Our little boy is only a month old, but we are planning a trip to the UK next June.
Just looking at booking flights, and was wondering about the extra expense of booking a seat for him.
Having never done this before, is it worth it, or can we just hold him for the flight? (Beijing - London)
Cheers, and wishing you all a 'High Spirited' Christmas hic hic
At that age they'll let you take him on your laps. (They have an age limit... It might be 12 months at time of flying)
And I think on someone's lap is the safest place for him...
Most major airlines have bassinets available for little ones.
It's usually up to 24 months old for sitting on a lap/bassinet.
You'll get a Basinette and a bulkhead seat at the front. I'd recommend Medised, and earplugs.
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)
Have done Australia to UK with 18month old too. Get a bassinet seat at the bulkhead and depending on size of boy, they can sleep there. I think you pay 10% of normal fare for this. Recommendations - take extra extra extra clothes for the trip in the carry on for you and the baby. We gave a bottle on take off and landing to equalise ears for the pressure change - worked really well. One problem when we had change of clothes in bag under feet - take off ok and bottle done (laced with phenergan - not allowed now, but anti-histamine that KO'd our son for 6 lovely hours!) One sector coming back had Jon throw up about 17 litres - (not really, but way much more than went in!!!) This went all into the spare clothes Doh! SHUT BAG WITH SPARE CLOTHES! Everything had chuck on it - staff were very helpful (BA), but we were very smelly from then on...ah children...much easier now as do not get a peep from either of our kids - the wonders of the entertainment system and nintendo!
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.
Is the cargo hold not an option?
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.
Phenergan is your friend, as recommended by a GP friend and fellow parent
Cheers,
Thanks for that I've got some friends coming across from the UK in January, I'll ask them to bring some Phenergan with them 
I can think of nothing worse than being stuck on a long-haul in the seat next to a small child.
Please don't do it. I'm with Lee on this one.
I know people say 'oh but mine is lovely'. Children are like farts, most people can put up with their own.
"Phenergan should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Phenergan can cause severe breathing problems or death in a child younger than 2"
http://www.drugs.com/phenergan.html
okay, so I won't use that.... when babies are teething and are a little under the weather, what is the name of 'drug' parents often use / suggest?
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.
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.
Are you serious? It costs £500 in taxes per person to fly to/from Oz?
Tha doesn't sound right.
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.
Travis - Aston & Parsons, comes as a little wrap of white powder and keeps the littluns gums happy
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.
Diddums 
Calpol can cause drowsiness in littlies.
Most major airlines have bassinets available for little ones.
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.
Ignore LeeW, AndrewH and hels. Antisocial idiots like these give travellers a bad name, not parents trying to do the best for their families. If they want solitude, let them charter their own 'plane. Calpol (paracetemol suspension, available in one dose sachets which keep airport security happy) is normally all you need together with whatever your usual rotine is, books, toys, cuddles. My youngest had her first flight at ten weeks, and transatlantic has never been a problem. The bassinet things were great on BA and Continental when we used them, but the time we booked an ordinary seat and plonked the car seat on top was fine too, but for take off and landing you hold them in your lap with a piggy back seatbelt.
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.
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.
Whilst we've not gone, and have none yet, I suspect as MrsZ and I are moving to Adelaide, and will probably want a family at some point. Just how else do we bring our future children to and from the UK if not on the plane?
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.
I love the parents who want to drug their child into immobility. Why not get some smack for them - that will make sure they sleep
I hate small children / babies on planes - but I carry earplugs so I have have to hear the screaming. Its the easiest solution. Just cos I hate the screaming doesn't mean the children cant travel
Calpol (paracetemol suspension, available in one dose sachets which keep airport security happy) is normally all you need together with whatever your usual rotine is, books, toys,
Hehe.. if only that were enough for us 
I would say that it rather depends on the child.
Whisky from the minibar on the plane? 
Send the kid by international courier.
I like that one.
I think airlines should offer flights where only adults are allowed. I'd pay the extra.
They do, it is called business class.
mtbfix - MemberI think airlines should offer flights where only adults are allowed. I'd pay the extra.
They do, it is called business class.
You say that - but I flew business to Dubai overnight for an early morning meeting - didn't sleep a wink because of the little treasure screaming away next to me... The meeting was *interesting*
I've got no problem with kids on planes - but kids in business should be banned
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.
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.
If you could stop them kicking the back of the seats and screaming it would be much appreciated though
If you could stop them kicking the back of the seats and screaming it would be much appreciated though
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.
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