Adding infant to reward flight

[ThriceForgiven]

Hi,

I booked a reward ticket on BA but was unable to include an infant at the time as they hadn’t been born yet. The system allowed me to price the ticket, insert the name, but gave an error when the birth date was in the future.

I’m trying to add the infant now, but there is no avios availability on the flight. The call center, which has taken frustratingly long to resolve this, is saying that as there is no Avios availability they need to price a cash booking ‘for a seat’ which is coming up to GBP 60.

I’m struggling conceptually with this as: a) the infant will travel on my lap; b) the Avios cost of the ticket was much lower than 60GBP; and c) shortly after booking the original ticket I called BA to ask if I could do this afterwards they said yes, and that avios availability wouldn’t matter.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Or should I just cough up the 60 GBP. One final note, which I feel almost embarrassed to mention but may have some bearing in it, is that I’m speaking to the offshore call center – as per Amex, would I have a higher chance of a better outcome if I spoke to the onshore one, and is there a specific number for it?

Thanks everyone.

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

That the infant is on your lap does not prevent airport and other fees being charged.

[ThriceForgiven]

I agree. I might not have been explicit in stating the issue – I’m not looking for a free flight for the infant. The original booking was done with Avios for 2 PAX, and I want to add a 3rd (infant).

I’m questioning the rationale behind the agent charging me for an infant cash ticket, rather than an infant Avios ticket (though Avios seats are no longer available on the flight) given the infant doesn’t actually need a seat.

[YC]

HUACA. Lap infants should not need extra avios availability and the price you pay should be 10% of the avios and taxes/fees.

It’s a different story for other airlines where it tends to be 10% of the cash fare even on reward bookings.

[ThriceForgiven]

Thanks – after a lengthy call and a stern ‘put me through to your supervisor’ it looks like they’ve fixed it. I can’t imagine how the general public deal with these ‘computer says no’ issues…

[John]

I booked flights for my son before he was born, and just entered the present date, they don’t actually care about the birth date you enter at booking which is only used to determine eligibility for the lap infant fare. Obviously you can’t enter any API until they are born and get a passport

[ACK]

I’ve done this in the past, and will do again twice this year. Had a 241 booking for wife and myself. Months later I called to add the infant, I had to pay taxes and 10% of whatever the avios cost was for 1 pax. Reward seat availability was irrelevant. This is a returning issue with BA though, there seem to be a few agents who insist on this. I also had a reward booking for 2, booked by BA, ticketed by AA. When AA cancelled the flights, BA refused to put us on an alternative flight as no reward seats were available there. Called AA, who could not transfer us (even though they were willing to) as the booking was made with BA. Luckily the AA agent attempted (and failed) and this was visible on the booking records. After a HUACA with BA, the new agent saw the AA attempt and moved us to the flights we wanted. Frustrating experience from BA, and I can believe they still have agents making your life difficult for no reason.