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Original poster

Flying to Oz with a 15 month old - just how hard is it?

26 replies

Orchide · 16/03/2008 20:47

We are thinking of a holiday in Oz, this summer when dd will be 15 months, or next when she'll be 2.
Just how hard is it travelling with a little one? We havent flown with her as yet so have no idea what to expect.
Anyone got any suggestions/advice/opinions?

OP posts:
SSSandy2 · 16/03/2008 20:50

I would say the younger and less mobile she is, the easier the flight will be for you. However she might get more out of the holiday itself when she is older

Sidge · 16/03/2008 20:54

We flew to Perth last October when DD3 was 13 months.

We survived but my god it was bloody hard work. She hardly sat still and didn't sleep as much as I hoped she would. At least after 2 they have their own seat (but then you can get them a seat under 2, we just couldn't afford to.) We plan to go back (have relatives there) but not until she is at least 2 or 3.

Remember that our summer is their winter so the weather might be pants.

moondog · 16/03/2008 20:55

It's hell whatever way you look at it.

Original poster
Orchide · 16/03/2008 20:57

sadly don't have much choice, have to go in school hols.

So hard work sidge? That's what I'm dreading!

OP posts:
Piffle · 16/03/2008 21:00

lurking here. We fly to oz in October with ds2 who will be 18 mths. He is one this week and never stops talking, moving or mischief making. Add to that dd aged 5 and ds1 aged 14... Am quite frankly terrified...

sprogger · 16/03/2008 21:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Piffle · 16/03/2008 21:01

brothers wedding so cant not go...

sprogger · 16/03/2008 21:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SSSandy2 · 16/03/2008 21:03

It's hard work which isn't to say it can't be done. People do it all the time. It's a very long time for a dc to sit and for you to have to somehow occupy her. Do remember one heavily pregant woman lying stretched out over 3 seats looking green and practically dead to the world whilst her toddler crawled up and down, on my lap and back off and up and down the aisle, back over my lap for hours on end. I think the dm felt too ill to care but everyone sort of kept an eye out for him. Still imagine a plane full of little toddlers let loose!...

Well there'll be films, you go for an occasional promenade up and down the aisle, have books and drawing things and so on but still it is one heck of a long time to sit in a plane, you have to hope they sleep well.

Original poster
Orchide · 16/03/2008 21:04

sprogger, had not even considered your last point

Piffle- we would have DSS (10) but give him an electronic game or pile of books and i think he would be just fine [hopeful emoticon]

OP posts:
Piffle · 16/03/2008 21:08

am hopeful ds1 can help entertain ds2 as well... Dd should be ok for sleep, colouring and movies. But ds1 could wreak havoc he really is gung ho...

SSSandy2 · 16/03/2008 21:08

Think the 10 year old will be fine (I mean as fine as anyone can feel after that horrendous flight).

Do you have relatives/friends there? I have a sister in Australia otherwise tbh I wouldn't contemplate the flight

Sidge · 16/03/2008 21:09

Yes Orchide, very hard work! I'm a seasoned traveller, have flown long haul a lot, even took my two older ones on my own to Gibraltar when DD2 is disabled and at the time was immobile and tube fed and that was easier than taking DD3 to Oz!!

She didn't sleep when she normally would have done, and actually was awake all the way to Dubai and didn't go to sleep until we took off to Perth (so about 12 hours). I must have walked miles up and down the aisles of that plane...

The other passengers were fine, and to be fair it wasn't that she was screaming or crying because she didn't, she just didn't keep still. At all. So I hardly got a chance to eat or drink, and on the leg from Dubai to Perth (11 hours) DH and DDs 1 and 2 were 32 rows back as they couldn't seat us together if we wanted a bassinet. Luckily she slept after Dubai, but every time there was some turbulence (and there was a fair bit over the Indian Ocean) they woke me up as I had to take her out of the bassinet.

So yes, I have to be honest and say it was hell. But hey, it's only 24 hours out of your life and it was so worth it when we got there!

Piffle - you'll manage it, and your older two will have a ball. Non-stop personal TV and tons of food and drink!

Piffle · 16/03/2008 21:14

Ds1 flew as unaccompanied minor to nz (we're kiwis) 2 yrs ago... He's well seasoned traveller too

Sidge · 16/03/2008 21:16

Ah, it'll be a piece of gateaux for you then!

SSSandy2 · 16/03/2008 21:17

are you flying straight through Orchide, Piffle?

SueW · 16/03/2008 21:22

Flew to NZ with DD when she was 11mo and almost got a boat back but when we flew back at 13mo it wasn't quite as bad as I remembered although made a huge diff to shower at Singapore airport and generally freshen up properly. She'd already done about a dozen flights including to Canada and US so it wasn't like I hadn't practised.

