Most major airlines have bassinets available for little ones.
It's usually up to 24 months old for sitting on a lap/bassinet.

did NZ to UK this time last year with the 18 month old slimtubling, was a nightmare TBH but that was because she wanted to run the length of the plane every 15 mins. we were at the bulkhead seats and got a bassinet but she was too tall for it so we just used it for storage for all the associated crap that goes with small kids. Getting t o the point of all this the other family on the other side of the aisle had a 4 month old who kipped almost the whole trip, too young to be mobile and small enough to fit in the bassisnet comfortably.they had a much less stressful trip than us!! just take care of your wee one in shifts and you'll be fine, i found the cabin staff magnificently helpful especially on the homeward trip (we flew emirates)

My brother flew recently back to Uk from Oz with a 13 month old.
He was told at time of booking (Swiss air i think) that the bassinet seats are allocated on the day depending on the number of kids flying, and they coulndt book one. –

needless to say, there were a few younger kids and they had her on their lap for 24 hours!! 7

kids fly free – yeah right.. they do not – well, no air fare, but taxes alone on this little 'un that didnt even get a seat were nearly 500 quid.

We flew to the Philippines (via Hong Kong), with our youngest when he was about 7 months old. We flew with Cathay who sorted us out with bulkhead seats and a basinette cot for all four flights (even thou HK to Manila is only a short journey). TBH all the flights were very easy, he slept for most of the journey and cabin crew were all very helpful. It was certainly easier than travelling with him now he is bigger.

Just make sure who ever you fly with will give you a basinette.

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Did UK to Australia with our bairn when he was 4 months old – was dreading it but was an absolute piece of cake – he sat in the bassinet at the bulkhead.

You're actually going to be better travelling sooner rather than later – a baby has to be easier than a toddler. Our lad is nearly 2 now, and would be an absolute nightmare on a long haul flight.

Having flown long-haul on numerous ocassions I beg of you please please please don't subject your fellow passengers to this. If you must insist, keep the child sedated and shell out of the extra seat so you aren't up and down swapping seats constantly.

I think airlines should offer flights where only adults are allowed. I'd pay the extra.

Diddums 😆

Not any more they don't.

Our 6 month old was a nightmare on her first flight. She wouldn't sleep because everything around her was so interesting, and she couldn't calm down. So she just wriggled and strugled the entire time. We had to play with her the entire time, which was very demanding when you are knackered and there's no space to do anything really fun.

I'd say definitely book a seat if you can afford it, otherwise you might get a screaming thing elbowing you in the adams apple the entire time whilst you try to rock him and sing songs etc. If you get a plane with say 4 or 5 seats in the middle and you book three of them, chances are you'll get the entire middle block to yourself if the flight's not jammed full. That way you at least stand a chance. But it is very hard. If you can go a couple of months earlier, then do.. below say 5-6 months you might geta way with it depending on how alert your kid is.

And tbh the pressure change is the very least of your worries.

And to all those who moan about kids on flights – bugger off. I'm not stopping my kid seeing her grandparents just for a few hours of your mild inconvenience.

We took Junior No. 1 to Italy when he was 12 months or so. I booked a seat for him online (ryanair I think). When we got to Prestwick, they said that he couldn't have a seat and we got a refund. I can't remember the exact reasons (and it could have simply been Ryanair feckwittery TBH), but if you are planning on booking a seat for a child under 2, check with the carrier that they will honour the booking when you turn up.

EDIT: I should have added that we did actually get a seat for him – one of the few times the open seating policy works in your favour, its just that they said that we were not allowed to have a dedicated one allocated for him.

We managed to take our 10 month daughter to Japan (~14 hours + change). She was ok, we did have an extra seat – useful for dumping all the stuff on if not for her to sit on. I did spend a while walking up and down the isle with her to keep her quite.

Hehe.. if only that were enough for us 🙂 I would say that it rather depends on the child.

Send the kid by international courier.

They do, it is called business class.

There were a fair number of kids and babies in the business class section of the flight I was on from Denver a month ago.

My kids would get the rollocking of their lives if they kicked the back of someone's seat. As for screaming – believe me, it hurts me more than it hurts you – mainly because whilst she is screaming she is doing it in my ear, and also usually elbowing me in the throat, plus I feel the added anxiety of knowing that we are annoying everyone else.

If you come up with a sure fire way of stopping kids screaming (but maintaining other vital functions) then let me know, and I am sure every other parent out there woudl like to know too.

On the subject of taxes, they tend to be about half the cost of the flight in my experience.