does anyone work for an airline, specifically Singapore?

[harrogatemum]

Hi - I am planning to book a flight to Singapore on a Saturday in May for myself, DH and the DTS. They will be 18 months old so we dont have to buy them seats but the thought of them sitting on our laps for 14 hours fills me with dread. They are too big for skycots.
My travel agent says that the only way we can guarantee getting seated at a bulkhead is to check in really early.
Do you think I should risk the flight not being full and hope to get a seat for them to sit between us or would you think a flight to Singapore (ex Manchester) would be full on a sATurday and I should just shell out and buy a child priced seat so that we are guaranteed a more peaceful flight?
And is there no way of reserving the bulkhead seats?
Can anyone help me with this query???!!!!Its so much harder as there are two of them!

Can you actually use Singapore Airlines online check in service if you have children?.

I only ask as BA have such a service and you cannot use it at all if children are travelling with you.

Harrogatemum - you may be fortunate enough to get the bulkhead seats but they are usually reserved for families with newborns. I'd personally buy them each a seat (each child will have to be on a parent's lap for take off and landing).

Georginarf - can imagine well what transitting LAX was like on Air NZ. The words "truly awful" spring to mind.

yes LAX was grim - especially as we had 2 different flight numbers. NEVER AGAIN. I nearly lay down on the floor and threw a toddler fit, let alone DD (who behaved impeccably actually, unlike me)

seriously, why do they make flying with children so damn difficult. I see Emirates noew have a free sky nanny service - if only they flew to ChCH direct....

Hi Georginarf

Transitting through LAX on Air NZ is certainly not for the faint of heart. I have found that counting to 10 often helps!.

I actually found the procedure online for transitting through that airport on Air NZ - only 4 stages(!) but it can often be tortuous. "Never again", is also what my parents uttered when transferring through there as well on their Air NZ flight (they were flying to Honolulu).

Some airlines are far better than others when it comes to child passengers. Have always found BA to be good and Virgin to be poor in this context.

well I emailed Singapore Airlines to get the definitive answer. I dont need a car seat - phew!

im ex cabin crew you can buy seats for children and you dont need to have them in a car seat if you are going to have them on your knee for take off landing and turbulence, if you dont want them on your knee a child can go in a car seat from ages 1 - 3 but obviously you will have to pay for extra seat for under 2,s problem is the car seat can only be fitted into certain seats on aircraft and many of them cant be fitted as they arent hollow underneath maxi cosi and a couple of britax ones are the only ones that i came across. good reason for not letting your child sleep on floor unexpected turbulence can turn that child into a missile. friend worked a flight where parents had child on floor like this hit turbulence child was thrown in air hit ceiling ended up with massive head injuries and had to be resucitated! you wouldnt put an unrestrained child in a car a plane can be just as dangerous

Dont worry all I will not be putting my children on the floor to sleep. I hvae booked now anyway and have one child seat at an extortionate cost for the two boys to fight over.