Free child places - single parent

emhaha

I am single parent who works full time and would like to take my 6 year old son on holiday abroad.
After lots of searching, I have come to the conclusion that unless there are 2 adults with a child it is impossible to take advantage of the free child places on offer.
If there is just my son and I, I have to pay a full adult price for him.

I know hotels have to make their money somewhere, but I can't help but think that this is discrimination?

phatbear

Its no different to being a single traveller, ie there's a suppliment to pay, and its not discrimination because you have a choice, ie you dont have to go on holiday

emhaha

I appreciate that I don't HAVE to go on holiday, but I would like my son to experience meeting other people from different cultures, go on an aeroplane etc. The holiday I was looking at were all inclusive holidays and it's not as if he'll eat and drink as much as an adult etc.
Its a bit like Tesco offering a free loaf of bread with your weekly shop - except if you're a single parent - where's the difference?

delwynshd

The best way to look at this would be to do the holiday search yourself

Look at flights and hotels seperate save yourself a bit money

Del

phatbear

emhaha wrote: »

The holiday I was looking at were all inclusive holidays and it's not as if he'll eat and drink as much as an adult etc.

But he would eat and drink something, for instance my other halfs son, even at the age of 10 could out eat me, and ive got an appetite!

All companies expect to make "x" from a holiday, therefore the profit from the couple travelling means the company can afford to "give" a free child place, so if you're on your own they are'nt making the same profit on just you therefore there is'nt enough margin to give the free child place.

Gillyx

I'm pretty sure Thomas Cook etc do special deals on specific hotels for single parents, I'd pick a brochure and have a look.

baza52

emhaha wrote: »

I appreciate that I don't HAVE to go on holiday, but I would like my son to experience meeting other people from different cultures, go on an aeroplane etc. The holiday I was looking at were all inclusive holidays and it's not as if he'll eat and drink as much as an adult etc.
Its a bit like Tesco offering a free loaf of bread with your weekly shop - except if you're a single parent - where's the difference?

Think of it more like tesco doing a "buy 2, get 1 free" offer.
You cant expect to buy 1 loaf and get another free just because your a single parent can you.

stephb34

Gillyx wrote: »

I'm pretty sure Thomas Cook etc do special deals on specific hotels for single parents, I'd pick a brochure and have a look.

Think its the airtours brochure which is part of Thomas Cook, if its not that 1 then its the sunset brochure, but i can't remember if its guaranteed places or subject to availability.

mick_vandick

All 3 Thomas Cook brochures have single parent offers. Get a Thomas Cook, Airtours and Sunset summersun brochure and have a look in the extras section at the end of a hotel description to find ones that offer this.
Most of the time the offer is that you pay adult price, plus a single supp and your child will pay child price.

missminx

Do you have a friend who may like to go with you? If they are in the same position, you should have to 2 x adult 1 x child and a free child place. You would be helping each other out, and should just split the cost evenly.
The bit you are forgetting is that they could sell the seat on plane / room in hotel to 2 adults and therefore achieve a higher income. It isn't about being a single parent, it's economics. They have formulas for number of rooms / occupants and the flight seats to work out their costings and profits.
Don't search just for free child places anyway, as it doesn't always result in the cheapest overall cost. You don't have to go for all inclusive either if you do not feel you will get value out of it. Which airport are you planning to go from? Sometimes it's cheaper to change your departure airport.

zagfles

In my experience free child places on packages are never actually free, because you get stung by underoccupancy changes which you can't avoid. Try sorting out your flights and hotel separately - you might get a better deal.