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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not book a seat for my 1 year + 50 weeks year old DS?

74 replies

onemoremummy · 07/04/2016 13:52

We are desperate to go on holiday but money is tight. We found an amazing deal for an amazing hotel, to travel 2 weeks before DS turns 2. This means he can travel for free and stay at the hotel for free.

The catch is - he is huge! 95% centile for height and 99% centile for weight. He's also very active and is pretty much a toddler with everything that comes with it.

The flight is 3 hours long. What do we do? Go on the amazing holiday or find somewhere a bit cheaper so we can afford to book him his own seat?

OP posts:
ExpressTrainComingThrough · 07/04/2016 13:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MyKingdomForBrie · 07/04/2016 13:54

So he'd need to sit on your knees the entire flight? That might be tricky!

Monkendrunky · 07/04/2016 13:54

Surely it's your knee he's going to be sitting on? So the only person that should be suffering is you?! Maybe I'm missing the point, if it's going to impact negatively on other passengers then don't do it, if it's only going to be his parents then wire in?

Drinksforeveryone · 07/04/2016 13:56

It's up to you. Will there be you and DH with just the one DS ?

if so then it may not be too bad - as you can pop the armrest up and share him out for theflight.

I did a 4.5 hour (each way) flight once with my DS on my lap. He was just under 2 - so I had him on my lap all the way. I had holidayed with friends, so didn't really have anyone to share the load. He was a big boy- not the most comfortable trip, but saved me a lot of ££

Original poster
onemoremummy · 07/04/2016 13:57

Sorry - I should have said - Am i being unreasonable to myself and to my husband :P or maybe put this on another board!

OP posts:
BillBrysonsBeard · 07/04/2016 13:59

Can you afford his seat? If it was me I'd book him one, actually my DS is the same age and same big boy as yours so I am totally empathetic Grin I couldn't last three hours and he'd be up and down the whole time as it would be so exciting!

rosettesforjill · 07/04/2016 13:59

We've booked a holiday with a 3 hour flight for September when my DS will be 1 year 50 weeks on the way home and not booked a seat for him. So I hope YANBU - mine isn't huge but is wriggly! I have booked seats in advance though so DH and I are together and so his fidgeting hopefully won't affect other passengers.

ExtraHotLatteToGo · 07/04/2016 13:59

My experience is that they want to be on your knee, walking up the aisle, chatting to the crew/any engaging person anyway. A seat is 'handy' for a bag, snacks etc, but that's all. Handy. If it's the deference between going & not then put up with the inconvenience of not having the spare seat.

Bear in mind that if he has his birthday when you are away most airlines will insist, at check in on the way home, that you purchase a full price child ticket.

UmbongoUnchained · 07/04/2016 13:59

1 year 50 weeks Grin

fusspot66 · 07/04/2016 13:59

By law he will have to be on your knee for takeoff and landing anyway. If there are 2 of you, why not?

HermioneJeanGranger · 07/04/2016 14:00

If you book him a seat, is he likely to use it or will he just want to sit with you anyway? From what I've seen, most toddlers want to sit on mummy/daddy's lap and their seat is only used for take-off or landing, so I wouldn't waste the money so long as you're happy to have him sitting on you all the way.

BillBrysonsBeard · 07/04/2016 14:01

Hmm actually if you have DH to share the load with I might just do it... 1.5 hrs isn't too bad, the length of a film Wink

WellErrr · 07/04/2016 14:01

Surely he's 102 weeks?

😂😂

RNBrie · 07/04/2016 14:02

Three hours is nothing for a flight. You'll be fine. Take lots of snacks and download a couple of toddler friendly things on your phone.

Agree with pp that you need to fly back before he's 2 or the airline might insist on a full price seat.

SKYTVADDICT · 07/04/2016 14:03

We were fine on the way out to Cyprus when DD2 was 1 year and 49 weeks but the trip home was hell! We were all tired and hot and she was a pain. Wasn't helped by the fact that she spat medicine (that was supposed to help her sleep) all over us in the departure lounge. (This was 13 years ago when the gp prescribed such things 😁). Lots of people around us were friendly and helped us entertain her (ie fed her sweets and lollies!)

LittleNelle · 07/04/2016 14:09

For only 3 hours, I'd just put him with having him on your knee. Take an ipad so he can watch TV.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 07/04/2016 14:11

We did exactly that (well he was a year and almost 11 months), but we also had a two almost 3 year old with us too. Both giant :) The benefit I suppose of having the two was that we had a 3 seat group between the 4 of us but then we had only 2 adults to two children rather than 2 to 1. It was obviously ok as we did long haul to the US with an onward flight with them less than a year later.

BarbarianMum · 07/04/2016 14:13

I think the flight will be GRIM with him on your knee. But I'd consider it for the right holiday.

Original poster
onemoremummy · 07/04/2016 14:14

They want to charge me £519 to book him his own seat (tut tut Thomson!)

He would definitely prefer his own seat but I would be happy to let him have mine and I will just stand for bits of the flight.

I will go for it I think!!!!!!! Will take lots of Peppa and snacks. And as a compromise I will pay extra for us to choose our seats so we can tag team.

OP posts:
twentiethcenturybitch · 07/04/2016 14:15

It's your last chance to do it cheap. It will not be much fun for you but as you are only inconveniencing yourself, I would say go for it. Worth it for the holiday. I did it with my also v large almost 2 year old for a 1.5 hour flight, then had his birthday and had a seat booked for return flight. Like someone said, he didn't want to sit on his own seat on the way back so was on my knee and had to be pinned into his own, seat, crying for take off and landing as they wouldn't allow him on my knee (despite him being 3 days older than previous flight!)

Floggingmolly · 07/04/2016 14:15

If he'll be 1 year and 52 weeks 2 on the return flight you have no choice but to book him his own seat.

Original poster
onemoremummy · 07/04/2016 14:16

We are coming back a week before he turns two. So he will be 103 weeks then exactly ;)

The holiday is to an amazing 5 star hotel in Greece. We wouldn't be able to afford it if we had to pay for his seat. I think it's worth the pain. I think. I will report after.

OP posts:
fleurdelacourt · 07/04/2016 14:16

we flew when ds was the same sort of age and paid for him to have his own seat on the place - worth every penny as we got a bank of 3 seats and were comfortable for the 4 hour flight. don't think a child ticket cost that much actually and he was still free in the hotel?

OneMagnumisneverenough · 07/04/2016 14:17

we didn't even have ipads and the like back when we did it. Just books and colouring and small toys and a fair bit of quiet incy wincy spider :o

GreenTomatoJam · 07/04/2016 14:19

We've done it (although DS2 is a bit smaller, and we had more spare space with DS1's seat of course) - Personally I don't think it's that bad.

We live 3 hours flight away from the UK, I've done it both with kids and DP, and with just the kids (5 and just 2, and then 5 and 2) and TBH, if there's two adults, there'll be room for a small one between you on a double seat (even on easyjet) - make sure your phone is charged and has some cbeebies downloaded, that you have snacks, nappies accessible, and it'll be fine.