Advice for flying with baby

[girluk77]

I will be flying to Thailand next year and was looking for some advice. I will be flying with a 15 month old and ten year old.

I have the choice of either flying with BA from ed-London-bgk, where I would take the baby on my lap and use the baby seat they provide or fly with Emirates ed-London -dub-bgk and buy a seat for the baby. So basically should I do a extra flight and have the seat for the baby or fly direct from London without a seat for the baby? What would you do?

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[mogandave]

Carry the baby in your lap, book early enough to get bulkhead seat with a mounting for bassinette.

You'll have to hold the baby takeoff & landing and can place "it" in the the bassinette during the flight.

[surangw]

decongestant to prevent sinus pain for kids.

[tolsti]

you may find this link helpful.... http://traveling-kids.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/flying-with-infant-airline-policies-for.html

[55Jay]

Do not fly with a baby. Ever. Flying is dangerous. Take a train, bus or go by ship. Please.

[hkt83100]

It will be painful, not for you - for the kid. And by the way, for the other passengers, too.

[bra]

Go via Dubai and pay for the seat for the 15 month old infant. He/she is at the stage when boredom comes quickly and there would be lots of squirming if the child is in your lap. During the stop over in Dubai have lots of activities for the child to tire him/her out for the next long leg to BKK.

Also book bulkhead seats if you can with a bassinet to put the child in when it is sleeping - must be done at the time you make the reservations. You will have to remove the child from the bassinet when the seat belt sign is on. Most bassinets are not designed to restrain a child in turbulence. If the infant is occupying a seat the FA will provide an infant seat belt, and also one to secure it to you if it insists in being held during take off and landing.

Good luck!

[ocejanic]

Just don't listen to those in this thread who say flying is dangerous or even "painful" for the baby or other passangers! What a bunch of selfish or ill-informed travelers...

We have just travelled from Frankfurt to Koh Samui with our 12-months old daughter. She was doing perfectly fine during the whole trip, and so were our fellow passengers. There were at least 5 babies around that age on board (Airbus A 380), and none got on anybody's nerves or was feeling bad or showed any sign of stress or whatever!

We made sure that she would drink from her bottle during ascent and descent ( tricked her by adding apple juice to the water), to compensate/regulate any pressure change inside the ears, as babies can't do that deliberately like we can. However swallowing has the same effect.

We chose the following options for our trip:

1. I highly recommend Emirates. Absolutely awesome leg room in the baby bassinet rows. Awesome service, awesome food, awesome child-friendly. The bassinet is up to 11kg though. No extra seat booked for baby, so baby on lap for take-off and landing, and for one short period of turbulence in-flight.

Bassinet great for having it sit in upright and play, or sleep.

You must tell them when you book the tickets that you need a bassinet.

2. We chose to split the journey into 2 halves ( less than 6 hrs each), stop-over in Dubai for a night and a day. stayed at the "Premier In" close to the airport. Was recommended to us by Emirates ground staff Frankfurt. Free shuttle bus from airport to Hotel (5 min), roof top pool. a few hundred metres from metro station, so you can easily explore Dubai if you like.

We wouldn't have liked to fly for 12 hrs. The 2 x 6 hrs legs were just perfect.

3. Baby trolley can be taken right to the gate shortly before you step on the plane. It will come out on the bully luggage belt. In Dubai you get free trolleys just after you enter the arrival hall. those red trolleys are just everywhere.

If you have any further questions, din't hesitate to ask.

[ocejanic]

[ocejanic]

as you can see, bassinet might be a little too small for your 15-months old...

[coxo]

When my son was 9 months old he did not fit in the bassinet provided and they would not allow us to make a bed on the floor, airline policy, it made it difficult. If your child is 15 months then I doubt he/she will fit. The hardest thing for a child is to adjust the ears to pressurise, make sure you always have a bottle at the ready, drinking will get there ears to pop, also a lollipop or sucker will do the same thing.

[daveAustin]

I have to disagree with the poster above regards flying being uncomfy for infants; it all depends on the individual. My boy has sensitive ears and always struggles, while recently on a flight home there was a couple of babies screaming their lungs out on descent. Bad enough for adults and we know how to equalise. With that I'd be inclined to go direct -- one up, one down. I find that leg a pain when you have to change planes in Dubai. However, if you could do a stop over as above that'd probably be ideal.

[TommyUK1960]

Don't do it. Its a unpleasant experience for you and even worse for other passangers

[Jaggg88]

Carry the baby in your lap, book early enough to get bulkhead seat with a mounting for bassinette.

You'll have to hold the baby takeoff & landing and can place "it" in the the bassinette during the flight.

Most of the airlines offer free bassinettes that hang on the wall in front of a bulkhead seat but they have weight limits so check the weight of ur baby before booking

[girluk77]

Thanks for those who have replied with useful advice. I have flown with my eldest when he was a baby and had no problems, however there were 2 adults, this time it is just me. I have researched and most of the bassinets will be too small, only BA supply a special type of infant seat that attaches in place of the bassinet. Still undecided tho. I've flown with Emirates before and they were good but it does add on another faffing getting off and on the plane

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[Hillywilly]

If you go for a bassinet check the weight restrictions, when I travelled to the states with my 12 month old we had booked a bassinet and then when we got on board we were told we couldn't use it as she was too big! Although the up/down isn't much fun I'd go for 2 flights and a seat for the baby. 12 hours with a baby on your lap is hellish, for you both, and you can't put baby on the floor as it's against the rules. If you vcan get a decent length stop over book a hotel and have a break for everyone, it pays divivpdends in the long run!

