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Original poster

Long haul flights with babies and 3 year olds

33 replies

ginnycook · 26/08/2005 12:38

Anyone any advice/experience for me? I am taking my 7 monther and my 3 year old to the US next month on BA. I've booked the bassinet/bulkhead position, but they won't sit us all together, so 2 of the 3 adults will go behind. Whats the bassinet/britex seat like? Does it go on a table? Should I take a pop up cot for the floor area? Any other tips?? Thanks smile

OP posts:
fuzzywuzzy · 26/08/2005 12:47

The bouncer type chair is the worlds most uncomfortable, I'd put dd1 to sleep in it and she'd wake crying hysterically, take a thicl blanket to pad it out. I'f your baby is really young, get them to put the bassinet up instead again the mattress is very thin, however the cot is more comfortable than the bouncer. Try and get a non parent to swap seats with one of the of the other adults accompanying you so you have someone bveside you who cab take over while you eat/nap (hah chance would be a fine thing)/go to the toilet etc.
Are you going in the world traveller plus section or the bit right at the back??? I think the next time I go on a long haul flight I will be using emirates as they were a lot better than BA in terms of giving us seating together and ensuring the we actually got the bassinett we booked.
BA changed flights two weeks before we were meant to leave and we lost out on the pre-booked bassinett, thankfully they upgraded us going out, but returning was a horrendous experience (we had booked the holiday 5 months in advance).

fqueenzebra · 26/08/2005 13:11

agree the bouncer is cr*p. I think the cot thing is ok.
If it were me I'd let the 3yo roam as much as the other passengers can stand it, and just don't expect to relax yourself.

Millie1 · 26/08/2005 13:44

Why won't they seat two adults with the children - maybe they don't hae 4 seats in a row? We flew Singapore Airlines back in april with 3 yr old and 16 mth old and were all seated together in the middle of the aircraft. Your 7 mth old should fit in the bassinet - second what Fuzzywuzzy says re padding it with a thick blanket. Your 3 yr old could always sit in the row behind with one of the adults, that way one person won't be dealing with two children all the time. Not much point in taking a pop up cot for the floor as I don't think they'll let you use it. As it is the bassinet/britaz seats are secured on a table and if the seatbelt sign comes on you'll have to lift the baby back onto your knee. We took lots of little, individually wrapped toys, colouring books, books etc but tbh our 3 yr old was more than happier with his own headphones and tv screen . HTH

Millie1 · 26/08/2005 13:45

Ignore typos!!

jenkel · 29/08/2005 16:01

We flew to Australia with a 7 month old and a 2 1/2 year old. To be honest the basinet was more hassle that it was worth, every time the seat belt sign went on we had to get dd out, and they came round to make sure we did. So despite us spending hours to get her to sleep we then had to get her out so she woke up again. Also dont think they were very comfortable, so she spend most of the time on our lap, I had very little room as they do take up a lot of the space in front og you. Me DH and 2 kids flew and we got the side row of 3. We flew with emirates, who were pretty good despite the basinet thing. We are off to Florida soon, hoping it will be a little easier with an 18 month old and a 3 year old.

beehive · 29/08/2005 16:46

can i reccomemend that if you take the bulkhead seats that you also pack eyeshields and maybe a blanket to cover the top of the basinette?

We were seated in the bulk head coming back from the us years ago with two basineetes for our twin dd's.

