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Baby friendly airlines to Washington

12 replies

Woby · 17/01/2008 20:59

Can anyone recommend the best airlines for travelling with a baby to Washington? Many thanks

OP posts:
Alva · 17/01/2008 23:00

No recommendations to share, but bumping this as I'm interested to hear views too...

AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/01/2008 08:14

WOuld use a UK based carrier rather than an American one. Virgin and BA fly direct into Washington Dulles airport.

phdlifeneedsanewlife · 18/01/2008 08:16

check whether Air New Zealand go there - we just flew with them to LA and Oz and they were FAB.

Sibble · 18/01/2008 08:28

Interesting I live in NZ and wouldn't touch Air NZ with a barge pole (but I don't like BA or Qantas either). I find them the least helpful with children and in general.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/01/2008 09:19

ANZ do not fly into Washington Dulles airport.

spanielsmom · 18/01/2008 09:32

I have flown to Washington with ds and dh since he was 4 months old about twice a year, and am going again in 2 weeks time, just with ds.

And I would always go Virgin, as I think they are fab - very helpful, nice new baby cots, although ds never spent more than a few minutes at a time in them, great support in the air.

They never even raised an eyebrow at continous bfing, and when older, happy to have ds roaming the ailes and saying hello to people (when they are not doing a food/drink service), helpful with heating milk, provide nice kids snacks and drinks,and just generally nice and cheerful.

Just some words of caution about Dulles - as far as I know, no airline can get your buggy to the gate, they are all sent to the luggage area, so it is a good idea to take a baby sling of some kind, as you can be stuck in immigration area for ages just queuing.

If you are bold and lo is young, ask ground crew to take you through the fast lane, due to fact that buggy was not at gate. I did not plan it, but worked for me when ds was really small.

spanielsmom · 18/01/2008 09:32

ds was 4 months old - obviously .

Twirl · 18/01/2008 18:46

We live in Washington DC and regularly do the journey to and fro the UK. We always fly Virgin, the staff are excellent and really go out of their way to help you with kids. We had a medical emergency with one of the children on one flight and the staff were superb. I would never fly with anyone else!
BTW, we have always got our pushchair back as soon as we get off the plane, and we use it right up until we board the plane....

temmy99 · 18/01/2008 22:02

scary stuff here, just when I am about to book American Airlines, not that I have flown with them before but having a multi city flight Lon - St Louis - NYC - Lon. Sorry for the hijack but what exactly is it with American based airlines, Attila?

AttilaTheMeerkat · 19/01/2008 16:26

Generally speaking they don't seem to treat their passengers as well. Also American charge pax for usage of their inflight headphones.

jennifersofia · 19/01/2008 16:43

So sorry, but we just flew Am airlines to Hawaii (10 hr then 7-ish hrs) and back and they were pretty crap. We have dc who are 6 and 5. Screen in seatbacks only on 1 flight out of 4, in flight entertainment pretty bad (20 min prog. of cartoon network played over and over for 8 hrs anyone?), had to pay for food on 3 out of 4 flights, and on some of those food offered (that you had to pay for) was very lame turkey sandwich (luckily vegetarian dh wasn't hungry and I had snacks) large cookie and a mars bar and that is it. Also we were seated in last row for all 4 flights, which actually didn't mind too much as were right near toilets. Also got delayed on one flight and had to stay overnight and wrangle to get a morning flight, as opposed to an evening one meaning an extra 8 hrs in LA. They did put us up in a hotel though. Staff all very friendly and helpful, but all around system was not great.

sabaidii · 20/01/2008 06:41

I'd take Virgin any day. American Airlines is horrible. I wish Thai Airways or Ethihad flew to Washington. My best flights have been with Thai.

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