to expect priority boarding for infants and young children on even the tightest airline

[SebbysMum]

We flew with a well known budget airline last week. Not sure if MN allows me to say which but no doubt many of you will be able to guess.

We found that it no longer boards children and babies first. Instead those who pay an extra charge get priority. There were two young babies on the flight (mine aged 4 months). The staff were extremely rude and insisted on sending us to the very back of the non priority queue, despite other passagers offering to let us go first.

As a result of this policy we saw a mother sent to the back of the queue separated from her two under-10 children on the plane (until other passengers kindly offered to move).

Is it just me or is this truely the triumph of corporate greed and mindless bureaucracy over common decency?

We were obviously very lucky with our fellow passengers on our recent trip to NZ. They made us push in front, they took our luggage when I got stuck on my own with baby and no pushchair, and best of all no-one moaned when DD screamed throughout take-off

We were told the pushchair would be brought to the door. Was it hell. Long walk through customs with a wriggly baby and too much luggage to carry in 2 countries.

In our last trip to Spain the R*air crew twice stopped the safety info presentation because passengers were not quiet enough paying due attention. Considering the loudest voice heard was that of an excited 3-year-old, I thought it was preposterous.
They get on my nerves, they really do.

My worst experience was with BA at, you guessed it, Heathrow. DS1 was 5 and DS2 was 13months. The plane was late boarding by an hour (fair enough these things happen) yet when we did board it took another 2hrs to get in the bloody air. Yes that was great fun. As compensation for the delay we were all given a thimbleful of orange juice.

The best airlines for customer service IME are Globespan and Flybe.

Have heard so many horror stories over the years about Ryan air that I wouldn't fly with them.

That's really bad WT - I got delayed flying out of Slovenia with EasyJet (I think) and they'd miscounted the baggage and passengers as one of the machines wasn't working so it was a manual count. They opened the plane doors and gave out free mineral water to everyone whilst they sorted it out - plus we'd also missed our take-off slot so that added onto the delay. Have to say I was quite impressed with how it was all handled and it was a full plane, given that's it's a budget airline. Somehow, I'd expect more, not less from BA.

Air France seem to do the logical thing as whenever I fly them (every month or so) I am always allocated the same area of seating, bang in the middle of the plane, and am always surrounded by fellow families. Then immediately behind us there are usually a row or two free, and then other travellors. Works brilliantly.

Like others I have learnt my lesson and do not fly Ryanair. I will even change my dates in order to avoid flying with them, and I try to avoid BA as well whenever possible (though not to same extent).

Air France, Virgin, even Easyjet, love em all. You gets what you pay for so I expect less when I go with Easyjet but their staff always help out happily IME when you've got kids (and are pushy enough to ask for assistance).