The problem is, that you are seated right in front of the tv screen (we were) and they don't turn it off. At night, when all the lights went down we tried in vain to get the girls to sleep but couldn't because the tv screen was so bright. They kept it going all through the night flight in case some of the passengers wanted to watch it.

other flight tips! take calpol sachets (not a bottle) A stewerdhess put a call out for some calpol over the tannoy and we volunteerd our bottle. They handed it to some parents who took 10mls, then some other parents spotted it and had some etc etc etc, until we had none left!

at least if you take sachets, you can keep some back for yourself.

jenkel · 29/08/2005 17:53

gosh yes beehive, what a pain the lights were, we had some plasters and I ended up rigging up a contrapation with muslin and plasters to keep the lights out of dds eyes.

beehive · 29/08/2005 20:58

jenkel, i thought you were about to say you put the plasters over your dd's eyes (it would have worked)

isn't amazing how resourceful you become when your a parent

beehive · 29/08/2005 21:02

my mum did a long haul flight with an asian airline (not sure which one) and when they wanted you to go to sleep YOU DID AS YOU WERE TOLD!!

They reclined her seat for her (didn't ask - just did it!) tucked her in with a blanket and took her book away, folded the page and put it under her seat!

Im not kidding, she sill talks about it and we just cry with laughter, but honestly how lovely is that? (better than bloody american airlines, but dot get me started on that!)

Pam70 · 29/08/2005 22:03

I did a flight to Malaysia on my own with DD (4 months) and DS (3 yrs) in January this year. I presume when you say they'll seat the other 2 adults in the row behind, they will seat both the kids with you at the bulkhead?

In that case, swap the 3 year old to the back and have another pair of adult hands in the bulkhead with you.

Are you going on a night flight or day flight? Night flights are a little easier as the 3 yr old might go to sleep.

I did a night flight going out and a day flight coming back. Because I knew I would have to entertain a bored 3 yr old on a 13-hour daytime flight on the return leg, I bought a portable DVD player and some films for him - worked a treat!!! Also bought some sticker books, and one of those small magnetic fishing games.

Although the airline has individual screens, a lot of the stuff they show don't really appeal to a 3 year old

moondog · 29/08/2005 22:06

beehive,lol at your mum's story! How long ago was this??

DEE7479551 · 29/08/2005 23:20

If you have a look at the BA web site you can check out the seating plan for your plane and change your seats if you wish to. They may not let a 3yr old sit in the bulkhead, worth checking.

beehive · 30/08/2005 14:45

hi moondog, it was about 7 years ago now

trollprincess · 01/09/2005 08:50

Hi,
Does anyone know the earliest time a new born can be taken on an 8 hour flight. I'm going to give birth abroad (where we are working) but want to move back home after the birth and would like to know how long to wait.

billysmummy · 01/09/2005 11:41

hi trollprincess, there is website you might find helpful called babycentre.co.uk i think they say on there that a newborn can fly at a week old but its normally best to wait 4-6 weeks if you can. hope this website helps!

koalabear · 01/09/2005 11:56

we have 16 months old, and have flown 16 times on BA with him (including Oz and USA)

tips:

  1. you can't check in over the internet when you are flying with children, so don't even bother

  2. ring up before hand and ask for the basinet/bulk head seats - ring back 24 hours later to confirm, and then every two weeks until you fly

  3. get in early to check in (2-3 hours, not 1 hour) to make sure you get the bulk head seats

  4. the "car seat" is the worlds most uncomfortable seat - just plastic covered with thin fabric - take a small blanket for padding - it gets fixed to the fold down table in front of you, as does the "basinet"

  5. the new planes do not have the screen over the baby, but in the armrest for the bulk head seats (they swing upwards in front of you) - if you want to watch tele, get these out before you put the child seat up, or they are stuck down there for the remainder of the flight

  6. i would suggest that 1 of the 3 adults sit separately, and that you sit adult/child/adult in the 3 configeration, with the baby on one of your laps - trying to cope with child and baby with only one adult is not helpful

  7. be really nice to the check in staff and the stewards - it usually pays off

  8. for your 3 year old, take lots of colouring books, and if possible, a DVD player with her fav movies

  9. make sure you ask for a toddler meal for her, or she wont get any food

  10. for 7 month old, take own food as they do not supply - from personal experience, try to take white or yellow food - orange substances multiply and go EVERYWHERE

