British Airways Short Haul with 13 mo old

[Sarah2506]

Hi,

Just wondering if someone can clarify exactly what happens if you book a short haul flight with BA. On the website it suggests I can take her pram and a car seat. If I don't book her a seat then what happens to the car seat? Do they literally just stick it in the overhead? I'm assuming that if we don't book her a seat then it is a case of her being sat on our laps all the way, which I anticipate will be horrendous for 2 hours, but I'm loathed to pay for a seat. It says on the website that we can reserve seats for free on booking. Where is best to reserve seats on an A320? if we book a window and middle do they often keep the aisle free? I would hate to be the third person in a row with a fractious child who will want to move around.

If someone could just explain how it works I'd be grateful!

You can either check in the car seat or take it to the gate. The air staff will then take your car seat / pram away and load it on the aircraft. They'll give if back you at the plane door when you land.

We took our 11 month old on a BA flight for four hours. It was a business trip and my husbands firm paid for the ticket. I wouldn't have done this if we'd been paying as a child seat is basically the same cost as an adult seat. A baby on your lap is 10% on BA and really fine.

If she has her own seat she'll have to sit, strapped on your lap when you take off, land and if there's turbulence. She can't sit in her car seat on the plane seat unless it's a specific type. BA could tell you.

If she still has a bottle give her one as you take off, or bf her is still bfing. It helps with the pressure in her ears.

Good luck.

For choosing the best seat, this is a nifty site: www.seatguru.com

Whether someone is put in the third seat depends on how busy the flight is - people won't choose it unless they have to, and in my experience, check in staff will generally try and find you the best seats, which unless it's a very full flight, wouldn't be that one!

On BA you can pay to reserve seats when you book - might be a good idea? Otherwise, you're in the 24 hour beforehand scramble with everyone else, and there's no guarantee you and your husband would even get seats next to each other…

You will be fine for 2 hours, we took dd to Australia at 11 months!

Agree with the advice above, feed during take off and landing, dont bother with an extra seat.

BA short haul is rubbish. Good luck!

I do 1 1/2 hours on BA with 14 month DD regularly.
She's fine on my lap, take lots of small snacks, books, bf in takeoff and landing. It's not necessarily relaxing, but it's fine.
Car seat and buggy can be checked in.
On the occasions when DH comes too its easy peasy!

And you get to book your seats for free in advance when you have a LO, so yes, I'd go for window and middle and hope the flight was quiet. But having said that, when I'm on my own we are generally sharing a 2 with a stranger, it's still fine

Ah thanks! I reckon that no matter how bad it is it will be managable for a couple of hours! I used Seat Guru a lot in my pre DD days but I reckon considerations are different now. Where is the best place to sit? If we did manage to get the front row of economy - which would be good as extra legroom - then any single traveller is going to run for the spare at online check in not knowing there would be a baby next to them! More chance of keeping the spare if further down the back. Also maybe better to be near the loo, which I assume (hope) has baby changing? Is there enough room to change a nappy at the seat if need be - major poo through on take off etc?!

The toilets have change tables, so not plenty of room, but easier than the seat. The front row of economy can be good, your DD has the option of standing in the area around your feet for some of the flight as a change of scene (and if lucky when the food/tea is served). On the minus side, you have to put your bags in the overhead locker. You will be fine!

I'd avoid the front row - too popular with other passengers, and for me, having the bag of snacks/toys accessible at all times was key!

Nappies- probably not on the seat, but there are tables in the loos, as another poster said. They are small though!

Hi, I didn't mean the actual front row, rather the front row of economy where there is the curtain between you and business!