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Original poster

Business class with toddler

66 replies

Rhayader · 27/09/2022 14:52

We are flying London - New York for a relocation. My husbands company have booked us business class but this means all three kids are in their own seats (with their own sliding doors). Our youngest has just turned 2 so requires her own seat, and will have to sit by herself at take off and landing and whenever the seatbelt signs are on. Does anyone have any tips for how to manage this, would it be best to use a car seat or just hope that she will sleep when the seat is flattened into a bed? The flight is at 6pm so is close to bed time… She’s never flown on a plane before and the older children have only been on economy family holiday flights before (but I think they will be fine).

OP posts:
minipie · 27/09/2022 15:05

Sounds swish, I’ve never seen these! Can you keep the sliding doors open if you want so you can still see each other? I wouldn’t use a car seat at that age no but I might bring a big snuggly blanket or toy from home so she feels more cosy.

Original poster
Rhayader · 27/09/2022 15:10

You can leave the door open but they are staggered so you can’t see your neighbour

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AtillatheHun · 27/09/2022 15:10

Oh god that flight is madness - you’re hoping they’ll sleep than arriving at 9pm to stand in line at immigration for what’s potentially hours. You won’t get to wherever you’re staying until gone midnight. Take one of the morning flights and go long on cartoons and comics. The older kids will love - day flight.

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AtillatheHun · 27/09/2022 15:12

Also it’s only the side cabins that are offset, you can sit side by side in the middle.

mondaytosunday · 27/09/2022 15:13

Presumably you will be sitting next to your child though? The partitions can be lowered so you are always within sight (I'm not sure what you mean by sliding doors, but I've only flown business on BA and Virgin).
I've flown business with my two when very young and it wasn't a problem (though you will get raised eyebrows from fellow passengers but ignore them).

Original poster
Rhayader · 27/09/2022 15:20

I know @AtillatheHun it’s a massive pain.I would have preferred an earlier flight but BA absolutely rinse you for one way flights so they ended up booking with points. It was £34k for our family of 5, or 250k points (which costs about £2-3k) plus 2k tax. And the points flights for 5 people were limited….

A return would have been less than £15k but I have been told that airlines try and recoup the costs if you skip the return flight. Or worse, Nan you!

OP posts:
Original poster
Rhayader · 27/09/2022 15:21

I considered sitting side by side in the middle but we flew out earlier in the year in the same cabin and there’s a tiny window between you. Definitely couldn’t reach a child to change a nappy etc

OP posts:
Original poster
Rhayader · 27/09/2022 15:23

The doors slide

Business class with toddler
OP posts:
eurochick · 27/09/2022 15:24

You can't change a nappy on a plane seat...

I've not flown in biz with the layout you describe. That sounds really tricky at 2. At that age I had to sort of cuddle mine into submission on planes when they needed to be seated.

Original poster
Rhayader · 27/09/2022 15:26

Sorry I meant it would be really awkward to pick her up to take her to change! Obviously not changing a nappy in the cabin 😆

OP posts:
fallinover · 27/09/2022 15:26

I started traveling business class when dc were 3, for work reasons as well.
You should be fine. If your dc isn't totally dry use pull ups, we had a regression once waking from a night flight.
I also snuggled beside dc when needed.
I wouldn't add a car seat to the mix, the seat/beds are comfy enough. Just put belts on top of blankets so staff can see dc are clipped in.
We used to change in pj's in the lounge, much easier than plane.

Original poster
Rhayader · 27/09/2022 15:42

@fallinover thanks that’s really helpful. Definitely PJs in the lounge. I’m sure people will hate us on the plane but we need the bag allowance!!

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TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 27/09/2022 15:47

"...Or worse, Nan you!"

Do you mean they come round to your house, drink endless cups of tea, drop cake crumbs all over themselves and the carpet, and tell the same story repeatedly generally forgetting the ending or the point they were trying to make? 😱

Because if so that's quite a severe chastisement!

Rinatinabina · 27/09/2022 15:51

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 27/09/2022 15:47

"...Or worse, Nan you!"

Do you mean they come round to your house, drink endless cups of tea, drop cake crumbs all over themselves and the carpet, and tell the same story repeatedly generally forgetting the ending or the point they were trying to make? 😱

Because if so that's quite a severe chastisement!

😬

Original poster
Rhayader · 27/09/2022 15:53

😆 was typing outside the school gates and obviously not paying enough attention.

OP posts:
gretr · 27/09/2022 16:02

Cant you go in the middle seats, then slide the partition down. I’m not sure what plane you are on or what the layout is like, but we did this in First to NY and it was fine.

opoponax · 27/09/2022 16:33

Middle seats definitely best Club option. When ours were very little we would always do night flights when we could have them in the middle two seats with us on either side. Never any problems. For us, the secret was to get PJs on early and try to keep usual bedtime routine as much as possible, milk, looking at board books, fleece blankets from home etc. They tended to be really settled and sleep most of the night.

buttons123456 · 27/09/2022 16:45

You should have bought returns and not turned up for the return flight ✅

Original poster
Rhayader · 27/09/2022 16:57

@opoponax

DH and I traveled on the new “club suite” recently and it isn’t as companion-y as it used to be sitting in the middle seats. I definitely couldn’t reach a two year old who was sitting down in the seat next to me.

This is the layout we’ve gone for atm (attached) we were thinking parents in 1 and 2 and toddler in 3. 9yo in 4, 6yo in 5.

Business class with toddler
OP posts:
astarsheis · 27/09/2022 17:02

We did lots of long haul with toddler in BC when we lived overseas. You should be fine with the layout as long as one of you sits next to toddler. As per p, if it's a night flight put her in pj's so that she knows it's time to sleep.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 27/09/2022 17:08

buttons123456 · 27/09/2022 16:45

You should have bought returns and not turned up for the return flight ✅

But this when they send their Nan round!

BoredOfGrey22 · 27/09/2022 17:19

Rhayader · 27/09/2022 16:57

@opoponax

DH and I traveled on the new “club suite” recently and it isn’t as companion-y as it used to be sitting in the middle seats. I definitely couldn’t reach a two year old who was sitting down in the seat next to me.

This is the layout we’ve gone for atm (attached) we were thinking parents in 1 and 2 and toddler in 3. 9yo in 4, 6yo in 5.

I'd put your older child in the row behind you so the child can see you

AtillatheHun · 27/09/2022 17:22

Worst flight and worst layout 🤨 (both for the kids and the other people in the flight.
seriously, go premium economy day flight instead of this. Not fair to the kids.

Wickerbaskethandle · 27/09/2022 17:25

Rhayader · 27/09/2022 15:20

I know @AtillatheHun it’s a massive pain.I would have preferred an earlier flight but BA absolutely rinse you for one way flights so they ended up booking with points. It was £34k for our family of 5, or 250k points (which costs about £2-3k) plus 2k tax. And the points flights for 5 people were limited….

A return would have been less than £15k but I have been told that airlines try and recoup the costs if you skip the return flight. Or worse, Nan you!

None of that is accurate.

AtillatheHun · 27/09/2022 17:29

@Wickerbaskethandle im beginning to wonder if this was a stealth brag about flying business as all the answers are so bonkers (nappy changing mid row particularly)