? Is there any recourse for this?!!

 

[ELT]

wait, is it the airline or the govt who's imposing the charges?

 

[loupou]

No recourse. They do it because they can do it.

This is the last year I can pay a "child's price" air ticket for my eldest.

 

[Matty]

The airline collects the taxes which are paid to the govt.
The only tax the airline keeps is the fuel surcharge.

So not the airlines fault.

 

[cristletips]

arrgh, guess i just have to deal with it!!

 

[carolinadavy]

I heard Oasis doesn't charge anything at all for kids under 12, so if you are going to UK or Vancouver, you probably don't have to pay tax or anything extra for your kid.

 

[Karen Althorpe]

I heard Oasis doesn't charge anything at all for kids under 12, so if you are going to UK or Vancouver, you probably don't have to pay tax or anything extra for your kid.

I have booked with Oasis and you do have to pay tax, just the same as with any other airline.

 

[Karen Althorpe]

Actually, I will take that back. I have just checked my booking info and I had to pay tax for my 4 year old but not for my 1 year old just a security service fee of HK$33 going out of Hong Kong but nothing on the way back.

 

[cristletips]

Interesting. How it can vary. Just $33 for one airline and $1400 for another.

 

[miaka]

I think Oasis is doing a lot of promotions right now because it is a new airline. They're probably swallowing a lot of those extra costs temporarily to get business up and running.