ba or aer lingus to Boston with baby and 8 year old?

[ProbablyJustGas]

I could use a few opinions if anyone has experience travelling long haul with babies and older children on these airlines. We are looking at flying to Massachusetts to visit my family during dsd's Easter break. Dsd would be 8 and has flown to the USA with us twice now - she knows the drill and we know what to do to keep her entertained. But it would be my first time flying with dd who would be about 4 1/2 months old. We'd be taking dd to meet relatives and her grandfather for the first time.

We are looking at either ba (the devil we know and the economy seats to Boston are comfy enough for two six footers) or aer lingus (the cheapest). Anyone have experience flying long haul with an infant on these airlines that could weigh in? I'm really hoping to get a sky cot for dd. Is that easy enough to get on either airline or is one better for it?

Any reports on whether one airline or the other is more sympathetic towards travelling parents? Dd is a lovely baby, but she goes from zero to sixty in no time flat and has a really screamy cry if we can't address what's wrong in time. I'm coming to terms with being "that family" during this trip, but whichever airline might make the journey slightly easier on us would be ideal.

So yeah, would love to hear some opinions!

I flew to Orlando with my daughter on aer lingus when she was 4 months. They were absolutely fab. The air hostesses were all very jolly and made a big fuss of her and took her for a wee walk when she got fractious. I have also flown the same route with BA without a child and they were also good. Perhaps slightly more upmarket, but would happily go aer lingus again.

I suspect you will get priority seating with both so I would probably choose BA because you can go from terminal 5 at Heathrow which is a bonus. A big bonus in my view. I assume they are the same baggage allowance but I think you will find all members of staff are used to babies flying and no airline should be poor in this respect. Although it is inevitable some staff are more pro babies than others - whatever the airline! I would check leg room, carry on baggage regulations and food/milk warming arrangements and other practicalities.

I would also choose BA given that they also have more flexibility in the event things go wrong (eg cancelled/delayed flights).

DD may now be too big to actually fit into one of the skycots; these are usually for newborns. Do check BA's website though; their website is quite easy to find information on.

You will have a choice of a skycot or a seat which looks a lot
Like a car seat with BA.