  11. take twice as many nappies as you would usually use for that time frame - something about the airpressure makes them poo more, a lot more

  12. give your 7 months old a feed (bottle/breast) on take off and landing to help with ears - you need to start when they close the doors and push back from the dock as this is when the pressuring starts in the cabin - on descent, ask the hostess, but they usually start descending about 30 mintues before hand, and this is when the baby will need to drink to help equalise the pressures in his/her ears

  13. also take karvol and put on muslin to help with ears - something about the smell helps the equalisation also

  14. take a spare top for you and hubby - my DS usually manages to throw up on me

  15. if baby on formula, take premixed stuff in carton - much easier than trying to mix it on board

ummm, i think that's that main things ... sorry for going on a bit - good luck

billysmummy · 01/09/2005 12:02

how do you do it koalabear?!! am in awe travelling that many times, we are off next saturday on a 9 hour flight with a 13 month old, any tips for his entertainment?!

koalabear · 01/09/2005 12:11

is he walking / crawling? is he active
does he like books being read to him?
this is a really difficult age as they are active, but can't as yet entertain themselves (we did Cyprus at this age, which thankfully was only 4.5 hours)

we did lots of walking up and down the aisles
lots of reading books
lots of his favourite snacks (raisons, fruit, etc)
we took toys which he hadn't seen before (litte ones which fit easily in your handbag), and brought a new one out each time he got a bit figgity
he was also into putting things in and out of boxes, so he spent a lot of time taking things in and out of my toiletry bag

hope this helps

koalabear · 01/09/2005 12:12

oh, and 9 hour flight, he will probably nap at some stage - absolute blessing - good luck

billysmummy · 01/09/2005 12:16

the toiletry bag is a brilliant idea!! he is really into putting things in boxes at the mo too, keeps him quiet for ages but we had thought his shape sorters etc would be too bulky so this is a great alternative!!

he is walking and am worried he's going to be VERY restless. am travelling with my husband and both my parents so thankfully theres a few more pairs of hands! thank you for that!!

billysmummy · 01/09/2005 12:17

have also taken on board the info that the air pressure makes them poo more so will be well stocked on more nappies than usual - very useful thank you!

Original poster
ginnycook · 04/09/2005 06:53

What can I say - thank you so much for all your tips. I have been underwhelmed by BA, who are clearly not the World's favourite Airline for parents, but we're stuck with them now so will have to make the best of it. We don't have a seat for my 7 monther, so it'll be me and my mum up front, and my 3 year old and my husband behind I think. Clearly the carry on luggage will be largely nappies, sedatives and baby padding!! The bassinet is too small for him, and by the sound of it the Britax is not great and there's no guarantee of it anyway - WHY can't they book one for you the day before anyway? BA has really p...d me off, so much for being an Executive Club holder. However I will be smiling and friendly all the way through checkin and boarding as you advise!

OP posts:
Original poster
ginnycook · 04/09/2005 06:57

oh and I forgot to say - BA customer relations: not much use either. I had a panic about baby milk powder, as have to take 3 boxes with me (worried in case baby refuses local US stuff - am I being unnecessarily paranoid?). Anyway wanted to check that customs dogs won;t sniff it, bark frantically indicating illegal narcotics, and get the suitcase ripped open and the milk powder strewn everywhere. The guy didn;t know so advised me to travel with our suitcases undone. Apparently having your suitcase ripped open and contents damaged by US customs is worse than having your stuff stolen by baggage handlers. Just can't wait for my holiday!

OP posts:
Vornsta · 05/09/2005 13:11

I am going to be flying to NZ on NZ airlines with a baby and a 3 year old - anyone know how good they are with babies?

RTKangaMummy · 05/09/2005 13:25

When we were in NZ we used NZ airlines but DS was 6 years old then and they were ok

sorry don't know about babies but will bump this for you

If you bump in the evening then the mnetters in NZ will prob be able to help

They will be asleep atm {iyswim}