Loyal TPG reader Jonathan Phillippe is a serviceman stationed in Oman with his wife and two young children. He recently redeemed 210,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles for three business-class seats on Etihad Airways. The family planned to fly from Muscat International Airport (MCT) to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for a short visit to the States. His 6-month-old son would travel as a lap infant with one of the adults.
At least, that was Phillippe’s plan.
But when he called American Airlines to add the baby to his reservation as a lap child, the agent told him it wasn’t possible. Phillippe says the airline employee suggested that he buy his baby a separate business-class ticket using miles or cash. That was a suggestion that Phillippe immediately rejected as outrageous.
Then, according to Phillippe, the American Airlines agent suggested Etihad Airways might allow him to add the baby at the airport. Phillippe decided to try that path.
On the day of the family’s flight, they showed up at the Etihad check-in counter with the baby in tow but without a ticket.
When Phillippe asked an Etihad agent to add the baby to the family’s reservation, she shook her head and echoed what American Airlines had said — the baby could not be added to the reservation. That moment set off one of the most unpleasant travel experiences of Phillippe’s life. The 30-plus-hour nightmare about to kick off included unexpected expenses, missed flights, downgrades, extended delays, heated conversations and, of course, cranky kids.
Since that day, four months ago, Phillippe has been hunting for help and compensation for what his family endured. He’s sure American Airlines made a mistake and should have been able to add his son as a lap baby to his award ticket, as he asked.
Phillippe contacted TPG for assistance, hoping we could “expose American Airlines for its ludicrous behavior of not allowing lap babies on international award tickets.”
But hold on, is that really an American Airlines policy? That’s where TPG took up the case.
A serviceman redeems American Airlines miles to fly his family home
Last May, Phillippe took a look at his American Airlines AAdvantage account. He was elated to see that he finally had what he believed to be enough miles for his family to fly in business class back to the United States for a visit.
Searching on the American Airlines website, Phillippe checked award availability and found three business-class award seats open just three days later. He quickly booked them for just 70,000 American Airlines miles plus $300 in taxes and fees per ticket.
The available route home would take the family from Muscat to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) via Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH) on Etihad Airways. They would transfer to a British Airways flight at Heathrow for the final leg of the journey to Houston.
For this family, flying business class was less about luxury and more about making what Phillippe and his wife knew would be a grueling trip with a 2-year-old toddler and 6-month-old baby as trouble-free as possible.
But Phillippe could not add the littlest member of their family to the reservation through the American Airlines website. So he completed the booking process for three award tickets and then called the airline to add his infant son to his ticket.
That would prove to be the wrong order of steps to book a lap baby on an international flight via AAdvantage, though.
American Airlines: You can’t add a lap baby to an award ticket on Etihad
Phillippe says that just a few hours after booking his family’s tickets, he called American Airlines to add the baby.
“I explained that I needed to add my six-month-old son to my seat,” Phillippe wrote. “However, the AA employee immediately told me that it was impossible. She suggested I buy a business class ticket for my son on the flight. I told her that babies under two aren’t required to have their own seats. I just wanted my infant to be added to my reservation. She refused to add him. Her suggestion was absurd.”
Absurd or not, it was the only option the American Airlines employee had to offer. Convinced that couldn’t be the only answer, Phillippe decided he would straighten the problem out at the airport on the day of travel.
Etihad Airways: We can’t add a lap infant to your AA award ticket
On the day the family began the long trek back to the United States, they showed up at the airport in Muscat well before their first flight. Stepping up to the Etihad business-class check-in counter, Phillippe handed over all their documents. At the same time, he casually mentioned that the baby still needed to be added to their reservation.
Much to Phillippe’s shock, the agent told him she couldn’t add the baby to any of the AAdvantage award tickets. He immediately interpreted that to mean that only American Airlines could add his son to the reservation, so the family stepped out of the check-in line so he could make some calls.