Haven't flown with BA, but Emirates staff were amazing when we flew when she was 3. Super helpful and brought us lots of child friendly time killers on board and in departures. (This was a few years back now, but still hear good things) . There will be lots of people huffing and puffing when they see you bring a little one on the plane, but don't let it get you down you have as much right to travel as anyone else!

[mgjackson69]

Pay for a seat for the toddler. Your lap/legs will thank you, and the bit of extra room is nice.

The first time I flew with my son he was about 13 months. By that time he had been on several long car trips, with minimal stops, so he was accustomed to sitting in one place for long periods.

We treated the airplane just like being in the car, you stay buckled in for the duration. Granted our flight was only around two hours, but even on longer flights you can use the 'always in a carseat rule' to your advantage and keep the wandering around to a minimum.

A bottle or sippee-cup of water or juice is helpful for the ascent and descent, as others have noted. A few snacks and a limited number of toys (quiet toys, thank you) and books will. help pass the time.

Change diapers in a timely manner, for the comfort of your child and your fellow passengers.

I am a frequent flyer and see plenty of young children on flights. I am also a father and grandfather and thus understand that children can be difficult at times. I am usually reasonably tolerant of children as I find most of my experienced fellow travelers to be. I have helped 'babysit' more than once, talking or reading to a young child..I do not mind that.

What I have little tolerance for is bad parents. It is not cute to let your children run around, be loud, kick the seat, climb around on people, etc etc.

In general children that are well-socialized travel well.

[smotherb]

Carry the baby in your lap, book early enough to get bulkhead seat with a mounting for bassinette.

You'll have to hold the baby takeoff & landing and can place "it" in the the bassinette during the flight.

Get the kid a seat. At 15 months of age, it is probably too big for the bassinet--the airlines usually have weight limits for use of bassinet. A separate seat will be more comfortable for both of you and you can hold it on take-off and landing.

[Don Aleman]

No advice except to comment I am glad I won't be flying with your squealing brat !

[girluk77]

No advice except to comment I am glad I won't be flying with your squealing brat !

Likewise, we're glad we wont be flying with such an ignoramus

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[irishken]

As your child will most likely be too big for the bassinet, book 3 seats out of the 4 of the middle rows(not window seats) leaving one in the middle free. There is a good chance they will leave that other seat you didn't book free unless the plane is full to the hilt meaning you will get the seat for free. If somebody takes it you just swap with them.

I booked 2 seats out of the 4 with Etihad and left a empty seat between me and my wife. They put no one in the empty seat and also moved a guy from the isle seat leaving us with the whole row to ourselves.

[Ulic]

Suckies to help the baby equalize, a lite collapsible stroller to get from gate to gate on any connection.

Treats for both children, arrive at the airport with plenty of time and schmooze the check in person. Pick

someone who looks like they have children and may have travelled so they will empathize and put you

in a good row with an empty seat beside you. People will be very helpful so don't worry.

[jacko45k]

Do not fly with a baby. Ever. Flying is dangerous. Take a train, bus or go by ship. Please.

And I was going to suggest at least one of the 2 be put in as excess baggage!

[ocejanic]

Baggage allowances also differ ( Emirates: 30 kg, plus more than usual hand baggage if you fly with infants).

If you have to connect flights in Bangkok to some other place, look at Bangkok Airways: If you sign up for their "Flyer Bonus" program free of charge ( on their website) you also get 30 kg for free.

In addition, they have a very fancy airport lounge in Bangkok Airport Terminal 3, with a nice children's play area ( a separate room with glas walls) and free food/ drinks and free WiFi - for economy ticket holders! How cool is that? It is situated oppsite departure gate A3.

[Johnnie99]

Keep flapping until you reach the destination is my advice.

[BothellThai]

We have made a few trips from the USA with our infant. First trip was with the chest baby carrier and a car seat. The other trips she was to big for the carrier and felt bad about being stuck in car seat that long. We are now using a thing called a Ride on carry on. It straps on to your carry on bag and make getting through the airport so much better. We are able to keep her in it all the way to our seats. If you airline allows pre boarding with infants all the better. The other thing is an infant seat belt that goes around the back of the seat. It goes between the tray table and back of seat a row behind. We have used it on about 10 flights and nobody has ever complained about it. It does not interfere with passengers tray table. The website lists countries that have approved the device, check out the FAQ section and print out the required documents. ANA even has one on board on the flights I have been on. It is called kids fly safe. It is manufactured by AmSafe the same company that make aircraft seat belts.

http://kidsflysafe.com

http://rideoncarryon.org

Good luck

[BKKSnowBird]

Very selfish to fly with a baby IMO.

[ocejanic]

very selfish to not kill yourself after uttering such nonsense.

[BKKSnowBird]

You are probably one of those parents too cheap to even get thier kid a seat and make constant requests to the flight crew.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

I think most of the suffering involved comes down to bad parents who just don't care. I have been on flights where I thought brawls would break out between (justifiably) angry passengers and hapless parents.

If I flew with a baby, I would do something like this.