To choose aeroplane seats that a family might need?

I’m sorry but I don’t see how you can possibly take an aisle seat in that case? Surely it’s better if you’re assisted to sit by the window?

I simply couldn’t sit in the inside of you - I have claustrophobia and OCD which mean I need to be able to get out readily at any time. I can’t even express the panic that reading your post sets off in me - if somehow there was a mix up and I was seated on the inside of you I simply wouldn’t be able to fly.

You’re absolutely fine to take a bassinet seat if they’re also intended for disabled people, or frankly if BA is willing to let you book one. But it does sound like you are starting to take the mick a bit also worrying about being exposed and also worrying about DH’s legroom. Cattle class long haul is fundamentally a ton on uncomfortable people all trying to make the best of it.

What would happen if someone really needed to use the toilet? Are you saying they’d not be able to go?

I am disabled.

i am slightly confused about this because in my experience

firstly there are seats in the plane that disabled people don’t sit it - the exit row seats. In some planes these are bulkhead seats

secondly as a disabled person (I use a wheelchair) they usually sort out the seats for me and I am definitely not allowed to simply choose whichever ones I want.

they are usually concerned about evacuation time etc.

I make clear to whoever I am on a row with that I cannot move at any point on the flight to let them out for the toilet etc so they are warned.

it sounds like you are relatively mobile if you can move around the cabin etc. with regard to families and your dh you are definitely over thinking it.

for pain I’d recommend speaking to your doctor as they can give you drugs that will help you sleep and calm the pain.

Cabin crew here. We might skip across before take off when we’re trying to do pre-take off things (drinks, handing out extension seatbelts, menus etc) but as soon as you’re up in the air, feel free to put your bags down there and stick the footrest out. That puts off people (including crew) from walking across. Also, as you’re not near the loo, just a bulkhead, no one has much reason to walk across.

Don’t worry about the bassinet thing either. Lots of parents don’t even want them, and there are other options anyway

I always find it unfathomable that two people who both want or need an aisle seat seem to think that one of them has to give up on their preference and take a middle seat.

I think the issue here is that the DH won’t be put in that row unless he’s sat beside the OP. Plus they “tag team” entertaining their DS. However, I’m sure your DH can manage the entertainment if it means him getting his separate aisle seat - and of course it would be hard to tag team unless the son is sitting in the middle of them.

I regularly do long haul with my family, which has almost always included a baby over the past 7 years.

The baby bassinet is a complete waste of time. Airlines have got into the habit of leaving the seatbelt sign on for sooo much of the flight time, so you need to take the baby out of the bassinet anyway. DH timed it on our last flight and the seatbelt light was on 62% of the 13-hour flight time.

Assuming you can get baby settled, people use that area to cut through to go to the toilet, sometimes being loud and knocking the bassinet. I've often had to 'stand guard' around the bassinet to stop people hovering and bumping into it.

The last long-haul we did, I just wore baby in a sling and let him sleep on me. It was far less stress that going in and out of the bassinet.

So, OP, don't stress about the bassinet. I doubt that the family who try to book it will have much luck with it anyway, and it will become a storage area, like a PP said.

Book whatever seat you like! If DH needs more space too, book him in the aisle seat behind you/across the aisle. I don't get why he has to get the middle seat.

I take the biggest bag I’m allowed, squash a cushion from home in it, stand it up so it’s as tall as it can be and use it like a footstool. It works a treat.

I have a long haul overnight back from the US in a few weeks and have booked bulkhead seats precisely for this reason. I am hoping having my feet elevated a bit might help me sleep better.

I make my hand luggage into a foot stool in those seats, no one is walking past me.

I’d go for DEF.

Same happened on a flight to Barbados. No one took a blind bit of notice 😂

If you once lived and worked in the US I assume you sailed back to the UK since you ‘don’t do long haul’?

I’ve been in those seats on a similarly configured TUI flight.
The crew made an announcement that passengers were to walk around and not try and step across our legs in that location.

If D E and F are the seats where the bassinets are you’re at risk of having a baby in one with their parents on the adjacent seat - I’ve had this happen before. I’ve also had it where that space was indeed used as a crossing point all through the point as the seats in front were Premium Economy and people were kept out of there if they didn’t have a seat there. It’s a risk you take!

Just book what you need or want. People who are travelling with babies need to get in quick as everyone knows there is limited space. And I don't think babies in cots are that common on Florida flights, it's more toddlers and older kids.

You cannot start worrying about what other people may or may not think. Like the people who tie themselves in knots about leaving yellow stickered food in case someone needy comes along, or leaving the charity shop bargains for the poor people.

If they needed those seats then they should have got their arse in gear and booked them

Same. Obviously book what works best for you, OP.

Same, except I know I’m not a bad person! I book the seat I want, which the system allows me to do. I don’t have the mental capacity and inclination to worry about the needs of other passengers.

I recently flew 30A - great seat as lots of legroom and no one in front! Wouldn’t even occur to me to leave seats free for bassinets - I just book the best available at the time! Every man for himself on a long haul flight….

Yep I used to do fly between the UK and the eastern seaboard a lot in my working days so I understand what you are on about, especially on flights out of places like BOS and New York.

Thing is Orlando is a lot further south down the seaboard - you'd expect any crew working efficiently to be able to generate 4 hours, minimum, possibly as much as 5 maybe hours between the meal services, lights out, blinds down on something like an Orlando-London with an average flight time....

I must be a bad person as it never crosses my mind about anyone but myself and those I'm travelling with when I book a seat.

I have a lap baby and always book a seat far away from the bassinets. It never crosses my mind who else might like the seat that I've chosen (or might dislike my baby being away from the expected baby area!)

Why do you twist the meaning? Why do you presume you know what I think about children? Do you know me?

It was a response to the snobbery post regarding going to the USA and to D.World.

And anyway, it is also true. If people really, truly wish to preach about the environment then think about having children or not, or how many. Thankyou.