“First, I tried to use the live chat feature with American Airlines,” Phillippe told me. “It said there was a 90-minute wait time. But even after 90 minutes, no one responded. Then, I called American Airlines using an international number. I told the agent that I was at the airport with my family, and because of their [American Airlines’] mistake, Etihad was refusing to allow us to check in. I asked them to add my son to the reservation from their end immediately. The agent refused and eventually hung up on me.”
Running out of time, and the baby still has no ticket
Realizing that their time window was fast closing, Phillippe brought his family back to the Etihad counter. He asked the agent what options were available.
An Etihad supervisor explained that there were three options. Phillippe could:
- Cancel the family’s trip and receive a refund of the points and taxes.
- Buy his son his own business-class ticket to join the family’s reservation.
- Phillippe could buy himself an economy- or business-class ticket, and then he would be eligible to add a lap baby to the revenue ticket.
Although none of these options appealed to the now furious Phillippe, he agreed to choice No. 3. He didn’t have enough miles or cash to buy his son a business-class ticket, so he purchased himself an economy ticket from Muscat to London. The Etihad agent then was able to calculate a 10% fare for the infant. After paying an additional $662 for the economy ticket with the lap baby added, the family boarded their flight to Abu Dhabi just in time.
During the 45-minute flight from Muscat to Abu Dhabi, Phillippe says his wife sat with the baby in economy. He remained in business class with his 2-year-old daughter.
“Because my son is nursing, there was no choice but for my wife to sit with the baby in economy,” Phillippe told me. “This created extreme hardship for my family to be separated. It was exceptionally insulting given that there were open seats in business class.”
In Abu Dhabi, Phillippe had more tense conversations with the Etihad staff. There, he learned that he, like his baby son, had no onward flight from London. In order to book the economy ticket he had begun traveling on, Etihad had canceled his original business-class award ticket.
“They told me I couldn’t hold two tickets for the same flight, so they canceled my business-class ticket – all of it. I hoped that once we got to London, I could find someone at American Airlines who could reinstate our flight home. But I told the Etihad staff that it was unfair for us to be penalized for the airline’s mistake. As we were discussing this, they closed the door on our flight to London and started to pull away from the gate. I couldn’t believe it. Now Etihad was going to leave us stranded in Abu Dhabi!”
Phillippe says after more forceful pleading, Etihad relented and surprisingly brought the aircraft back to the gate. Perhaps to simply end the unpleasant situation in the easiest way possible, a supervisor relented. He agreed to let Phillippe and his baby sit in business class as a complimentary upgrade.
So, for the next 10 hours, the family enjoyed sitting together in the premium cabin on the way to England. But as soon as they arrived at Heathrow, the group faced more challenges.
Another pricey fee to add a lap infant
As soon as they landed in London, Phillippe headed to the American Airlines check-in area and found out he had a significant problem: Only his wife and daughter had confirmed tickets for the rest of the way home.
Stepping up to the counter, he asked that his ticket to Houston be immediately reinstated.
The American Airlines agent explained that she could not simply reinstate his flight home. It had been canceled and the points and taxes had already been refunded. In order for the father and son to be added back to the flight, there was just one option that made sense.
Phillippe could redeem 57,500 AAdvantage miles and pay $540 in taxes to reclaim a spot on the British Airways flight to Houston. Because British Airways allows lap infants to be added to partner award tickets, his son could be added to that ticket. The catch? It would cost an additional $1,194 since American Airlines charges 10% of the adult fare plus taxes and fees on award tickets booked using its miles. Faced with no alternative, Phillippe agreed to the pricey plan.
Not before having more unpleasant conversations with the agent, though. He asked that she record her notes so that he would be able to have everything documented for when he filed a complaint.
In her notes, which Phillippe shared with me, the agent wrote: “Pax is very angry. Pax didn’t have enough miles to redeem [for his infant]. Pax can’t believe American Airlines would make such a mistake. Pax will be requesting a refund. Pax intends to contact customer relations.”
The notes went on for two screens on the agent’s computer. Unfortunately, all of this documenting and negotiating caused the family to miss their originally planned flight to Houston. They were then reconfirmed on the next flight to Houston.
