Qantas Now Offering Bassinets On Board

Airlines can be very much a zero-sum game, especially with all the ancillary fees tacked on such as baggage fees, seat upgrades, ticket changes and more.

Here’s one fee that parents are likely to be thrilled to pay, and that other parents will clamor for on more airlines.

Australia’s Qantas Airways announced that parents can now reserve a baby bassinet on international flights as part of their ticketing process.

Wait, what?

Something that actually makes flying a little easier?

And at a relatively modest cost?

“We know that bassinets are popular for parents on international flights and they’ve told us they want to know in advance that their baby will have a bassinet,” a Qantas spokesperson said. “That’s why we’re now offering parents the ability to confirm bassinets when they book their flights.”

Previously, customers could only request, not reserve, a baby bassinet for flights on Qantas. Of the average 22,000 requests the airline received per year for a bassinet, more than 7,000 went unfilled.

“This will give parents peace of mind that their baby will be able to get some rest during the flight, and just as important, that they will be able to relax and even enjoy a drink and a movie,” the spokesperson said.

The fee now guarantees a bassinet.

In economy, it will cost $40 or 5,500 Qantas Points for medium-haul international flights and $45 or 6,000 points for long-haul international flights to reserve your bassinet. That includes a reserved seat for the parent/family.