Family trip upset by Jetstar error

Ashley Taipari, with her twin boys, Cortez (L) and Capri. Photo / Paul Estcourt

A woman travelling alone with her twin babies is upset she was refused seats on a flight because she needed a second adult to travel with them, despite being told earlier they would be able to travel.

Ashley Taipari booked a Jetstar flight to Australia with her 9-month-old sons, Cortez and Capri Taipari-Simon. They were due to leave at 7pm last Sunday.

Miss Taipari, a full-time mother, had been planning the trip for three months and had called the Jetstar help desk before booking to make sure she would be allowed to fly alone with her two children.

She even made several follow-up calls, two weeks before their flight date, to make sure everything was all right.

Miss Taipari believes she was told at least five times by Jetstar staff that it would be fine for her to fly with her twins.

"I was assured on every call I made to the help desk that it was possible; but I must purchase an adult fare, a child fare and an infant fare and that one child would sit on me ... and the other would have to be in a car seat in his own seat," she said.

On checking in, Miss Taipari was told the airline would not allow a single adult to travel with two children under 2 years old.

The airline advised it would be possible for her to get on a flight the next day if she could arrange for another adult to travel with them.

But, having paid almost $400 for her original tickets, she could not afford to pay for another adult ticket at the last minute.

"I was so upset I started crying. There I was at the airport, with my twins getting upset too and hungry.

"[Jetstar] were the ones that told me I could fly - that's why I paid - I wouldn't have turned up to the airport otherwise."

Jetstar spokesman Gerard Blank said the airline apologised for the disruption caused to Miss Taipari's travel plans.

"However, Jetstar places the highest priority on the safety and security of all our passengers, and - as is a standard requirement for air travel for domestic and international services - we do require each individual infant [children under 2] travelling with us to be accompanied by a parent or other adult."

He said Jetstar would give a full refund on the extra seat booked for a child and would ensure an extra low fare was made available for the accompanying adult.

The airline's website says all children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Qantas and Pacific Blue say each child under 2 must be accompanied by a separate adult. Air New Zealand and Emirates allow a single adult to travel with two infants provided one child fare is bought so one infant could be restrained in a separate seat.

Miss Taipari has arranged for an aunt to accompany them this Saturday. "But she had to pay for her own fare ... another hassle."