Finally, several hours later, the group boarded a British Airways flight that would deliver them home. Phillippe spent much of that 10-hour flight ruminating and composing a lengthy complaint letter to American Airlines.
Asking TPG for help with this lap infant fiasco
When Phillippe reached out to TPG for help in dealing with American Airlines and its seemingly impossible-to-navigate policy on adding infants to award tickets, it had been about six weeks since his fiasco. He had already escalated his complaint up the corporate ladder and received little more than form letter responses.
Phillippe was frustrated that American Airlines would not accept responsibility for his experience and offer some compensation for what his family suffered. However, the responses from American Airlines reiterated that the company did not agree with Phillippe’s assessment of the situation.
“I offered several times to pay the taxes and fees on my son’s ticket, but American refused to add my son to the itinerary and told me to seek help at the airport,” Phillippe explained. “On the day of travel, Etihad refused to add my son as a lap infant.
“Both airlines pointed fingers at each other,” he continued, “but ultimately, my family was the loser. We could not sit together on one of our flights, and I had to pay nearly $3,000 out of pocket to add my son to the itinerary (by purchasing an economy ticket) at the last minute.
“I am seeking your assistance to bring attention to this poor business practice and put pressure on airlines to change their mileage reward policies so that families do not suffer. I’d also be grateful for any assistance in recovering my lost mileage and money.”
When I read through his complaint, it sounded familiar. That’s because recently, another young family contacted TPG after a similar lap infant snafu. In that case, American Airlines could not add a lap baby to a business-class award ticket on Qatar Airways. That family ended up purchasing a business-class ticket for the baby because, according to American and Qatar, that was their only option.
Qatar Airways does not allow infants to be added to partner award tickets because there’s no way to price the baby’s ticket.
I suspected Etihad had the same policy. And if it did, neither airline had made a mistake, and Phillippe’s anger was misdirected.
Asking American Airlines about award travel and lap infants
To find out what went wrong here, I went to our executive contact at American Airlines. This is not a customer-facing representative. She is someone I can reach as a consumer reporter and advocate.
I asked about the policy that prevented American Airlines from adding the lap baby to this family’s reservation.
“You’re correct, the fare rules are Etihad’s,” the American Airlines spokesperson told me. “The governing carrier is the carrier whose fares and rules are used for each fare component. This is based on the actual route of travel of the fare component, and is based on the directionality of the fare. In this case, it was Etihad.”
I asked her about Phillippe’s contention that an American Airlines agent told him Etihad might add the baby at the airport. It seems that suggestion spurred him to show up at the airport confident that his son’s ticketless status could be easily remedied.
“The team reviewed many calls between [Phillippe] and Reservations on [three separate calls] where he was advised that on the Partner Award, he can either use miles for the infant or purchase a ticket to add the baby directly with the carrier.”
The American Airlines spokesperson went on to say that if Phillippe had something in writing from an airline representative showing he was advised airport staff could add the baby, American Airlines would consider additional compensation based on that error.
However, on the recorded line, no one advised Phillippe his plan would work at the airport. The American Airlines team also “combed through all the chat history” and found no reference to that suggestion either.
This was not an airline mistake
As a consumer advocate, I always aim to make the people who contact me “whole.” That is to say, a consumer should never be negatively financially affected by a company’s mistake.
Phillippe believed he had been subject to an American Airlines mistake to the tune of nearly $3,000. He was asking for a refund for his and the baby’s flight home, including the miles he had redeemed for the final flight on British Airways, in addition to the refund he already received for his original ticket.
That was probably not going to fly no matter the outcome. When attempting to resolve a problem with a company, it is always important to keep your suggested resolution down to earth. Even if the airline was at fault for the inconvenience, an entirely free business-class ticket would not be a reasonable request. However, none of that mattered here because neither American Airlines nor Etihad were at fault.
