CAPT PERMITTED AN ILLEGAL LAP CHILD (TOO OLD) TO BE CARRIED ON A FULL FLT.

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10 PAX SHOWED UP FOR THE FLT TO MHH (9 SEATS). THEY WERE ALL GROUPS OF 2 OR 3. THE AGENT DID NOT WANT TO DECIDE WHO TO BUMP AS MOST OF THE PEOPLE HAD BEEN WAITING SINCE THE PREVIOUS EVENING. THE AGENT TOLD ME HE THOUGHT THE MAN WITH 2 CHILDREN OUGHT TO WAIT AND ASKED ME TO MAKE A DECISION. THIS WAS NOT MY JOB; NOR DID I HAVE THE INFO NECESSARY FOR THIS DECISION. I DID KNOW; HOWEVER; THAT IF WE MOVED 3 PEOPLE TO THE NEXT FLT; THAT FLT WOULD THEN HAVE A PROB PUTTING EVERYONE ON. THE MAN WITH THE CHILDREN APCHED THE COUNTER AND SAID HE COULD NOT WAIT. I LOOKED AT THE KIDS; WHO WERE SMALL; AND ASKED IF ONE OF THEM WAS A LAP CHILD. HE SAID HE WOULD DO THAT; THAT IT WAS PREFERABLE. I ASKED THE CHILD'S WT; 30 LBS. I FELT THIS WAS A SAFE LAP CHILD WT. I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THIS THAN HER AGE; AS CHILDREN VARY. I FOUND OUT AFTERWARDS THAT THE GIRL WAS 3 YRS. SHE HAD A PAID FOR TICKET THAT THE MAN ASKED TO HAVE REFUNDED FROM THE AGENT. THE FAMILY SAT IN THE BACK; HAD PLENTY OF ROOM AND THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE COMPANY DID NOT CONSIDER THE CHILD TO BE OF 'LAP' AGE AND SHOULD HAVE A SEPARATE SEAT; EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WANTED TO HOLD HER; AND COULD; AND IN A SAFE MANNER. I DO NOT HAVE TRAINING IN OR ACCESS TO OUR COMPANY'S TICKETING PROCS; BUT NEVERTHELESS WAS FORCED INTO MAKING THIS DECISION.