How do I make sure we travel the same route? When using 2 awards tickets & 2 cash

[ciscogizmo1]

tickets? I have enough award points to travel to London with my family but I don't have enough for everyone so, I thought I would pay cash for 2. However, I'm concerned about getting separated. Obviously, one parent would be with one child and the other with the other child. Is there a way to link the 2 reservations together so, that we always stay together incase flights get changed, etc?

 

[DebBrown]

We've done this on AA and they can link your PNRs together. It can be a bit of work to get all your seats together and have them stay together if there are equipment changes.

While traveling, however, I don't find it too hard to keep track of other family members.

Deb

 

[ciscogizmo1]

Thanks... Do you know if you do get separated do you need a notorized letter stating that the parent can travel alone with one parent?

 

[Jimster]

travel together

The truth is no matter what anyone says you can get separated because you are not traveling on the same PNR. You can call United and link the PNR's but if it is the computer that reassigns seats and not humans then it is possible to be split. Just keep watching your reservations and be proactive and I don't think you will have a problem. I don't think the letter idea will help. Also read your post again- i think you mean one parent and child. Just be proactive. Also realize if you have status this will help the process.

 

[ciscogizmo1]

The truth is no matter what anyone says you can get separated because you are not traveling on the same PNR. You can call United and link the PNR's but if it is the computer that reassigns seats and not humans then it is possible to be split. Just keep watching your reservations and be proactive and I don't think you will have a problem. I don't think the letter idea will help. Also read your post again- i think you mean one parent and child. Just be proactive. Also realize if you have status this will help the process.

Oh... we don't need to sit next to each other. I'm more concerned if we get separated and we have to go through customs and I have one kid and he has the other. Will it cause problems when a parent is traveling alone with one kid? Sorry I wasn't clear earlier. I'd just like to stay on the same flights together. Maybe we'll do the 1st class thing instead.

 

[Jimster]

travel

No, I am talking about whether the computer reassigns you to different flights- it can happen. As long as you are not on the same PNR, you could get different planes- not likely but possible. The single parent thing makes no difference anywhere.

 

[DebBrown]

Do not allow them to put you on separate planes. In the extreme case that it does happen, make sure the airline knows that they have separated you from a child on an international flight. I think they will get you all back together.

Deb

 

[x3 skier]

I would definitely get the notarized letter of permission. It is good insurance against getting separated and most banks or credit unions will notarize it for free. Since you are currently married, there is no question about custodial parent but who knows what Immigration might do.

Linking the PNR is the best advice. I have often done that when traveling on two reservations with my wife so as to maximize the chance of getting one upgrade to first. (Guess who gets to ride in Steerage if the upgrade happens )

Cheers

 

[hibbeln]

When you make the reservations using your FF miles, CALL and make them with an airline representative. They won't (or shouldn't) charge you the extra talk-to-someone booking fee because you are making reservations for a minor. Have them link you in the computer.
Then also continue to watch any change notices that you get for your reservation as sometimes they can get "unlinked". This happened for our Hawaii flights this summmer (3 tickets from 3 different ff accounts plus one more Cash & Miles). Interestingly, my kids and I stayed together when they juggled our flights, but my husband got "unlinked" and put on another. One call to the airline and a "Hey, those were linked!" and they moved him to our flight without a squawk.

When flying from Germany last summer, my dad was NOT linked with us (and has a different last name then us, obviously) so when our flight was cancelled out of Munich and everyone was put on different flights, they worked hard to keep our 4 immediate family together and we travelled through Paris but he was routed through Amsterdam. No big deal until we almost weren't allowed to board our flight in Paris and nearly had to spend the night there. Ooops!

If something like a cancellation of a flight for mechanical problems or weather happens and you need to be rerouted, IT CAN BE HARD on crowded overseas flights to get 4 seats for a family on the same plane (they got us all onboard a plane, and seated our 2 kids together and my husband and I were scattered throughout the plane). I thought at the time that it would be smart to have a notarized letter for each of us so that if we couldn't get 4 seats on the same flight but could split 2 and 2 on different flights (or 3 and 1) and get home faster, that would be worthwhile. I'm sure if you also showed them your initial itinerary and tickets for the whole family and could show how you were separated that would also work.

Three times on international trips (always on the way home) we have had problems. Once we ended up spending an extra day in Sicily. Having the option and being ready to split up your travel group as necessary to facilitate getting home quicker is smart planning!

 

[Talent312]

Just for the record...
I and my family flew to London and back last month. My wife and her 2 kids used paid tickets, while I used an award ticket. These were separate bookings that we made last November (award ticket booked first). In the six months that elapsed, neither our seats nor our flights changed in any significant way. But then, this was Virgin Atlantic and its schedule may be more stable than others.

 

[charford]

I've travelled frequently alone with my 3 children. We travel both domestically and internationally several times a year. We've often had separate reservations. I always link them, choose the seats to sit together. I haven't had a problem with flight changes except for once. We were travelling with a babysitter and they changed her flights. I called the airline - NWA- told them off, and got the flight changed back.

I would definitely recommend not going through immigration separately. Being married has no effect on custody issues. Plenty of married parents flee the country with their children. If it is absolutely necessary to travel separately, then you should have a notarized letter of permission to take your child(ren) out of the country. In addition, the letter should have a way to contact the other spouse in case of questions that immigration may have. If the other spouse is sitting on a plane, immigration will not be able to contact them and may refuse you entry.