Free seats or just the ticket

By TRUDIE McCONNOCHIE

Baby, there's no rhyme or reason to when you become a child.

Or even whether babies should get in free or be allowed in at all.

A Herald survey following a Tauranga mother's upset at being charged for a theatre ticket for a babe-in-arms shows inconsistencies in what various public transport operators and entertainment venues charge.

Most venues that allow babies into shows do not charge for tickets, but some exclude them altogether.

Many attractions such as zoos let babies in free, but the age at which they impose child-priced tickets varies, as do the seating rules of plane, bus and train operators.

Children's rights advocates said babies should not generally face charges, while consumer and industry officials said their rights needed weighing with those of customers paying full prices.

John Brickell of the Commissioner for Children's office said child rates should apply only when a child was "mobile" and not in its mother's arms.

"When they're at that pre-mobile stage it doesn't seem worthwhile [charging them]."

He said the policy of Baycourt Theatre in Tauranga of charging infants was nonsense. "It's not as if they occupy a seat or are even capable of appreciating the nuances of theatre."

The Commissioner for Children, Roger McClay, agreed, saying charging mothers to bring babies to shows was ludicrous.

"It's discrimination against mothers. What if she was breastfeeding?"

Baycourt's policy incensed mother Saphrin Lovell, who spoke out this week when she was asked to buy a ticket to a show for her 3-month-old daughter, Nakaiya, or leave her in the foyer.

But David Russell of the Consumers Institute said child admission was not clear-cut.

"You have to weigh up your rights to attend the show with your baby with the rights of other patrons to attend the show without interruption."

The inconsistencies in approach came to light this week when Baycourt manager Dale Henderson said its policy was for every patron to have a ticket, regardless of age, because of the theatre's fire safety regulations.

"The number of patrons in the theatre must not be more than the number of seats that Baycourt has available for a performance."

It was up to the promoters of each event to determine rates, and in this case an infant rate had not been set so a child's rate was requested.

Mr McClay dismissed fire-safety concerns as reason for charging babies to enter shows.

"How will fire safety be enhanced by putting extra money in their [event organisers'] pockets?"

He said it was reasonable to charge for babies to use transport services, but not for events.

"I think the rule of thumb should be, is this person deriving any pleasure from what we're charging them for? If you take a baby to the movies, what service has that baby had?"

Mr McClay said event organisers should be reasonable when setting admission fares.

Ticketek's marketing and communications manager, Kate Porter, said there was no set policy on child admissions, and rules were up to each venue.

As a general policy, children under 2 were not allowed in events, and over-twos not being nursed had to have a ticket.

But there were exceptions to this rule to cater for child-targeted events.

Popular children's act The Wiggles allowed all ages, and those aged under 1 were admitted at no cost.

Ms Porter said minimising disruption to other patrons was also a factor in setting ticketing rules for each event.

"It's not fair that people who have paid up to $150 for a ticket have the show disrupted," she said.

"There are occasions where performances will stop if there's noise, especially in operas. The doors close after two minutes of starting and they don't let people in until intervals."

Ms Porter said the issue did not come up often.

"For our main venues, they're not the kind of place you would want to take a baby,"she said.

"We don't really come across people who want to take three-month-olds out.

"Occasionally we get inquiries from people whose babysitters have fallen through or they're unable to find a babysitter," she said.

In such cases, some venues, such as The Edge's ASB Theatre and the Herald Theatre in Auckland, had viewing rooms that parents with babies could arrange to use.

Pint size prices

Air New Zealand:

Under-2s are classed as infants and must be nursed. On domestic flights, infants are free, but on international flights they are charged from 10 per cent of the rate of the adult they travel with.

Stagecoach Auckland:

Under-5s are free and can have their own seat.

Tranz Metro (Auckland and Wellington):

Under-2s travel free provided they are on an adult's lap. If they are in a car seat, they must pay a child's rate for the seat this occupies.

The Link and Interislander Ferries:

Under-2s are free.

Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World:

Under-3s admitted free, 4-year-olds have a special rate and the child rate applies from the age of 5.

Auckland Zoo:

Under-4s are free.

All Blacks vs Ireland, Eden Park, tonight:

Under 3-year-olds free and over-3s pay a child rate dependent on the position in the stadium.

NZ Warriors vs St George Dragons, Ericsson Stadium, Sunday afternoon:

Under-2s are free, ages 2 -15 pay the child rate, with the cost dependent on position in the stadium.

Swan Lake:

Under-12 months are free.

Village Cinemas:

Under-3s are free, but no pushchairs allowed for fire safety reasons.

Marineland Napier:

Under-3s are free.

Mt Maunganui Hot Pools:

Under-2s are free.