In a somewhat strange move, Emirates Airline has banned children under the age of eight from traveling in the First Class cabin, however this rule only applies to mileage redemptions.
Emirates Skywards Changes First Class Redemption Policy
While Emirates hasn’t announced an official policy change, the terms and conditions of its Skywards loyalty program has been updated to reflect the change. Specifically the update is to the Skywards Skysurfers program, which is Emirates’ program for members between the ages of 2 and 17. The updated verbiage is as follows:
“Skysurfers (via their parent/guardian) may also redeem Skywards Miles for flight upgrades on Emirates Flights prior to airport check‑in on behalf of the Skysurfer. Skysurfers’ registered parents and/or guardians can redeem their Skywards Miles for all Emirates Flights and other airline Partners. Please note that passengers aged 8 years old and below are ineligible for First Class Emirates Classic Rewards and Upgrade Rewards.”
While many are reporting this as an outright ban on children eight and under from sitting in First Class on award tickets, a few questions come to mind. Can seats be purchased for children eight and under that are not members of the Skysurfers program from the account of a traveling parent or guardian?
One would assume even if that is the case, the loophole will quickly be closed. Upgrades from Business to First Class using rewards are also limited to children nine and above.
Other outlets like One Mile at a Time have reported that it is still possible to book award tickets for children under the age of eight. Emirates has already limited First Class award redemption to Skywards elite members.
For the time being, this only applies to Skywards redemptions, which are already restricted to Emirates elites. Though space is scarce, you can presumably still book a child eight or under using partner awards.
Emirates Wants to Restrict Children in First Class
It is clear to me that Emirates wants to exclude young children from First Class. As a parent of a young child I can see both sides of this. We’ve taken long, premium cabin flights with our son and feel that he has just as much of a right as anyone else to be there. On the other hand, even the most well behaved children get fussy on long flights and this can detract from the experience.
What I do find interesting is the fact that the carrier isn’t outright banning children under eight from First Class, as those on cash tickets are still welcomed. Presumably this is due to the fact that the wealthy Emiratis would be up in arms if their whole family wasn’t allowed to travel in the same class of service.
I don’t see these changes having an impact on many travelers but, it is a good indicator of how the carrier is looking to further restrict access to one of the most exclusive cabins in the sky. What are your thoughts on these new limitations?
Summary
Emirates is blocking children eight and under from sitting in First Class when redeeming Skywards miles. While children under right can still travel on cash tickets, it’s clear that the airline is trying to limit young children in First Class. Will we see more restrictions in the future?