Maybe I should go see Flight centre or something? I just think it is ridiculous pay $200 plus for a child to sit on your lap????
He won't be sitting on your lap unless you or him want him to as once you pay for their flight, they get their own seat. They are are full paying traveller at 2 (domestic prices).

I certainly wouldn't risk it around Christmas as the fares will be horrendous at that time of year. There's every chance the flight would be fully booked and you wouldn't be able to buy him a seat anyway. You'd be well and truly stuck then.

We flew on DD's 2nd birthday this year and paid for her seat, it just wasn't worth the risk. That may seem a bit OTT as you would wonder how the airline would know but we've flown a lot with her so we figured there was a chance her 'real' DOB was registered with our Frequent Flyer details.

Having her own seat was awesome though! We've been lucky getting seats for her in the past as we are Qantas Club members but the times she's flown on my lap as a toddler has been....interesting