Flew to NZ with her again at just over 3yo and that was better but we were fortunate to be business class so it was going to be really although we weren't overly impressed when the plane moved away from the gate by about 15 feet and then stayed there for the next hour.

I think you just have to keep repeating a mantra. Mine was 'This is only thirty six hours of my life, this is only thirty six hours of my life, this is.....'

moondog · 16/03/2008 21:42

Piff,was that you in the Observer today (or was it Guardian yesterday??)

evenhope · 16/03/2008 21:43

Can I laugh hollowly? {grin]

We got back from NZ on Thursday. DD was 1 on the day we landed. She really didn't like flying. On the way out our 2.30 pm flight was delayed until after 5.30pm so we ended up spending all day in the airport.

We had a bassinet but she only slept for about 1/2 hour at a time before she popped up. She discovered how to throw toys at us from the bassinet (and she's an amazing shot!!). Although we had a bulkhead the seats are still very close together.

Security was a nightmare, and on the next plane she BF for 9 hours straight.... I was really sore when we arrived. When we got on the 3rd plane she screamed blue murder as soon as she realised where we were- even before we took off.

Plus points were the other passengers were really nice. No-one tutted even when she screamed for 30 minutes on take off on the way home. People went out of their way to talk to us and help us. One tip we picked up is go to the front of the queue everywhere. We didn't like to but the other passengers made us. Going through security/ passport control just find a member of staff and they will take you to the front.

squeaver · 16/03/2008 21:52

Did flight to Oz (out to Sydney, back from Perth) when dd was 2.3. Def agree that you should try to fly to fit in with sleeping pattern. We got a flight that left at midday, arrived in Oz at 10pm - bit of bouncing around time then bed.

Also: take a portable DVD player (and spare battery) with you if you can - the in-flight movies will not be enough and it's useful when you get there.

Lots of snacks and small games e.g. sticker books, colouring books, a small tub of play-doh

And - maybe controversial this - drug them. Medised is good, also the new night-time Calpol. IME it'll take 3 nights for them to adjust each way. I gave dd a dose of Medised when she woke up wide awake at 3am for those first few nights.

And you will have to do lots of walking up and down the aisle - God it's tedious (but ultimately only 24 hours out of your life)

ivykaty44 · 16/03/2008 22:03

I took my dd when she was 3 to oz, to be honest it was relativley easy, my other dd was 9 at the time and I took them on my own.

I flew with BA and they were good with me and told me not to que for checking in I was to go to first class check in as they would book me into economy and my dd of three fell asleep on each flight either before boarding or 5-10 mins into flight.

Then she slept about half of each flight.As she was so small dd of three just curled up in the seat and snored away.

BA flights were all late at night going out to sydney - so this was a great help. I stopped of in Thailand for three nights, which broke the journey and was pleasant.

Coming home flew from brisbane to HK and this flight dd did stay awake but it was only 7 hours and we just played with colouring pencils etc.

Flight from HK back to London was again a late flight and dd feel asleep in the taxi to the airport and woke up over Russia.

Neither dd got jet lag and neither had any trouble with time difference at all - perhas again because they both slept through most of the flights! It was me that was jetlagged and grumpy!!

Piffle · 16/03/2008 22:42

oui MD twas I...

moondog · 16/03/2008 22:45

I thought so!

hatwoman · 16/03/2008 22:48

we took dd1 to Oz aged 20 months - i was 6 months pg with dd2. I can't say it was easy - but definitely do-able. we booked a hotel in Singapore instead of bumming round the airport for our stop over - definitely worth it - we did all manage to get some rest. tbh I think the worst of it was being pg. I was knackered and burst into tears on the Singapore-Oz leg - dh and I argued over whether it was reasonable for us to turn up at our friend's wife-to-be's parents' house at 10 am (we were going to a wedding). but we had a great holiday - good wedding, some time on the beach, some time in the mountains. it was lovely.

SueW · 17/03/2008 11:01

Re drugging them - I had heard about this but cannot do it with DD.

Whilst we were in NZ I talked to the doctor about trying it to cope with the flight back. He suggested trying a small amount under controlled circs because it can make some children hyper. Last thing you want is to discover that a drug has the opposite effect on a child when you are on a 12-hour flight with no antidote.

Anyway, it did make DD hyper.

She has since been given a pre-med in hospital and whilst every other child in the bay became drowsy in their parents arms, my usually calm DD started jumping on the bed and trying to escape down the corridor. And completely unco-ordinated too so had to be almost literally held down.