Long hault flight with 14 month old or not??

[skandi1]

Help! DH and I cannot agree on holiday destinations for this year. We're planning to go in autumn when DD will be 14 - 15 months old.

DH wants to go to Egypt (Red Sea) but I'm a little reluctant due to potential for tummy bugs (even in 5 star hotels - seen on Tripadvisor) and recent oil spill covering most of Hurghada and spreading.

DH's only reason for going there is flight is only 5 hours. We've not been to Egypt before so its all a bit of an unknown and a risk as we don't know what it will be like.

I am keen on Maldives or Mauritius - particularly Maldives. They're both places we've been many times before so we know what to expect and know several hotels in both which would be great and are suitable for children with kids pool/club/toys etc.

DH's reasoning for not waiting to go is that Maldives is a 10 hour flight and Mauritius is 12 hours.

I know both flights are long but we'd be flying business whichever of the 3 destinations we'd visit and I'm the one who'll deal with DD in any event.

I want to canvass MNer opinions on this. Am I indeed unreasonable to want to take a 10 hour flight with a 14 month old or have others done this and its been just fine??

Please let me know your experiences with regard to air travel.

Have just come back from Egypt - fab holiday, wonderful food, hotel etc.. BUT - I would not take a young child..I have been back for 2 weeks and still have stomach cramps. My friend had been several times and knew the score - we were incredibly careful and I wasn't really ill there (a bit of dodgy tummy easily dealt with) My issue was not the hotel's hygiene - it was the other guests. It is very hot and the bugs thrive on handles etc and people don't wash their hands often enough. I am convinced I picked it up on the plane on the way back.
Now I can cope with this but I would not take my 8yo there - not worth the risk,
have you considered Tunisia? Fab hotels and very short 2.5 hour flight. Been there loads no problems.
Good luck

too true mug, noone ever washes hands, off the beaten track loos are beyond revolting. The first time i went out there, i had a horrific tummy bug when i got back, now i recall. Had to starve the bug out in the end, no sugar, no fat, no dairy, no bread. Only boiled veg! It was brutal.

I think it depends on your child. We did a long haul flight to Japan - 12 hours and I'm afraid to say that i did find it very stressful. Firstly being a toddler of course my DS wanted to wander around the cabin the whole time....and play with the water dispensers. He wasn't quite old enough to have the concentration to sit and watch the children's cartoons. On the way back it was worse as due to jet lag he only slept for an hour, screamed his head off when we tried to put his seat belt on when we were landing or had turbulance. Everyone around us was very polite and no one said anything, but i was so stressed and almost in tears. But that is our DS...I do know of very laid back child of a friend of mine, who just is very placid and sleeps the whole way. In the end though I felt that i had been a bit unfair taking him on a long haul flight at that age...he was only being himself and didn't ask to go on this trip. Good luck whatever you decide

I went to Thailand last year with a 6 month old (& 5 & 11) The journey there was ok-ish although maybe I've blocked the memory! Thailand was fantastic and the Thai people are lovely with children. However you would need to check the advice on going there at the moment.
Enjoy wherever you choose!

What about Italy? The italian's love children!
I seriously think that you are mad to want to go to Egypt with such a young baby.

My SIL is a GP and advised against it, as the tummy bugs and the biting insects etc.

I've taken my son to Spain 3 times. He is two today, 9 mths on plane not so bad.
He had swine flu in spain second time, having to take him to ER , not understanding much English or us Spanish. A nightmare, glad to get home and last time was ok slept all the way there, awake all the way back an d we had to read etc and try to stop him wanting to run up and down the aisle.

None of these times were a holiday and just needing a change of scene. Have you thought of a villa somewhere instead?
People do fly long haul though which little ones and was in BC with a baby (not mine) which cried almost all the way to Barbados, the looks that they were given.

Have you thought about the Caribbean? Sandy lane is nice! Direct flight too.

