Connection or direct?

[makeitpretty]

I am in the process of planning a holiday to Hong Kong later this year. I've done this trip many times before but this time I'll be traveling with my ds who will be 9 months old.

We have the choice of flying from a local airport, at a cheaper price but it means making a connection. Or, we could fly direct from Heathrow at a higher price and it's three hours car journey away.

Would it be less hassle to take the direct flight considering we will be travelling with a baby? Which option would you take?

We've done both. By preference we now fly local, and have several hours at Schipol. Tis much less stressful at local airport than Theathrow!

Take a sling, as you MAY not get the pushchair back for transfer.

Cheap is not always cheerful however.

How long is the proposed connection time and where?. Connections anyway can add yet more time to an already long day.

(It may be better to fly back to the UK direct from HK as well).

We're going to HK later in the yr and flying via Frankfurt. Heathrow is close for us but could go premium with Lufthansa for less than BA direct and DH is 6' tall!

Local airport would be travelling with Air France via Paris and stop over would be a few hours max. My only concern is getting baby settled on the flight then only having to get off and do it all over again on second flight.

It is appealing though flying from local airport as it'll be so much easier when returning home after a long flight.

I always think about the total journey time from when you leave home, when comparing options.
If the times are close, I would opt for one where the long section is overnight
(Or the one which avoids Heathrow)

My guess is that Long haul direct will have a bassinet & will be set up for sleeping babies.
Connection may not have anywhere for baby to sleep.
18m old DS2 screamed all the way from Atlanta to West Coast one time, because he couldn't sleep on my lap after the Transatlantic leg with no sleep either.
Babies sleep well in cars, too.
My vote is absolutely take the direct.

Charles De Gaulle?
Ok, I'm changing my mind. Fly direct. Its a hellish airport.

We use the time at Schipol to eat, run around (your not at this stage yet), and generally wear them out. DS2, at about 18 months then crashed out in a sling, and slept most of the way. We usually go for a mid afternoon start, and a midnight long leg.

I would pay extra to avoid CDG airport; its a right dump of a place and signage is poor.

Also your return flight to the UK would be via Paris so it will add hours to an already long day.

Direct

Direct. Agree that CDG is a really really horrible airport - much worse than Heathrow. I'd pay not to go there.

Thank you for all of your replies. Only ever been to Paris vis Eurostar so wouldn't of known the airport is so bad, thanks for the heads up!
Looks like direct flight it is!

I read this thinking you would be flying Emirates and thought go local. Then when I saw airFrance and CDG I changed my mind! DON'T DO IT!
Could you not fly KLM via Schipol or Emirates via Dubai? Otherwise, EVA/Cathay out of Heathrow every time.

Worth looking into connections via schipol which is easy. I would not want 3h drive home after flight back from far east!

Baby will settle better on direct flight. Staff are usually very helpful and you won't have her/his routine disturbed by getting off the plane and hanging around.