Window or aisle seat when flying alone with an 18 month old?

[Msgiggles30]

Hi all,
Going to be flying alone with my 18 month old on a 4 hour flight. I'm going to book extra legroom as the thought of her on my lap in a tiny space is not fun! Would people recommend the isle or window seat? Thinking isle is easier to get up and walk about but window might be good for extra distraction and more private for hopeful sleep etc 🙃.
Also any tips on what to bring to entertain? Thank youp

I think it depends whether you think she's more likely to sleep (window) or want to be walking around (aisle).

Unfortunately Unless it’s long haul you’re travelling, there’s no airline that will give you extra legroom seats if travelling with an 18 month old.

If you are flying long haul then you can request to sit in the bulk head seats in the middle row. There wouldn’t be an option then for a window seat, but aisle will likely be easier for getting up and having walks if needed etc.

Good luck with the flight OP!

I’d usually say to avoid the extra legroom seats. Since you won’t be allowed in an exit row with lap infant they’ll likely be bulkheads so you’re stuff will have to all go up in overhead and you’ll lose much needed seat width due to non moveable arm rests. If you can afford it book an extra seat. If not then it’s something to endure but you want your snack and toys within grabbing distance for take off and landing and all the seat width you can get. I’d also go window as it’s entertainment for your toddler and if they fall asleep you won’t need to move and disturb them because someone needs the loo.

I flew alone with DS at that age and we had the window but I also used Avios to bump us up to Club Europe so we had the buffer of the middle table between us and our seat mate. He slept the majority of all 4 flights anyway!

A PP is correct, unless you’re on multi-cabin long haul you can’t book extra legroom with a baby / child.

In terms of things I took it was spinners with a sucker, little books, a magic painting book, a busy book, LOADS of snacks, his favourite cuddly toy and an emergency kindle fire kids (that I didn’t end up having to use).

Oh didn't realsie you couldn't have extra legroom at all. I know you can't sit in the exit rows but there are some middle rows showing as bookable not near to any emergency exits! Thanks for thoughts so far x

Go aisle. Also, I would recommend booking a seat for your child! 4 hours is a long time to have a toddler on your lap. It’s not fun

I would get the aisle or you will be trapped in. It’s an iPad you need for distraction, not a window. I’ve flown to Australia when mine were three and six on my own and they couldn’t believe that they were just allowed to watch tv all the time.

I can't see a windowsill be much distraction - you can usually only see white cloud!
Definitely go for an aisle seat - you can get out easily for walks and accessing overhead luggage.

book a seat if money allows..

But otherwise first post has the correct answer - if you anticipate sleep, go window, If not, go isle. Being able to walk up and down the plane is great for young kids to get a bit of energy out before they sit back down.

I can’t advise on the choice of seat but some things I took on a flight when my child was a similar age were: sticker book, a small magnetic drawing board, popper/toddler fidget toys, lots of snacks and a fully charged tablet with some kids games/cartoons pre downloaded. The toys were wrapped in tissue paper to ‘open’ and were either new/hadn’t been played with in a while so held their interest. The toys and a nap filled the outbound flight, the tablet was a godsend on the return! Safe travels.

I would go for an aisle seat so that you can walk around and can get up to take her to the toilet.

Definitely buy her her own seat if you can afford it. I've flown with dd since she was a baby. The first flight, she was young enough for a sky cot. After that, we bought a seat for her, even when she was under 2. It made travelling so much easier and more enjoyable.

As someone who flies most weeks for business, for the sake of the poor person who will be sitting beside you with a wriggling/whinging toddler for a few hours - please book a 2nd seat. It's not the window/aisle that's going to be the biggest issue, it's the child on the lap that'll cause the problems...

Goes off to check seating arrangements for tomorrow's flight

100% book an extra seat. And I'd go window because you don't want them trying to run up and down the aisle.

Wrap lots of little toys, let them pick one out and open it, then play with that as long as possible before opening another. Don't do two activities at the same time, put toys away to eat, don't get tablet and snacks out at the same time. Gives you more time out of each thing.

It's airline/aircraft dependent, on at least some Long Haul aircraft there at least some of the extra legroom seats that don't produce a conflict with emergency exit requirements so it's maybe worth a check.

Oh, and I'd always opt for aisle seat..

Definitely get a good strong busy book with lots of stuff to grab and fiddle with. The grabbing is the hardest part of toddler flying. They want to touch everything and everyone.

Depends on the child! My three year old is not interested in tv.

I also agree aisle. Mine didn't have much of an attention span for a screen at that age, so I used to bring lots of toys, books and snacks for long flights. And lots of walking up and down the aisle. Mine liked listening to songs a lot at that age, so having some downloaded and some headphones as well might be good (whatever they like).

And depends on your budget and tolerance levels and child, but it would have been a waste of money for me buying an extra seat for my child as they wouldn't have wanted to sit in it :)

I’d call the airline. Most airlines have bassinet seats behind a bulkhead that aren’t exit rows and they have these bassinets that attach to the bulkhead. So the baby wouldn’t be in your lap the entire time, has a place to nap and sit. You also have a bit of extra leg room

list of airlines with bassinet seats

• British Airways
• Delta
• Emirates
• Qatar Airways
• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Lufthansa

https://www.alternativeairlines.com/fr/airline-bassinet-seats

Bassinet seat wouldn’t really suit an eighteen month old though?

We always book extra legroom seats, because DH is 6’4”. Usually, they are by emergency exit doors. They always ask us, if we speak English and are willing to help people off the plane.

One flight last year, DH and I were sitting together. There was a whole row of empty seats, by another emergency door and they asked me to go and sit there, presumably to make sure there was someone to open the door.

You couldn’t do that, holding a baby. You also aren’t allowed a bag or anything loose, during take off and landing - everything has to go in the overhead lockers.

Thanks all I might ring today ans see how much an extra seat is!

If I was booking them a seat, window, as you can fence them in.

If a lap infant, aisle, so we can move around a bit.

If you can find an island on a plane then yes, definitely sit there.

I think aisle, an 18mo old in your lap is hard going and being able to let them move is a huge win. I have flown long haul on my own with an 18mo old