I'd say yes, I've flown long-haul to the Caribbean many times with dc's first when ds was 10 months and later with a 4 month old dd (ds was then 2) and then trips later on. I have never had any problems. You have to find ways of entertaining them and breast/bottle feed them when you are taking off and landing but my experiences would never put me off.

Took DS to South Africa when he was a year old. 12 hour flight 2 hour time difference. Only just fitted into the bassinet so not sure how you would cope with a bigger baby really..they do get heavy/hot after a while.
He was fine being a very routine child and a good sleeper. Took two hours to get tired (night flight leaving 7.00pm) had a scream, woke up all the other kids on board and then slept the whole way till we arrived.
Not sure if business class would be as accepting as cattle class if your child did take a dislike to the flight.
So I would say do it if your child is a good sleeper and do Egypt if not. Egyptians love children although a more intense holiday I would say. The tummy bug thing is better whilst they are in nappies and happy to use sucky cups or bottles anyway. Not so fun with older toddlers and younger kids.

What about the other passengers? How about some consideration for them? I have no problem with people taking babies on flights when it is absolutely necessary eg: relocation to another country/visiting relatives but is it so unreasonable to wait until the baby is at an age when it can behave and be quiet? Also, imagine a childless honeymooning couple going to a beautiful, peaceful remote resort only to find a baby screaming the place down?

Wouldnt go to Eggypt due to tummy bugs.

Have also been put off Maldives etc until Ds is older as its nice to have places to wander around, occupy them rather than just styaing in resort.

Would seriously consider Dubai if I was you.

Hammy - don't be silly, that could easily be years!!!! 16 month olds are no more likely than 10 year olds to be disruptive on a plane.

skandi - don't sweat the flight, I've done about 20 long haul flights with DD, since she was about 6 months old. Business class is fine - can you afford to book a child seat for your DC? Would be more bearable.

IME, the jetlag is worse. 5 days of interrupted sleep each way, so not good if its a week away, more doable if its 2 weeks. Mauritius better than Maldives for this reason, as is anywhere in Africa (Gambia, Zanzibar, have fab beaches, even S.Africa).

Have done Sharm with DD, TBH, not wild about doing it with kids. Beaches aren't so easy at some places such as the Ritz Carlton (think rocky/sandy mix rather than walk into sea sloping beaches), so not that easy.

South Africa fab from UK. Flights leave 8pm arrive 8 am in morning. One-two hour time difference, depending on what time of year you fly.

Would recommend flying overnight long haul versus daytime.....

And please don't stress too much. Have done quite a lot of long haul recently and its the parents of the the 7-17 year olds that seem to have the most difficult journeys ......my younger ones seem a breeze compared to the stroppy teenageers!

Oh yes, Dubai is good, as is Oman.

Night flights make everything better as well.

Haven't done Mauritius myself but know loads of people who have and they RAVE about it..... if you want relaxation at a resort.

Amazing kids clubs.

Its not really the length of flight to watch its the time zone difference and then the travelling time either side of airport.

Hammy: are you being serious or are you making a joke?

even if Hammy is being serious... the way i see it is it's one night out of the other passengers lives and most would be sympathetic.

i second Indaba - i have done the South Africa journey a couple of times with my daughter (to Cape Town), at 5 months and then at just over a year. if you get an overnight flight then they will sleep most of the way. Only problem with the age you have is that they won't fit in a bassinet cot and you may have to buy a seat. We got a ba flight because you could get a 'seat' that fitted to the bulkhead like the cots, but was suitable for a bigger child but she wouldn't sleep in it. Ended up with her in my lap all night, but we both still managed to sleep for about 7 hours each. being in roughly the same time zone is a huge bonus.

i think the hardest thing is getting through the airport!

having said all that i would rather chew off my own arm than do a really long day flight.

Oman would get my vote. We lived there for three years and it is the most gorgeous country. There isn't loads to do, but the beaches are great as are the people.

