Expert: Roberto Gomes - 4/29/2008

Question
Hi!
First off thank you for taking the time to read my question! I have a baby girl who is 19 months. She is a very good kid, (or so I think) and we are taking a trip home to Texas. What airline is best for handling kids her age and should I get her, her own seat or would sitting in my lap be better? Do you know if certain airlines offer less pricey tickets for children her age?

Answer
Dear Nikelle,

For fare purposes, passengers are defined as follows:

Adult - Age 12 - 64
Senior - Age 65 and older
Child - Ages 2-11
Infant in a seat - Younger than age 2, must be at least 2 days old to travel. Applies to domestic travel, must be booked at same time as accompanying adult(s).

I believe on this age, the best for you is to carry her on your lap, otherwise you will pay the same amount as one adult. You can ask when making reservations to allocate your seat in the bulkhead area(division on the aircraft) so you can ask for a bassinet. Note that only widebody aircrafts such as Boeing 767/777 have this area. Check for example with American Airlines if they have this aircraft on flights from FL to TX, since they use the same planes from previous international trips to continue on domestic itineraries.

If you need any additional information, please let me know.
Best Regards,
R.Gomes