American Airlines - toddler friendly?

[lyndap]

May have to fly London-LA in November with dh and dd who will be 22 months.
Have to fly with American and wondered if anyone had experience of their "toddler friendliness"?
It's a 12 hour flight and TBH, I'm dreading it. DD flew for 5 hours back in May but was not quite walking then. I gave her an anti-histamine prescribed by our GP but it made her hyper.... I'm tempted just to take the whole bottle myself and let her father deal with the journey but a more constructive approach would probably be best!

NO. I had the most awful experience on American airlines with my ds when he was a toddler and I was pregnant with dd. They were the most insensitive rude unhelpful airline I have ever flown on and I wouldn't even fly with them if the ticket was free (my parents keep offering me their free frequent flyer tickets on american and I choose to pay to fly on ba instead).

Didn't think American Airlines were friendly to anyone, never mind toddlers!

I went to away with a.a in april and they were really nice to us...Our dd was 16 months,didnt have her seat paid for but they got one for us anyway....

shame - I have always had such good service from AA... compared to others - mind you that was pre-children days!!

Last time I flew AA, there was a v elderley Indian couple who were on the second leg of a long journey. AA had messed up and not supplied their order for veg food, they were hungry and distressed, and the stewardess said, sarcastically 'this is an airline, not a restaurant!'
Then, as we prepared for landing, someone had not stowed their bag after several announcemnts. the stewardess yelled 'Sir! Please put your bag away. If this plane turns upside down, as well it might, other passengers will not want you bag crushing their skulls!'

My advice: take several bottles of the anti-histamine yourself.

Sorry - I think you just have to gear yourself up for a difficult 12 hours, and equip yourself with the usual distractions, snacks and drinks. In any case, what can cabin crew actually do to help all that much?

Blu, cabin crew can be very helpful. On BA they always check people with babies in first. They prebook people with under 2's in the bulkhead, giving them priority over freqent fliers. The flight attendants frequently ask if you need anything. I was given extra food too. They took away our trays as soon as we'd finished instead of making us wait until they started clearing everyone else's. They always offer to take our buggy on board so that we will have it at the other end. They play and chat with my children during their breaks....

The kinds of things you described with aa with that elderly couple are absolutely standard with them. I have seen them be really rude to an elderly lady who wasn't sitting down fast enough after going to the toilet. I said something to the flight attendant, I was so angry.

Hi,

With regards to your own circumstances you will be able to take a pushchair up to the departure gate but your DD is going to have to sit on your lap (as she will not have her own seat until the age of 2). You need to determine exactly what she will get from AA in terms of seats etc. You can allocate seats if you book early enough.

If you can use another carrier (preferably a UK based one like Virgin or BA) I would use them instead.

To my mind they are on a par with United - would not use them unless I had to.

Thanks, Guys.
You have pretty much confirmed my fears. I reckon I just have to steel myself for a bit of a horrible journey on the basis that we'll have a great time in California and Cancun (dh's business trip!) once we get there.
BTW, we have to fly AA as my m-i-l works for them (ground staff, I hasten to add!) and we get ridiculously cheap seats.
I am a bit worried that our dd won't be allowed a seat of her own though - not even if we pay?

Thanks for all of your comments