I explained to Phillippe why American Airlines had no blame here. The airline that prevented the lap infant from being added to his Etihad reservation was Etihad itself, and its refusal was not a mistake. According to our executive contact at American Airlines and the airport staff in Oman, Etihad doesn’t allow lap infants to be added to partner award tickets. It’s that simple. After explaining this to Phillippe, I asked him about the recommendation he had received from the AAdvantage staff member about going to the airport and adding the baby there.
Phillippe didn’t have any written correspondence with that guidance, so in the end, American Airlines issued just a small goodwill gesture of 5,000 American Airlines miles (worth about $80, according to TPG’s October 2024 valuations). Given that American Airlines wasn’t at fault for this family’s travel fiasco, this is a fair outcome.
For his part, Phillipe says he wants other young parents to hear his cautionary story.
“I diligently saved money and miles for a trip that was ruined [by the lap baby policies of the two airlines]. Again, I acknowledge this is a first-world problem, but this was really special for us, and we literally spent the entire time arguing with airline staff at Muscat, Abu Dhabi, and London. It was not a fun experience. I hope by telling our story, we can help other families to avoid a similar situation.”
That’s TPG’s hope as well, Jonathan. And thank you for your service.
Planning award travel with a lap infant
Flying with a lap infant can come with complications. That is especially true if you intend to add your baby to an award ticket on a partner airline. In some cases, as we’ve seen today, it may not even be possible.
The worst place to find out that your plans are impossible is at the airline check-in counter. Don’t let that happen to you. Here are a few things to remember if you’re planning on flying with a lap infant soon.
What is a lap infant?
A lap infant is defined as a child under 24 months of age. As soon as your child celebrates their second birthday, they are no longer eligible to fly as a lap baby. Likewise, if they turn 2 during your trip, they will need their own seat on the return flight. Airlines are not flexible with this rule, so do not assume that your carrier will overlook your child’s age on any part of your itinerary. You will be in for an expensive shock if you do.
Review the booking airline’s terms and conditions for lap infants
Every airline has a section about children and infants in their terms and conditions. If you intend to book your infant as a lap baby, be certain you thoroughly understand the rules of the airline you’re flying.
It’s important to note that if there is no way to add a lap baby to your ticket online, you should call the airline before booking.
In fact, the American Airlines website informs customers that making a reservation that includes a lap baby on an international flight must be done over the phone. That’s because the revenue must be calculated on a per-ticket basis, and not all tickets are eligible for an infant to be added. The genesis of Phillippe’s problem was when he booked the original tickets without checking lap infant rules for Etihad or calling American Airlines before ticketing, as is required.
Check the rules of the operating airline
If you’re redeeming miles for a ticket on an airline that is a partner of the one with which you have frequent flyer miles, it’s critical that you check that airline’s rules as well. The operating carrier may have different requirements for a lap baby — especially if it is a foreign airline.
Pay particular attention to the age at which a child is no longer considered a lap baby and whether your ticket can accommodate your infant.
Believe what an airline reservation agent tells you
This entire travel nightmare could have been avoided if Phillippe had believed what multiple American Airlines agents explained to him before and during his trip. Because it seemed, as he put it, “ludicrous” that a tiny baby could not simply be added to his business-class ticket, he refused to accept that Etihad would not allow it.
While I agree that it seems like an unfriendly policy for families with babies, travelers must always accept what is or is not possible, and not what we would like the policies to be.
I always recommend that travelers get a second opinion if they hear something from an airline employee that doesn’t sound quite right. It’s a good idea to hang up and call back and speak to someone else. Also, you can escalate your question to a supervisor. If you have trouble reaching someone who can help, my organization, Consumer Rescue, can give you the name and contact information of someone at the airline who we know will respond.
However, if multiple airline agents give you the same information, believe it. Otherwise you, too, might just show up at the airport and see your travel plans fall apart.
Bottom line
If you have an issue with an airline, car rental agency, hotel or cruise line that you’re unable to resolve, send your request for assistance to [email protected]. I’ll be happy to investigate your complaint and help you resolve your problem.
