Nanny in the clouds

Also, if I were a nanny going on holiday, the last thing I would want to do is look after someone else's child. I seriously doubt that they would subsidise half the costs of the ticket. They could just sail off at the end of the trip without paying a thing and because you don't know them at all, there wouldn't be too much you could do about it.

I've done those long-haul flight by myself with 2 children. To be honest, the hardest phase was when a nanny would not have sufficed - mainly when they were under one year and breastfed. On the first flight with DD, a lovely French lady kindly offered to look after DD if I had to the loo. With DS, I once took turns with the mother next to me. Once they are old enough for the in-flight entertainment, you are generally okay. I always make sure to get an aisle seat though.

Ah, who am I kidding, it would take a huge emergency before I would be willing to fly to Australia with the 2 DSs on my own before DS2 starts school!!!!!

Given that tickets for flights to Australia can be around a £1,000, I would assume that half the cost of the ticket would be subsidised, so that would make it £500ish anyway. It would go a long way to making a holiday to Oz more affordable.

Or maybe it would be the whole price, but no extra money IYSWIM.

I would probably be willing to buy someone a ticket to travel with me, but wouldn't want to pay for their time on top of that unless they were working for me for at least the majority of the time I was there - so the cost balances out over the whole trip.

Thinking about it Guess if I was paid well then I would consider it but as a job and not on holiday iyswim

Friend of mine flew to oz with a mum through an agency as she had 2 Under 2 and airlines don't allow that - so she flew there with kids and then hr later got a flight home to uk alone - can't rem what she got paid but think it was £500 which for 24hrs work isn't bad

no, that would not make any difference at all

i would need a large four figure sum, or else no thanks, look after them yourself!!!!!

nannyl - would it be different if you were helping the parent look after their child? So not a parent swanning off into first/business class and leaving nannny and childen in economy, but parent, children and nanny all sitting together.

I suspect like the official courier work the flight isn't free, but subsidised. (Courier work your luggage allowance is taken up by a company so you only get your hand luggage allowance).

there is no way you could pay me to look after a strangers children on an aeroplane

No way at all...... not unless it was lots and lots and LOTS of money..... im thinking at least four figures!

I flew as a nanny to three children aged (4,6 and 8) from London to NZ via LA a few years ago. The parents flew first class, children and I flew economy.

Good points were that since parents were flying first the rest of us were allowed in lounge.

Bad points. Middle child threw up on way to airport and proceeded to faint going through security so we ended up not going and being delayed a day. Oldest child while middle child kept fainting was crying and screaming "is she going to die". When getting onto flight from LA to NZ we got to airport early and were able to get on to earlier flight but it was a rush through security etc and not enough time for parents to properly explain. Hence when we separated the 4 year old started screaming "I DON'T WANT MY NANNY I WANT MY MUMMY" - down all the 60 rows of the plane until our seats. He then cried until take off. I couldn't sleep on any of the flights either there or back as one of them was always awake.

It gives me nervous twitches just thinking about it now:-)

Mich - when are you going? I might be interested, though would want my flight paid for...! I've flown between london, la and ny with an under 1, once when he'd only just got over a tummy bug!

I travelled to Oz many times on my own with 1 DS (5 times), it was bloody exhausting, I would arrive completely sleep deprived, to then also face a 2 hour domestic flight. When DH and I travelled with 2 DSs, it was a breeze in comparison, but still not easy. (Worked out that the last trip was 36 hours, door to door .)

I wouldn't fly at the moment with both DSs to Oz unless I had someone else helping, just too bloody hard - so I would definitely be up for a service like this. Maybe when they're both school aged it would get easier...... .

If you can avoid it, DON'T travel with a push chair. They will be the bane of your life, and were responsible for us missing connecting flights, etc. Better to take one of those Trunki hand luggage cases which your DC could ride on, if they're old enough.

Strike through fail!

Sunny, you just made me laff! I'll have to remember that onethough knowing my luck they'd just tell me to go right ahead.

Just make sure you're ticketed through to your final destination mich77 so the same airline is responsible for you until the end. Until Emirates started flying Sydney-Dublin I always had to transfer at Heathrow for a flight to Ireland, and after 24 hours plus that was the worst bit. Once the flight landed late so I missed my connection - they wanted me to wait 11 hours at Heathrow before putting me on a flight. I was so jet lagged and generally over it that I actually stood at the desk and told them I would scream loudly until they put me on the next flight They did

having done oz and yes journey was 24hrs in total with changes etc and have to say i pity you

the last 4 hrs dragged by and when you land and change flights it was 1am uk time but think 9am kl time so all we wanted to do was sleep and of course the airline was running on their time and all the staff were happy and serving breakie and just wanted to say sod off

Maybe it's for the parents who fly business class and leave their kids in economy I would be spitting chips personally if I ended up sat next to kids who needed/wanted attention if I knew their parents were having a nice quiet time up front by themselves.

Actually it would be handy to have someone while i went for a wee, they could look after my DS.

i flew long haul to oz in jan and therefore spent 20hrs on a plane

trust me i had no problem in passing the time

watching films
drinking free booze
playing games
eating snacks
going for a walk
going for a wee

the thought of entertaining a screaming child brings me out in a rash!!!!

I was on a long haul flight with a group of adults.

One of us was going to have to sit in the row behind.....next to a mum travelling alone with young children. It was survival of the fittest not to get that seat. We felt a bit bad for DM who ended up entertaining a 6 year old for 11 hours, especially when she suggested one of us might like to swap seats. But not bad enough to swap with her.

Blimey redglow!! Do u self flagellate as well??

Well I wouldn't mind this I think a child would pass the time.

You couldn't pay me enough. When I'm on a flight I'm on holiday. If I wanted to work I would be.
What happens if the kids don't want anything to do with you? Or scream the whole time? Or fall asleep? Do you still get paid?
Also- what are the chances an off duty nanny will be on your flight? Crazy.

Not nanny need night nurse for kiddies, sleep for hours, ( of course never do this).