Event postponed. Child is now older.

Vortigern

Hypothetical question. Say you've booked tickets for an annual event that's now been postponed twice. Your child qualified for a reduced price ticket when the event should have happened in 2020. The event organisers say you can carry the tickets forward or ask for a refund. Your child has now passed the qualifying age for reduced admission. 

Would you expect the child ticket to be accepted?

Would you check in advance, or just show up and demand admission?

Would you pay the difference between adult and child price if asked?

Thrugelmir

Any outcome will be determined by the show's organisers. Whether it's acceptable or not is another matter. Pointless speculating. 

jonesey1985

Given they're offering a refund it's irrelevant how they'll treat the now "not a child" "child."

TBagpuss

I'd ask, but I don't think it would unreasonable for them to ask you to pay the difference. If you don't want to, you can request the refund and will be in the position your would have been in.

DCFC79

I would ask but I suspect the higher price will be charged.
Whats that saying, if you don't ask you don't get.

pjcox2005

I'd say it depends on how much risk you want to take.

Turn up on the day, I think more likely they may not say anything, and if challenged you push that it was just rolled forward 2 years so didn't think to adjust. May well get in without any extra cost but run the risk of being forced to upgrade to adult at a cost as you are there and unlikely to leave or get a refund that quick.

If cautious, send them an e-mail and say you're just checking nothing needs to be done on child tickets given two years have passed and child is clearly now older. Then they'll either give green light or say you need to upgrade but you've got time to deal with it how you want and go for a refund if necessary.

emmajones1976

Most events I have seen on social media that have delayed have actually stated that consessions tickets bought X years ago for the event will still be valid for the rescheduled date, even if the person in question is now above the minimum age.

Given this is a hypothetical question I assume you cant name the event you are on about?

lisyloo

I would expect it to be honoured as it's not your fault it was postponed.
It's not their fault either but as there is no direct cost then I'd expect it to be honoured.

Vortigern

I agree with emmajones and lisyloo. The ticket was bought in good faith at the child price and I'd expect it to be honoured.

If I couldn't find the info in advance I would certainly just show up and insist on admission.

If they asked me to pay extra I would try to resist payment (but would pay up if necessary and attempt to reclaim later)

The event that prompted me to ask the question is the international air tattoo at RAF Fairford. The question is hypothetical because their terms explicitly state that postponed child tickets will be honoured.

I just wondered what peoples expectations would be. Would they expect all venues to play fair, as the air show has, or would they expect the kind of hassle some folk have had with ticket agencies?.

Thanks to all who contributed to this discussion.

onashoestring

It makes good business sense too - the alternative is  they would have to offer a refund to dozens of families , and then need to resell tickets ,would also need extra time for stewards to check ages of people when arriving - time costs money - this approach seems to be a sensible solution for all concerned. Good to know common sense is still around.