Families with young children are being unfairly treated by airlines 
(06/11/2008)
The Co-operative Travel believes that families with young children are being unfairly treated by some leading airlines due to restrictive policies on baggage allowances.
A study by the travel retailer found that on average an infant on holiday requires essential items weighing between 14kg to 15 kg. The research showed that a typical tinytotsaway basket of essentials for a week contained approximately two nappies, one x 900g cartoon of food, 45 x 200ml cartons of ready made milk, 20-25 pouches of baby food, 2-3 boxes of baby cereal, wipes, baby wash and Calpol, weighing approximately 14kg-15kg. If these items ended up being taken as excess baggage it could cost parents more than £165 in charges with Ryanair (£12kg per kg).
Despite this only two out of seven of the top airlines used by British holidaymakers provide an additional baggage allowance for infants, leaving parents with very young children subject to high excess baggage charges.
The best carriers for families with young children were Virgin and British Airways, who offer an infant allowance in addition to generous normal baggage allowances (23kg). However, their excess baggage charges were also the highest, ranging from £30 to £120 (charge per bag not kg).
The worst for families was Ryanair which only offers a 15kg baggage allowance and no extra allowance for infants. Parents needing to take extra items have to pay an excess charge of £12 per kg.
Parents also need to be aware that some airlines such as Ryanair, don’t allow passengers to pool or share baggage allowances even when travelling on the same reservations. Even if parents are under the weight allowance combined they could still be charged if they don’t check relevant baggage information before they travel.
The Co-operative Travel has moved to raise awareness of this disparity over baggage allowance to help parents planning their next trip abroad.
Trevor Davis, Head of Retail Distribution with The Co-operative Travel, said: “The situation can be confusing and we believe it’s important that families know what charges they might incur before they book. We see this as part of the service a good travel agent should offer, especially for those with young children who may be travelling abroad for the first time.”
To help parents avoid possible excess baggage charges The Co-operative Travel has teamed up with tinytotsaway, a website that can deliver baby and toddler essentials direct to a hotel or holiday apartment, and is providing parents with a free £25 voucher for the service when they book a holiday in store. This is part of a greater offering from the holiday provider, with gifts for children of all ages.
Gifts on offer include:
* £15 HMV Gift Voucher which can be used to purchase a new game for the Nintendo DS or PSP, be redeemed in Waterstones to purchase books or kids can even choose an e-voucher for music downloads on the web
* Tag N Go safety silicon wristbands are a device that reunites out of site children with their parents or guardian if they become lost
* £25 Tinytotsaway.com gift voucher to buy those heavy baby essentials and have them delivered to your holiday destination
* The Rough Guide to Travelling with Babies and Toddlers, the ultimate guide to hassle free family travel
* The UV Sun monitor, a must have for all parents who plan to spend a lot of time in the sun with their children. The handy gadget displays UV levels allowing parents to keep their children safe in the sun
Parents could also save money by checking in or booking additional weight/bags whilst making the booking, so it is important that parents understand their options during the booking process.
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Related categories: Kids and children Newborns and babies Toddlers
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