Unaccompanied Minor on Avios

[Freddie]

I searched and couldn't find anything.

The best I can figure out to do is to book the tickets with the WRONG birthdates, then call the airline whose metal the minor is actually flying and changed the DOB and add the UM fee.

Will that work?

In my case, I am booking TWO UMs together. I would have to write both DOBs wrong.

Please advise quickly as I need to book these tickets ASAP. Thanks in advance!

[Freddie]

Really? Nobody here has ever dealt with this?

[Ergel]

Why do you need to register them as unaccompanied minors? How old are they?

[Freddie]

One is 11 and the other will be turning 11 in a few days after the trip.

[ah]

Not so helpful but I just had to put in the wrong birthday for a minor because did separate bookings...i put 100 years older, I remember reading to do that and say well obviously this 3 year old is born in 2013 not 1913! How'd that happen? I didn't know there is a fee for UM

[Freddie]

Not so helpful but I just had to put in the wrong birthday for a minor because did separate bookings...i put 100 years older, I remember reading to do that and say well obviously this 3 year old is born in 2013 not 1913! How'd that happen? I didn't know there is a fee for UM

Risky. And it's to UMs together. Same mistake twice?

I could put the DOB one year off and make them both 12. Is that asking for problems?

[Ergel]

Risky. And it's to UMs together. Same mistake twice?

I could put the DOB one year off and make them both 12. Is that asking for problems?

No one looks at birthdays. It will make no difference

[Freddie]

No one looks at birthdays. It will make no difference

Who votes that Ergel is not a vilder mentsch? Should I book two 11 year olds as 12 year olds?

[Ergel]

Who votes that Ergel is not a vilder mentsch? Should I book two 11 year olds as 12 year olds?

Sure.

[Freddie]

Sure.

You just voted for yourself, man.

[DovtheBear]

Sure.

+1

[Dan]

Really just depends on the kids and if the flights are nonstop.

Frankly I'm quite surprised to see Ergel's take on this. Are you going to tell your kid to lie if he's asked his age to save $100 or $150?

[Freddie]

Really just depends on the kids and if the flights are nonstop.

Frankly I'm quite surprised to see Ergel's take on this. Are you going to tell your kid to lie if he's asked his age to save $100 or $150?

By the way, I suppose I should mention, Shabbos at the Ohel. Anyone in?

[DovtheBear]

Frankly I'm quite surprised to see Ergel's take on this. Are you going to tell your kid to lie if he's asked his age to save $100 or $150?

He didn't ask if it was ethical or worth it. Anyway, who's going to ask their age?

[Chapshnell]

I booked my cousin by himself just put a older age

[Ergel]

Really just depends on the kids and if the flights are nonstop.

Frankly I'm quite surprised to see Ergel's take on this. Are you going to tell your kid to lie if he's asked his age to save $100 or $150?

Of course not. I don't understand. You have to pay a fee to send the kid by himself? I always took flights by myself. Nothing was necessary. Have things changed? I though the question was just BA doesn't let you book minors by themselves.

Apparently I didn't understand the question properly
https://www.aa.com/i18n/disclaimers/childrenTravelingAloneChecklist.jsp
I would not lie about the kid's age.

I've done this when flying with my kids but for whatever reason I needed to book separately. Not to avoid the UM fee.

[Freddie]

Of course not. I don't understand. You have to pay a fee to send the kid by himself? I always took flights by myself. Nothing was necessary. Have things changed? I though the question was just BA doesn't let you book minors by themselves.

There are two issues. One is that BA won't even let you book on line for UM. The other issue (not as much of a question for me) is the UM fee.

I wasn't trying to get out of the UM fee so much as trying to avoid the hassle and delay of booking on the phone.

[Freddie]

Okay, now that it is all done, let me review.

1. You cannot book kids under 12 on BA website. I just went ahead and put wrong DOBs al m'nas to change it later. I was not trying to wiggle out of the UM fee since the UM fee goes to the carrier anyway.

2. I then called USAirways, who happened to be the carrier, and added the UM fee. I did not bother correcting the DOBs at that point since I felt it made no difference anymore.

3. Data point... it took a loooooong time for the reservations to ticket. Basically I had 3 reservation codes on each passenger. 1) a BA reservation code, 2) A USAirways reservation code with a BA ticket # but no USAirways ticket # (hence could not choose seats) and 3) a USAirways reservation code with no ticket #s at all but with seat assignments. Weird. Maybe that is typical for BA to USAirways but it worried me so I stopped into a lounge and had one of the workers there fix it for me. They consolidated it all for me and it was fine in the end. Maybe it would have been fine on its own without me asking for them to help me, but I didn't want to take chances.