Unlike most international airlines, ZipAir Tokyo (ZIPAIR) offers a unique policy on bringing infants onboard flights. While the majority of airlines allow children under two years of age to travel on the lap of an adult passenger without additional charges, ZipAir requires all infants to take their own seat purchased at a reduced price. The following article will provide all details about ZipAir’s policies on infants to help you travel with a baby safely and easily.
No Lap Infant Fare Available for ZipAir
ZipAir Tokyo doesn’t offer lap infant tickets. This implies that even newborns have to book an extra seat and pay for their flights. This particularity is one of the major differences between ZipAir and other full-service airlines such as Japan Airlines (a parent company of ZipAir). According to the rules of most airlines, infants under two can usually use a seat on an adult passenger’s lap and pay a reduced fare.
Despite the necessity of purchasing an extra seat at first sight, ZipAir compensates it by providing a special discount on U6 fares and increased safety by securing the baby in an appropriate seat and installing a properly functioning child-restraint system.
Requirements on Age and Weight
The requirements for infants on ZipAir involve several clear-cut parameters:
- Minimum age to travel: Infants who are younger than 8 days cannot board with this airline.
- Classification of infants: Infants aged less than 1 year and weighing under 9 kg fall into the infant category.
- Booking procedure: As the infants belonging to this weight/age range need special treatment, their bookings must be done via ZipAir’s Contact Center, rather than using the usual online booking process.
- Supervision: Infants cannot travel alone and must have an escort who is 15 years old or older; there can be no more than one infant per passenger of this age.
- Limitations on groups: An adult may escort no more than two children younger than 6, but when a child is an infant under 2, that infant should have its own adult guardian.
U6 Fare: ZipAir Discount for Families With Younger Kids
The main feature of ZipAir services when it comes to children is the U6 fare, an extremely low price of a ticket for passengers between 0 and 6 years old, including babies. As every kid requires a seat, ZipAir charges much less than the regular adult fare for the U6 fare to make it cheaper for families.
Important information regarding the U6 fare:
- Offered for all children from 0 to 6 years old, babies included.
- Babies (children under 2 years old) must book their seats according to the “U6 Standard” fare.
- Prices depend on the route and vary based on the number of seats, just like the standard one.
- In the case of cancellation, refunds will be applied according to the same fare policies as the ones used for adult tickets; some additional charges may be non-refundable.
As it is impossible to predict the number of seats and prices, it is recommended to book a U6 fare as soon as possible.
Baby Safety Seats (Infant Car Seats)
As ZipAir doesn’t provide infants flying in your lap, it offers Baby Safety Seats – a special seat restraint which will be fixed in the infant’s individual seat for the whole flight. The type of installation of the seat varies according to the child’s age and weight:
- Infants under 1 year old or weighing less than 9 kg: Rear-facing.
- Children at least 1 year old weighing 9–18 kg: Forward-facing.
It’s a convenient solution for parents who want to fly comfortably without having to hold their child during the whole flight. This also complies with all requirements related to safety. In case you are planning to bring your personal car seat, which is certified, make sure to find out if it’s compatible before booking the ticket at the Contact Center.
Baggage Policy for Infants
ZipAir operates as a budget airline with a completely unbundled pricing strategy. Here’s how this airline handles baggage policies for infants:
- Infants travel on confirmed seats (no lap-infant ticket), the baggage allowance policy is the same for both regular and U6/Standard fares – two items are allowed as cabin baggage with a total weight of up to 7kg.
- ZipAir does not allow even one free checked bag on any of its flights and charges for checked luggage from the first item on. There is no “one free checked bag” allowance for any type of fare.
- Infants are allowed to bring one stroller and one car seat at no additional cost. It is worth mentioning that strollers and car seats are important accessories, and most budget airlines charge extra for these.
In case you are bringing along formula milk or other baby essentials, remember that they are usually considered regular liquids and carry-on baggage at security checkpoints.
Seating Restrictions
Infants and young children can not occupy the emergency exit rows on ZipAir flights, as is usual among all airlines for safety purposes. With every infant having a reserved seat with a Baby Safety Seat fitted, passengers should also think about booking their seats together either when making reservations or through the Contact Center, especially for ZIP Full-Flat cabin flights since the seat layout is different from Standard economy.
Also Read: ZipAir Tokyo Pet Policy
How to Make an Infant Booking
Due to the nature of the bookings involved, ZipAir infant bookings can not always be made online for infants less than one year old or weighing less than 9kg. Instead:
- Directly contact the ZipAir Contact Center for your reservation needs.
- Provide ZipAir with the child’s date of birth and estimated weight.
- Ensure that there is provision for a Baby Safety Seat.
- Include any other checked baggage items like a stroller or baby car seats free of charge.
- Ensure you have read the fare rules regarding the U6 Standard fare, including refund and change rules, before making payment.
It is essential that the booking be done earlier on since the U6 fare is dependent on seat availability and prices may rise
Frequently Asked Questions
No. There is no such thing as a lap infant in ZipAir. Every baby, irrespective of age, must have his/her seat purchased separately via the U6 rate. In most cases, this contrasts sharply with other international airlines where infants below 2 years of age can ride on a lap.
Infants must be 8 days old to ride in a ZipAir flight. Infants below 8 days are not allowed to ride since it poses health hazards that cut across the airline industry.
Infants are charged a reduced rate known as the U6 rate. U6 rate applies to all infants under 6 years of age. Although the amount charged will vary according to different factors, the U6 rate is always far less than a full-fledged extra seat price.
Yes. In case you have an infant, ZipAir will provide you with an opportunity to check one stroller and one car seat free of charge, but there is a charge for all other pieces of checked luggage for all fares, including U6.
If you travel with your child who is younger than 1 year or weighs less than 9 kg, you should make a booking via ZipAir’s Contact Center and not use the ordinary booking procedure.