Toddler seats on long haul flight

[Donimo]

My husband and I are travelling to South Africa with BA with 20 month old twins and a 5 year (yes maybe we are mad). The flight is a night flight and I'm just praying they all sleep.

I have 2 bulkhead bassinet position seats reserved for my husband and I for the outward and return flights. Then a seat for our 5 year old. So the twins will be on our laps. BA do toddler seats that attach onto the tray that is folded down from the bulk head. My question is has anyone had these seats/used them? And if so we're they easily available or has there been an occassion when there wasn't enough of these seats available? Or have you always been able to get one if needed? (Aware we will be wanting 2 of these for our twins to sleep in 🙏)

Any other tips for long haul travel with a toddler and young child greatly appreciated

I have done an overnight flight with an 18 month old on my lap (no bassinet, she was average size and wouldn’t have fitted). It was hard work and that was taking shifts with DH. She only slept about 4 of the 12 hours - despite having both our laps to sleep across, pillows etc - and we spent the rest of the time entertaining her or taking her to the space by the stewards area to let her move around, so she didn’t cry and disturb people. But as there were 2 of us and 1 child at least we snatched some sleep.

I think it’s doable just about but you need to expect to write off the first day of holiday for recovery … trouble is you have a 5yo too, what happens if she has slept and doesn’t need to nap on arrival?

Are you there to see family? If not I think I’d reconsider the destination tbh.

Whatever happens @Donimo, just remember that it's 12 hours of your life, and you'll likely never see any of the other passengers again. Even if you end up holding a kid each and they barely sleep, you will all survive and have a lovely holiday. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best! Mine have always slept better than expected on planes, even though that usually means multiple limbs sprawled over me...

And don't give any thought to other passengers, if they've any sense they'll have noise cancelling headphones or earplugs. The most disruption I've ever had on a flight has been from drunken adults, not babies or children. Cabin crew are usually really helpful to people with kids on long haul flights too, certainly that's been our experience.

Make sure you take loads of snacks for all of you though, you may end up foregoing meals if kids are sleeping on you so some cereal bars etc would be useful. Plus full changes of clothes for everyone (just remembered about the flight where small child vomited down my top into my bra as we boarded the flight!)

Hope you have a lovely holiday.

This is helpful
https://sorry-about-the-mess.co.uk/will-my-older-baby-or-toddler-fit-the-ba-baby-seat/

BA makes no guarantees on their website about a sear being available though so if you prepare for the worst- a toddler on you lap the whole way- you can be prepared.

Get to the gate early and ask the gate agent about those bouncer seats, then board first as you can with kids, and ask the cabin crew again. That will maximise your chances. I also think you’ll also need to go opposite sides of the aisle as there’s usually only 1 extra oxygen masks per row? Maybe call and check. That however would leave one of you with a twin and the 5YO which isn’t ideal, especially as the 5YO will be stuck with their head lolling in an upright seat because the bulkhead row means the armrests can’t go up to allow them to sleep across you so prepare for the chance that they will be difficult. I think honestly I’d expect it to be really bad then you can only be pleasantly surprised. If you and DH can also take it in turns to nap in the day at least then you’ve had some sleep and it’ll hopefully make it all a bit easier to cope with whatever happens! I hate to say it though, if this wasn’t for my sister’s wedding or something equally as crucial I wouldn’t be doing it without being able to afford extra seats.

We did have to make alternative arrangements in the end.

I think your pants are somewhat on fire there.

Oh stop it, surely no one banks their onward travel plans on being able to get a decent sleep on a plane?! Even without screaming babies (always a risk), you have people talking, meal trollies, turbulence and the ping of the seatbelt sign, people moving around to use the loo and mostly just the fact that the seats are bloody uncomfortable because even business class is about comparable to spending the night in your toddler’s bed complete with over firm mattress and white noise machine going. It’s your responsibility to ensure you’re safe to drive and if you were expecting to be fresh off the plane then that’s hopelessly naive!

Did you miss the part where I said "attempt to drive"? Attempt being the key word.

Make excuses for your own and other parent's selfishness in putting their children and other passengers through a disturbed night all you want but when there's an option to travel during the day, take it! It may cost you a day at your destination but negates the risk to yourself and others so is worth it.

So why didn't you travel during the day instead? No risk to your night sleep then. Or is it that you think your reasons for flying trump anyone who might have to travel with children?
Looks like you're just making your own excuses as to why you couldn't ensure your own decent night sleep. Such as noise cancelling headphones as many posters have mentioned. Or do you think the whole plane revolves around your comfort and you shouldn't have to make any effort?

