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Original poster

Flying to Oz with a 15month old - buy him his own seat?

20 replies

wickedfairy · 22/04/2013 14:46

Will be travelling to Oz when DS2 will be 15 months - it's obviously a long way to go and DH says we must get him his own seat and refuses to have him on his knee. He's a big boy already so I think it would be too long to have him on our laps and deal with the other 2 children as well.

If we buy him his own seat we would have to hold him for take-off/landing due to his age, but then can we just use the seat for him to sit in/sleep without a car seat? Seems no point taking one, especially as it wont meet regulations in Oz... Have flown before but the others have been over 2 years of age.... How does it work?

Also, it looks like it will be about £1k for his seat! We can just about manage it but it's such a lot of money for a baby to have a seat. Then again, it's such a long journey to be holding a big toddler.......

What do you think?

OP posts:

AttilaTheMeerkat · 22/04/2013 15:31

I would buy him his own seat and read about the seats provided for infants on the airline's website.

Car seat is a non starter anyway as it likely won't fit the aircraft seat either. You really do not want to be carrying such a seat along the aircraft aisle either as they are not very wide at the best of times.

Wishwehadgoneabroad · 22/04/2013 15:34

Have you flown to Oz before?

Can't think of anything worse than flying with a 15 month old to Oz unless you had to!!! It really is a long long flight, even with a stop.

I would definitely get him his own seat, if nothing else to give you all some room.

WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo · 22/04/2013 15:39

I second buying him his own seat. It is such a long way and if you have seats in front of you it is unlikely to be comfortable for either of you.

If he is the kind of child amused by the tv, then he could watch the children's channels, on his own screen, even for a short while. And there will be more space to stash his bag full of bits and pieces for the flight instead of balancing stuff in the overhead locker.

Consider the airfare as an investment into your sanity and comfort!

yellowhousewithareddoor · 22/04/2013 15:41

We were going to do just this (and yes, definitely get a seat .ye didn't when we took just the 11 month old and regretted it). However the thought of doing such a horrendous journey with no sleep at all for over 24 hours again scared me silly. We're leaving it until next year. . .

Original poster

wickedfairy · 22/04/2013 16:13

Thanks for your thoughts! It's a family wedding so we have to go, otherwise we would have left it until later!!

Looks like the seat is re way to go, will check out what the airline says re seats...

OP posts:

Crutchlow35 · 22/04/2013 18:39

Definitely buy a seat. Means you can lift the arm rests and baby can lie out for a sleep. We did this with ds and he slept 10 hurs of the 12 to and from Singapore.

OhGood · 22/04/2013 18:41

I only survived flight back from Africa because the airline took pity on me and gave me a seat for DD, who was 18 months. I was on my own though.

Nightmare, buy him his own seat.

Snazzynewyear · 22/04/2013 18:44

I think unfortunately you're at about the worst age to do that journey - too young to watch films continuously but old enough to be exhaustingly mobile. If you can pay for a seat without it bankrupting you, I would. Luckily the airline staff have been great each time I've done it.

oldtoys · 22/04/2013 18:46

dont expect to sleep and you'll be fine. we did that route many times and it worked best if my expectations were v low! if he sleeps you'll be surprised and delighted! if he doesnt you'll have expected it so.

yetanotherworry · 22/04/2013 18:48

We flew to Oz when dd was 11 months old and bought her a seat. She spent a lot of time on my lap but it was worth it for the extra space for getting toys out and eating/having drinks etc...

We did have a cheeky mare sit next to us who tried to insist I put dd on my lap so she could sit in dd's seat because she didn't want her feet to get knocked by the trolley when she went to sleep.

oldtoys · 22/04/2013 18:59

the alternative to not buying him a seat is that you'll get a family row of four seats anyhow, and perhaps apart from takeoff and landing where he has to sit strapped to your lap, he will wander around the plane for walks with your DC or with DH. if you all have a plan of taking turns with the baby so you all get a little nap at least, then time may pass quicker than you think!!

Crutchlow35 · 23/04/2013 06:43

but you wouldnt get a row of 4. you would if no bulkhead spaces left but they would allocate bulkhead first. that wouls be a nightmare

nowahousewife · 23/04/2013 06:59

Definately buy him a seat. As other have said you can raise the arms between your seats and the DC's can stretch out to sleep. How old are the other two DC's?

I've done the trip to NZ many times, once by myself with a 5 month old and a two year old - now that was a killer! But the worst was when DC1 was 10 months old, she was and absolute nightmare for the whole 28 hrs!
Best advice I had was from my mothers GP in NZ who said to drug her for the return trip, it's amazing the effect Phenergan has in knocking them out . Fully expect to get some flack for admitting this on here!

HollyMadison · 23/04/2013 07:41

Yes buy him a seat. That age is pretty tough. Consider splitting up the trip and having 3 days in Singapore. Book a night flight out of Heathrow so he hopefully sleeps most of the first leg. At that age my DC was too young for TV and spent most of our flight to Bangkok opening and closing the buckle on the safety belt.

soundevenfruity · 23/04/2013 08:19

Whether you buy him a seat or not definitely keep your expectations low and don't expect to sleep. The only survival tip for such a long journey.

Ragwort · 23/04/2013 08:25

It's a family wedding so we have to go - you don't HAVE to go - obvously if you want to then go, but personally, having flown to Australia on my own (as an adult) there is no way I would go there with young children/babies. I've just turned down an invitation to a wedding less than 200 miles away in this country because I couldn't face the journey/time etc. I clearly have no sense of adventure .

I wish you luck.

Original poster

wickedfairy · 23/04/2013 16:05

We want to go to the wedding, it is my siblings so we wouldn't miss it! The other children will be 6 and 3, the eldest will watch tv no problems, the middle will probably require some more work!!

Looks like DH was right in saying a seat would be best...

OP posts:

Wishwehadgoneabroad · 23/04/2013 20:18

Don't be so sure that watching TV will be 'no problems'!

I'm an adult - I was literally tearing my hair out on this flight. We went Heathrow to Hong Kong, then straight back on to Sydney.

Seriously, it is a totally different experience to flying say, 8 hours to the States. Totally different. Unless you've done it, it's difficult to comprehend. Agree with Ragwort, I definitely wouldn't go with children/babies unless I was moving there LOL

Really hope you are going for 3+ weeks and hope you have a fab time!

And definitely get that seat

Airhostie87 · 25/04/2013 21:15

If your flying from Heathrow consider Virgin as we have this new thing where you can buy an extra seat for a nominated fee if there are seats available. I think prices start from like £99. It's called seat plus. Might be an idea to ask if there is seat plus available on the flight you want to book. Its means you can have wee man on your lap for take off and landing and have the extra seat without paying the huge price. Just an option for you

Mutley77 · 30/04/2013 14:08

I really don't agree with the people saying it is a flight not worth considering with children. It is a totally different perspective when you have relatives there and "have" to go - you don't even think about it!!!

Tbh I have found the flight almost easier doing it with children than when I was an adult in my 20s flying alone or with DH - you see it as an endurance and get through it as best you can - the end result is an achievement! Also any peace and quiet when the kids are asleep is actually quite enjoyable in that context so is nice to read or watch a movie.

Those talking about tearing hair out are forgetting that half of the flight at least is a night flight and in my experience the kids sleep no matter what age they are. We have done it with our DCs at varying ages (8 weeks, 15 months, 2 years, 4 years, 5 years and 8 years). The hardest was definitely 15 months - but I am obviously v tight as I refused to pay for a seat for him and it was absolutely fine - other than the fact he vomited on me at London on take off and I had no spare clothes!!!! (never made that mistake again).

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