Advice flying on Virgin Atlantic with 3 year old and 4 month old

[finland]

We are travelling on Virgin to Cape town next week with our 3 month old and 3 year old. We have booked a cot for our baby and reserved a child seat ( like one on bottom of this link www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/travellingwithchildren/index.jsp)

Just wondered if anyone had any experience of the child seat and whether my 3 year old would be better off without it? We will probably be in bulk overhead seat because of the baby so armrests probably wont come up. Just wondered if anyone knew how comfortable the seats are for 3 year old and if it reclines. Any other tips on getting 3 year old to sleep on 12 hour night flight much appreciated!

It really depends on how big your 3 year old is. It might be better support for sleeping (otherwise they are likely to take up their seat and yours!) as it will give more support.

I've done that flight loads but with one child of varying age up to 4. Virgin have always been really good. Take some new toys that DC can choose but only for plane. Talk through what's going to happen and how you expect your DC to behave and possibly a reward at end for good behaviour?! (the holiday clearly not being enough!)

I would also bank on getting very little sleep so don't plan a busy day or arrival.

Thanks. Do you know if the seat reclines? Also if we don't get on with it is it easy to take off?

We used their child seat a long time ago so it may have changed but it looks similar

I would avoid it as mine prefer more space
Get a child neck pillow instead

It depends how big your 3-year-old is, but mine were way too big for the virgin child seats by that age (though mine are big and tall for their ages). They used them from 4/5 months to about 18 months, then just sat in the normal seat with pillows etc.

Unless the design of the seat has changed much, it doesn't really recline, so is not comfortable for sleeping in. It was useful for keeping the younger one strapped in while I took the older one to the loo etc - I suppose if you have a smallish, wriggly 3-year-old, it could be useful to keep them in one place while you change the baby's nappies and so on.

There is probably no harm in booking one, and if you try it out and find that it is too small or uncomfortable, the crew will just take it and stow it away again.

Other tips for getting 3-year-old to sleep - take pyjamas for them to change into, take your own little blanket or mini duvet (my two had cot-size duvets they took on flights with them until they were five or six), and a cuddly toy or two (soothing, and also extra padding as the inflight pillows are small). Restful music on an ipod (with toddler-friendly earphones) can also be useful.