Business class with toddler

[Rhayader]

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).

The BA fleet is still a mix of the 'old' herringbone layout in Business class and the one in the picture. The 'old' planes would be better as they have the two side by side seats in the middle. You could have two pairs and a single.

Or as a pp suggested, take an earlier flight and go Premium Economy.

I’ve done it and it was a little stressful but fine. DS was 2 years 3 months. He obv wanted to sit on my knee but I was just firm that no he had to stay in his own
seat. Wasn’t allowed iPad for take off so I gave him snacks that were time consuming to eat for that bit to keep him still. Then iPad/sleep for the rest of
the flight.

sure you’ll be fine, but keep some snacks and title toys handy.

I think if the company are forking out ££££ for flights and upgraded seats, the op would be bloody cheeky to say actually she wants XYZ instead.

But they’re not forking put ££££ are they? They’re nickel and diming by insisting on using points for the anti social flight time. And why on earth shouldn’t the family have a say on what suits them? They’re the ones relocating, the company aren’t doing them a favour here. If it’s even correct that the company are paying by air miles, that would concern me so much about their general ability to cover a relocation package full stop.

BA from London to NYC for 2 adults and 3 children with avios

250000 Avios + £ 2,750.30

225000 Avios + £ 3,350.30

187500 Avios + £ 4,025.30

162500 Avios + £ 4,600.30

143750 Avios + £ 4,850.30

125000 Avios + £ 5,100.30

They dont penalise or chase you. You can buy CW one way and an economy back for a random day (an economy back may only be £100 or so)

Not sure where the OP got their figures or advice from

To buy 200,000 avios is £3215 and it is the maximum that you can buy

More likely to get nabbed by BA for abuse of a household avios account than for skipping a return leg.

I assume you are fully sure you have the new club suite seats? We have flown to the USA a few times this year in BA business and only some were the new club suite seats, some were the old style.

Anyway, in the new club suite ones I am sure the doors had to be open for takeover and landing. You can keep them open for the whole journey if you want. You can definitely see through the middle ones even if you can't change a nappy. DH and I were fine eating 'together' etc.

Those are the figures I posted. Much much cheaper to use points than cash which was £34k for a single.

You can have corporate avios points. onbusiness.britishairways.com/web/ba

Personally I would go for 4 in a row with 1 in front.

@278Newnames

BA guarantee that the New York flights have the new cabins.

No they dont
JFK they might (but they usually never guarantee anything) but not New York.
The overnight Gatwick is definitely old CW

I think the issue with 4 in a row is that to get to the other side we would have to walk all the way to the front and back down the aisle. We can’t cut through our seats.

I meant LHR they might

Oh ok, I’m sure I read it somewhere that Heathrow-jfk/Ewr was all club suite but I guess if they had a plane out for maintenance it might not be (I also can’t find that article anymore).

You can't cut through the seats. Is there a daytime flight in PE instead, it would be easier.

We live v near LHR and are hoping to use airportr for bags as we are taking a lot. I’m not sure if you can do that anywhere else?

Its is a very short flight
Just go daytime and WT+
Or 1 adult in club with 2 children and the other in WT+ with the youngest

I have seen children having to scream for over an hour in 1st as they cant access /see their parent during take off or landing. If you have to circle they could be alone in a seat for an hour easily.

I have also seen crew have to go to children in UC on Virgin during landing (at their own risk)

Personally I woulds end DH on BA on go on the Queen Mary with the children.

If you have an adult each side then surely that adult can deal with whoever is on their side?

You cant get out of your seta during take off or landing and you cant access another seat from your seat ie you cant lean over

Genuinely considered the Queen Mary - the lack of internet for 10 days made it unviable because of DHs job but it does have unlimited baggage and two suites would have been in our “flight” budget.

The cruises are quite infrequent too.

Sorry just realised you suggested we travel separately - we can’t as our visas have DHs name on them and we need to enter with him

I would just be grateful you have lovely comfortable arrangements for all of you. It’s quite challenging flying long haul with toddlers.

Give yours a phone with downloaded videos and headphones at take off. Or if all else fails, just move into your seat and buckle in with you during take off. I can’t imagine anyone would take much notice. Walk around the plane and galley areas as needed to soothe while in flight.

@mindutopia This would be my plan A, but a couple of years ago when flying to Belfast the cabin crew told a mum in the row in front of me that her toddler couldn’t sit on her lap and had to sit in the seat next to her instead, so I don’t know if it’s allowed.

They absolutely would take notice.
That is the crews job to keep people safe.
You cannot just hop up and join your child. A child over the age of 2 has to be in there own seat.

They will already have the inflight entertainment system on and headphones