If you can afford it, the Chedi in Oman is amazing - really recommend it.

I wouldn't be put off by the flight tbh - it's really a matter of perspective. We used to think the flight to the States was "long haul" when we lived in the UK, now we're in Oz ten hours sounds like nothing.

There are loads of good tips on here for travelling with kids, and even if it is as bad as it can possibly be it's not even a day of your life! Choose the holiday you really want - with a child that age childcare facilities and a bit of luxury to treat yourself would be my priorities.

If you fancy Egypt (which is meant to be very child friendly) then please let me do a shameless plug for my friend's holiday place in Dahab [http://www.seaviewvilla.net/

They've done it beautifully - they own it and use it for their own holidays, and rent it out too. It's a self catering villa, but it's next to a nice hotel they have an agreement with, so you also get use of the hotel pool, the reception at the hotel will help you find your way about, or book taxis, trips etc for you if you need it, and you can arrange to have meals, shopping and fresh bread delivered if you like, so it's the best of both worlds.

It's truly stunning, have a look at the pics. it's right on the seafront, you look over the sun terrace out on to the sea.

And my friends are lovely people too

I was being serious and I assume that if "it's one night out of the other passenger's lives and most would be sympathetic", that they would feel the same way about being sat next to someone that was drunk? No more irritating or noisy?

Agree with Hammy. My husband commutes to the US on a weekly basis. He is in business class as he has work to do which in turn keeps lots of other people in work. He does not appreciate it when he has to contend with screaming babies and drunk passengers. Not everyone on a plane is swanning off on holiday and you will have a far more relaxing time taking a break in UK. Wait until your child is older and fully appreciates long haul travel. I would be very surprised if a 10 year old caused more bother than a baby. They are usually welded to the inflight entertainment.

i would NOT go long haul with a 14 month old if could be avoided

spent a 3 hour flight restraining mine, 12 hours (shudders)

until they sell baby temazapam, staying SHaul

I took my 17 month old DD to the UK from NZ, along with my 3.5 yr old twins. One 4 hour flight, one 14 hours and one of 8. Same on the way back 5 weeks later. I knew that if my parents wanted to see their grandkids we'd have to bite the bullet and fly over to visit (my parents don't travel well). The hardest thing was that youngest DD didn't have a seat, so would suggest waiting till over 2 yo for long haul (although is more expensive). She also didn't sleep and ran laps round the plane. It was exhausting, but I just had to write off 2 days. The DTs were really good though.
Did the same trip last year with the DCs then at 8, 8 and 6. Sooo much easier.

So to answer your question it can be done, but it's exhausting at that age. If you have a choice to go somewhere equally nice that's closer I'd seriously go for that.

OP
Don't be put off travelling long haul. I've done it many times with my DD in Business Class. Try and choose night flights if you can that way they get on have dinner and then sleep for most of it. At 14 months you may want to consider buying an extra seat as depending how tall your child is you may find the carseat thingy too small.

Hammy/Mikestand I travel regularly on business and screaming babies in themselves are not a problem, the irritation is parents that try and abdicate their responsibilities and carrying on reading/watching movies rather than looking after their children.

I went to Kenya with a 14mth old which involved a drive from Newcastle to Gatwick, 8hr flight to Nairobi, waiting 3hrs for a transfer then an hour flight to Mombassa then a drive in a car for 4 hours (Most of this wasnt explained to me at the time of booking)

It was not easy to say the least but it actually wasn't terrible . . I was lucky as I was still BF'ing.

Looking back now there is NOWAY I would do it. . . It was the holiday of a lifetime and DD loved it and had an amazing time, but there are equally as amazing places within a 3-4hr flight time.

Also under 2 children dont normally get a seat unless you pay full adult fare so expect a knee sit

Oh and having just got back from Turkey I can fully recomend NEVER EVER GOING THERE

EVER

Ever ever.