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Flying to Australia with a 15 month old

17 replies

Bouj · 03/04/2004 15:55

We are planning to go to visit my family in Australia in July, when ds will be 15 months old. Does anyone have any advice/tips for making this a painless as possible? Thanks in advance!

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bloss · 09/04/2004 12:39

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fjl · 09/04/2004 11:20

thank you so much for the tips, FJL and I will be fine, I will get him to give his best gummy smile to the cabin crew and anyone around us. We fly out on Sunday night so only 2 sleeps to go...

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suzywong · 09/04/2004 10:23

Bouj
We did exactly the same thing with DS1 at exactly the same age.
You have excellent advice so far.
Singapore Airlines or Malaysain are fantastic with kids.
I would make a point of making eye contact and smiling at adjacent passengers when you get settled, that way if they get shirty you have moral highground and if they get really arsey you can let rip at them and everyone will woner why they are being unpleasant to that nice woman.

FWIW, when DS1 was 6 months we did the journey too on Singapore Airlines and on the way back it everyone was sleeping and the cabin was dark apart from one woman sitting at the opposite side of the cabin from us who was reading her book with the window shutter up thus shinig bright sunlight across the cabin and directly onto my boy who was not happy. The delightfully helpful and child friendly cabin crew asked me if there was anything they could do to help me calm him and I asked them to tell the woman to use the overhead light and shut the shutter. She refused. So I charged over with wailing baby under arm and sat next to her and told her to shut the shutter or we weren't moving.
Stupidly she told me she only had a few pages of her book to go. Baby cranked up the decibels I let fly the expletives and she shut that shutter.

The moral of the story is once you have the cabin crew on your side you can do what you need to.

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eidsvold · 09/04/2004 10:01

and remember - all that matters is your little one - you will not see the other passengers again so if they start with dirty looks etc if your little one is unsettled IGNORE them.

We had a man refused to sit next to us as we had dd ( 8 months at the time) He went up the back -so we spread out and got settled, dd slept all the way to Singapore and he then appeared at landing ( cause we were closer to the exit) and moaned about the terrible time he had. I just smiled to myself.

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sar7 · 08/04/2004 19:54

I flew to Oz with my son when he was one with BA. The staff basically ignored us and were only helped us when we asked. When the Asian staff got on at Singapore it was a total change. They walked round with him, constantly checked that we had enough milk, nappies etc and could not have been more helpful.

My doctor told me 'off the record' that I could give my son Piriton to help him sleep en route. It did not work! He did not sleep much at all but was very happy nonetheless.

The one tip I would give is to think about how to manage jet lag when you get there. I was so wound up about the flight that I forgot about the effect once we got there. It took him about 5 days to settle down. Funnily enough, when we came home he seemed to get straight back into his routine.

And remember not to worry about it - it's only one day in your life and you can cope with anything for 24 hours!

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fjl · 08/04/2004 10:25

I am travelling to Australia with my 6 month old alone as hubby has to work, am a bit nervous about the flight, he is a good sleeper and eater but any helpful tips will be more than welcome. I am not taking any pushchairs, cote etc as it is all there for me already, so just things for the flight. Thanks

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kiwisbird · 05/04/2004 10:11

word about phenergan... my son had reaction to it inflight and went hyper mental....
test it before you go!

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Bouj · 05/04/2004 10:08

Thanks all for the advice - it's much appreciated. I was thinking Singapore Airlines as they have always been my favourite. I am definitely going to investigate Phenergan as he is not the best at sleeping when not in his cot. And the facilities at Singapore sound excellent. I just have this vision of horror - ds awake and stroppy for 28 hours!! At least he will have a doting grandma to make up for it at the other end!! Oh, I will also search for old threads. Thanks.

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bloss · 05/04/2004 04:55

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bloss · 05/04/2004 04:54

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kiwisbird · 04/04/2004 20:40

I flew SA and Cathay Pacific from NZ to UK with 22 mth old and again when he was 3yrs old.
They were both fabulous, SA has the edge, they are just a little more attuned to your needs, offered to walk DS to toilets, if I was eating, took him to meet the pilot and showed him all thelittle things he was interested in. Really superb service

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sibble · 04/04/2004 20:30

Agree with toddlerbob re. BA, also same applies to Quantas IMO. Singapore are fantastic as everybody says and also found Cathaty Pacific to be equally good. We stayed at the hotel adjoining Hong Kong airport which was great but the facilites are nowhere near as good as Singapore which knocks your socks off.

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eidsvold · 04/04/2004 11:09

Singapore Airlines were brilliant when we first flew with dd ( 8 months at the time) We are returning to Aus with them in June. The cabin crew are brilliant with children and they seem to anticipate every need.

I offered dd a bottle with water at take off and landing. We had two night flights with a very brief stopover in Singapore - it suited us to get the travelling over in one go. We prebooked the sky cot and that was brilliant. We put dd in her pjs and sleeping bag and she slept all the way to Singapore - woke briefly whilst on the ground and then slept all the way through to Brisbane.

This time she will be almost 2 - so it will be different - she has her own seat but also a skycot as she is so little. We are taking her car seat for her to sit in on the plane (only cause we are emigrating and so need to take it anyway.)

As she was bottle fed - I took premixed cartons of formula and steribottles - one use and then throw so I could jettison stuff on the way. Once on board - the crew gave us nappies, little bags for disposal and wipes. I had not ordered a meal as I took what dd liked to eat best - they still gave us one.

This time I will take little snacks for her, her favourite books and some little toys to keep her occupied. Although it is an afternoon departure - it turns into a night flight - if that makes sense.

When we flew there seemed to be a number of toddlers/babies flying on the same flights and others I have spoken to cannot recommend Singapore airlines enough. The airport in SIngapore is brilliant - lots to keep children amused with a transit hotel - book rooms for short stay along with fitness facility, soft play area, children's play area and swimming pool.


I know there are a few threads on this if you do a search.

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toddlerbob · 04/04/2004 10:50

BA baby friendly: my bottom (would have said arse but have read swearing thread). They were horrible to me, lost my buggy for a week and were horrible to me on the way back. I would never use them again.

Go Singapore.

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papillon · 04/04/2004 10:32

Info on baby and planes

British Airways has been voted as the most baby friendly airline.

Also this info about airports and babies

this is good info for me too.. as we will be flying with our dd to NZ.

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Bouj · 04/04/2004 10:05

Thanks papillon. I'm thinking we will go via Singapore and get a hotel room for the hours we are there. Most of his favourite toys (at the moment anyway) are the marvellously noisy electronic ones!! Will have to start introducing quiter toys between now and then. I also meant to ask if anyone had any suggestions on which airline/travel agent etc was more baby friendly?

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papillon · 03/04/2004 17:15

I have not travelled with my dd yet, but I have friends who have travelled with their kids.
Having a stop over so the baby can sleep is what I often hear being a good idea. Take favourite toy and fav snacks.
If u bf doing this if the child is anxious may help during takeoff.

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