To refuse to take indirect flights with a toddler

[dellacucina]

to destinations where direct flights are readily available but generally more expensive?

That's all really!

[halfwitpicker]

YANBU.

Just had indirect flights with DD who is 2 - never again. Never again.

[halfwitpicker]

I really don’t find looking after my own children that arduous.

^

Without fail, there's always one. Always.

[littlepeas]

I’ve done it a few times as it means we can fly from an airport that is much closer to home, rather than Heathrow/Gatwick (we can fly Emirates via Dubai to pretty much anywhere in that direction). My dc are a bit older though. I don’t mind getting off for a bit and stretching my legs/having a break from the plane. I would always fly direct if going west though - can’t be bothered with US changes. You just have to weigh up your options and make a decision based on your own circumstances.

[PineapplePower]

I would always fly direct if going west though - can’t be bothered with US changes

Yes, only direct to the USA for sure, it’s a shitshow all around having not only to go through immigration and security again before the next flight, but re-check all your checked luggage too. Avoid at all costs!

But her problem is really a useless partner who doesn’t pull his own weight with the kids. Not the indirect flight itself which is manageable with two people.

[dellacucina]

zzzzz

I think it is a bit unfair to DD, who hates traveling.

Also, perhaps your children are a bit less, uh, spirited than mine. Our travels involved a lot of rolling around on the floor and screaming (by her, not me)

[dellacucina]

I think it's just not that fun for her! She spends her normal life being active and playing with other children at nursery. Being strapped into a car seat therefore is boring and upsetting for her - and at
the best of times, she is quite cheeky and disobedient. She also doesn't like fast food /travel food much so I think she gets too hungry. I try to mitigate this by preparing nice snacks etc when possible, but it's challenging.

We let her watch Peppa Pig some of the time on the flight back and this helped a lot, though I felt guilty. She can watch that for practically hours while my other activities bore her quite quickly (eg colouring and water painting books, her favourite doll). I also walk up and down the aisles with her but you can only do this so much before other passengers get annoyed

[HotInWinter]

Mine are way bigger than toddlers now, but unless it's a night flight where some sleep is usually enforced, it's unlimited screen time for my kids when travelling.
And yes, we do indirect flights to get home. The nearest airport in this country with direct flights to the UK is a 6 hr drive away!

[puzzledlady]

Depends on the child and how long the flight is. You’re also forgetting cost involved - a lot more to fly direct.

[dellacucina]

No, I am not forgetting the costs. The question is whether it's reasonable to spend that money to avoid the pain of an indirect flight

[BarbaraofSevillle]

But you haven't said how much the flights are and how much extra it is to go direct.

£50 extra, go direct. £2000 extra, go indirect. The price difference where you move from direct to indirect is likely to be somewhere between these two levels and will depend on a variety of factors such as extra time taken, how everyone copes with various aspects of flying/travelling, how much money you have, how keen you are to save money, how much the flights cost in the first place as people may look at an extra £300 differently if the difference is between £50 and £350 vs £2500 vs £2800, although the financial saving is the same.

[TulipsInbloom1]

Depends. £100 indirect v £200 direct I'd pay. £2000 indirect v £2300 direct I'd pay.

£200 indirect v £2000 direct I wouldn't pay.

[Allthewaves]

Depends how much more. If your talking thousands I'd take indirect

[IamtheDevilsAvocado]

Direct, unless he's doing at least 50% of care...

Indirect if you're saving a fortune.. AND HES doing his fair share

[Sindragosan]

There's nothing wrong with peppa pig while travelling if it gets you through. Regular snacks/water etc and a nap if at all possible.

I have a relatively well behaved toddler (still prone to lying on the floor crying) and I'd minimise travel time and work around naps/bedtime if possible.

[woollyheart]

I would avoid indirect flights wherever possible with children because of the increased risk of delays. The more connections in a journey, the higher the risk of a missed connection.

A missed connection without a child isn't too bad, because you can find something to keep you occupied while you wait for the next flight etc. With a child, it is a nightmare

I would definitely pay more for this.

I wouldn't pay for business class because it isn't any more reliable or quicker, and is just more comfort.

[KatharinaRosalie]

question is whether it's reasonable to spend that money

Unreasonableness depends on the money (and connection). A couple of hours stopover in an organised airport if you can save 2000pp or saving 100 quid while connecting in the US?

[InSightMars]

Worth every penny extra for a direct flight just for the sake of the convenience and less time wasted hanging about airports waiting for connections or panicking if there's a delay and missing your ongoing connection. And with a child? Hell, yes go direct.

I flew red-eye to NYC recently because it was the only available direct flight. Totally doing that again. Slept on the plane, got an upgraded seat because it was half empty and an extra full day in NYC because we landed at 7am. All of this made up for the around $150 over the price of the daytime ones. They all had 2 connections, I'd have needed to be at the airport at 5am my time and wouldn't have arrived in NYC until 7pm - a journey length of 11 hours.

[SleepingStandingUp]

Book indirect flights. Two seats together and one far away from it. DH has your toddler for the entirety both ways.

Sorted.

[dellacucina]

woollyheart DH actually wasn't serious about this. He was saying it to demonstrate how unreasonable I am.

He also thinks the indirect flight is worth it despite loss of bags etc. Money is everything to him.

[MrsTerryPratcett]

It's pretty much always a cost:benefit analysis. How good is the child at change? Is the transfer at night? How much extra is the direct flight? How much quicker? Is the transfer airport a stinking hellhole or lovely? How long is the layover?

Least worst option wins.

[yomellamoHelly]

Let him fly indirect. You and toddler go direct.