Flying to Auckland on Air New Zealand, via HKG with 12 month old - any tips?

[Ginga]

I am flying to NZ with my DD to see my family. All booked and flying ANZ via Hong Kong. Any tips on ANZ with a baby, HKG facilities - flying straight through but have a couple of hours on the plane and how to deal with the dreaded jet lag. Leave here in the evening so a night flight to HKG but we land in NZ at 915 in the morn. Looking forward to seeing family but not the flight. Any advice very gratefully received.

How olds DD? It probably won't be as bad as you think in my experience ...

How does DD move? Crawl or walk?

MAke her walk or crawl around airport NOT sit in buggy

Deffo make her move around non stop at every opertunity

We flew Air NZ last year to Australia and NZ we were in Business class which is deffo brill sorry cant comment on econ

Are you taking dd's car seat - if she has her own seat on the plane her own car seat can be useful and familiar for her - and containing! You could also try calpol to help her get some sleep and adjust her routine. She is too young for phenegan I think.

Oops, sorry to mention my DD will be 12 1/2 mths old - crawling very fgast and cruising but doesn't like to be held to walk. Thanks for ideas so far. Don't plan to take car seat as hire car has one and we have too much else to take already!

Oh Oh... we're flying the same way via HK on the 25th!!! We took DS to Montreal last month as a practice run!! Not!! Flew economy but we had access to airport lounges thru one of our credit cards, worth checking to see if you can arrange something as it made a real difference to be able to little our 'crawler' go free for a couple of hours. Our ds is too big for the bassinet but it gives you a bit of extra leg room as it's right at the front and you have enough room to lay them on the floor if they're a good sleeper. Also worth asking if the flight is full when you check in. If not... smile sweetly and ask if it is possible for them to 'block' the seat next to you.
Me panicking about the jetlag and how he's going to adjust to the time difference! Have a brilliant trip.

Good luck for your flight too on the 25th. We fly 29th. Have spoken to ANZ about bassinet and also asked for seat next to us to be left free if pos. But only 5 empty seats in the plane!! We can hope! Have also looked into lounge at Heathrow - can't get one thru credit card but we think it might be worth the extra expense just to let her loose! Enjoy your time in NZ and here's hoping the weather is Fab!

Good luck eveyone we are flying via Singapore to Auckland today . Fingers crossed for you that you have a great flight - I have 5 year old twins so I am hoping should be ok.

Pah! I'm not jelous or anything!! We have traveled from Manchester to Auckland so many times with our oldest (now 3). When he was 4 months, when he was 18 months and when he was 2. He was really good every time which suprised me. As if he 'knew' he had to be a good boy. Take loads of books to read and toys and snacks are a good idea to keep your little one amused. We are moving back to Auckland later in the year but we must be suckers for punishment because this time we've got 2 kids so will be travelling with 8 month old and 3 1/2 year old!

Oh Haribosmum - we are actuallly visiting to do a reccie and then if we like it moving there. Are you a Kiwi?

Haribosmum - you are so brave!! Family duty and all that means I need to take my little one 'home' but have kept on putting it off, waiting for the right time, whatever that means! Any tips for dealing with the jet lag? Think I can cope with the flight although you can imagine my response when my DH said that he might like to buy 5 (yes, FIVE!!!) books for him to read on the journey!! Not sure he totally understands! He also thinks he might catch a film or two as we haven't been out that much in the past year. Uuuuummmmmmm!!!!

No I'm just a plain old Brit but I've seen the light! (Well actually the lifestyle!) It's just so much better over there for kids IMHO. The jetlag wasn't such a problem. Yeah everyone was tired all day but from what I remember no major dramas.

Farawaytree, you will LOVE it! My husband has 2 sisters over there and another one moving over soon. Just very hard on my Mum and Dad, I'm an only child and I feel like such an ogre taking their grandkids away again. But you've got to do what you have to do in life and amoungst all the tears I'm sure they understand( they can afford to visit anyway).