The Co-operative Travel has accused airlines of being unfair to young families by not providing enough baggage allowance for infants.
A study by the travel retailer found that on average an infant’s essential items weigh 14kg to 15kg. Despite this, only two out of seven of the top airlines used by British holidaymakers provide an additional baggage allowance for infants. This leaves parents with very young children subject to high excess baggage charges.
In response to these concerns, The Co-operative Travel has teamed up with tinytotsaway, a website which delivers baby and toddler essentials direct to a hotel or apartment. Parents will receive a £25 voucher for the service when they book a holiday with The Co-operative Travel.
The Co-operative Travel head of retail distribution Trevor Davis said: “The situation can be confusing and we believe it is 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.”
A study by the company found that the best carriers for families with young children were Virgin and British Airways who offer extra infant allowance. The worst was found to be Ryanair, which offers only a 15kg baggage allowance and nothing extra for children. Parents needing to take extra items have to pay £12 per kg.