In fairness to that poster you can’t fly in the day from Mexico to Europe. Just like OP can’t fly to SA in the day either. Doesn’t mean you should be expecting perfect sleeping conditions on what is essentially public transport though! Even in First you’re essentially in a youth hostel (single bed, half a dozen roommates, shared loo) and no one would be staying in a hostel expecting a perfect night’s sleep! IDK what it is about air travel that brings out the worst in some people 🤣

If you can't travel during the day from Mexico to Europe or the OPs journey then is that poster is expecting kids to just not travel to those destinations then?! 😂

Assuming that you’ll be rested enough to drive after a night flight is the irresponsible action here. Unless you’re also going to ban snorers, the meal service, turbulence, people who are scared of flying (I sat near someone once who called out in terror every ten mins), people going to the toilet, and make it an all-business class flight… What an absolutely ridiculous notion.

Yes I agree it’s worth checking on the oxygen mask thing - I had totally forgotten but I moved once when flying solo because two babies were booked on one row and they needed to swap to have enough oxygen masks.

For sleeping, I previously found it useful to have a sling to help support baby when sleeping on me. Meant I could doze without worrying about dropping them! Also good if they need to be walked up and down the aisle at all.

@NewYearNewCalendar yes will definitely have slings with us. These are also useful to carry them off the plane.

The oxygen mask is fine. On certain planes there are issues. But we have the bassinet seats so there are sufficient masks for our seats.. discussed all if these issues with BA already. We are not all sat together on the return flight for this reason.

Trying to understand what you have booked? Have you booked the bulk head in the middle for you and your husband and your older child is separate?

I remember when we nearly flew with ba during covid with a toddler and older child plus husband. They wouldn't let me book all seats together - just me and baby in bulkhead but said that if the other seat wasn't needed for a baby they would move the rest of my party there.

So given that you have two babies boo the middle part and your older child should be with you?

Yes used them hem with mine but move where petite, more designed for a bit younger.

@lifehappens12 as there are only a few bulkhead seats with bassinet available per flight this limited our options. So on the way out. We have the middle 3 seats (3x3x3 seating plane). My husband and I both the aisle seats. Then 5 year old sat between us.

The return flight is a different layout plane. So my husband and 1 twin are sat in the window. Then I am in the middle row seats with another twin and the 5 year old

These are the seats... as you can see we have 2 seats on each flight which will accommodate a bassinet. As long as no-one with a disability or similar needs them. So they will be fine to have infant on our laps

Long haul cabin crew member here.
The flights always have enough bassinets/seats for every bassinet position. Although not always the seat type. A quick phone call to customer service would help.

Babies usually sleep very well on night flights, if the parents do not encourage play and do bottle/book/cuddle and sleep.

Crew will do everything possible to make your journey easier. From holding baby to let you go to the loo, keeping meals to one side etc.

Don't worry & above all ignore any moaners. Parents and babies have a right to fly too.

The parents we can't bear are those who
Let their toddler/young child run amok whilst filling them up worth sugary drinks 🤬

@beachcitygirl thank you this is really helpful. I'll call customer services in the morning. I am not planning to encourage them to be awake. And sugary drinks is a definite no no (never even given them to the 5 year old).

Surprised to get to page 3 before anyone mentioned slings! Slings are great for getting around the airport and on and off the plane. I made sure to use backpack for hand luggage so I could carry it with the sling on and have both hands free. (I had DD2.5 asleep in the sling when I was given some forms to complete on arrival 🙄so needed both hands!)

When DD was under 2 and didn’t have her own seat, she slept on me in the sling on the flight.

The Stokke bedbox thing was absolutely amazing, we’ve used them a couple of times long haul ( in middle seats) and DD slept 8-10 hours in a stretch so it made the journey stress-free. Though I know many airlines don’t allow them.

@FriendlyNeighbourhoodAccountant I am a thoughtful and considerate person. I didn't fly at all with my own children till they were school age. Visiting family is one thing but I would not put a baby or toddler, any baby or toddler not just my own, through a long haul flight for the sake of a holiday that they won't even remember.

Most passenger's hearts sink when they find themselves sat next to a baby or toddler on a plane. Why kid yourself otherwise?

I've done this exact journey with 17 month old twins and a 4 year old.

BA didn't load the toddler seats at all in one direction and in the other direction they loaded one but not 2. On the way back, when they had none, we couldn't bear it again so we crammed the twins into the baby bassinets! With legs sticking out 🤣 they slept like a dream but I don't think they could have been really any bigger.

BA were in my v bad books and we didn't fly again until all the children had their own seat.

@beachcitygirl they do not always! In fact 2/2 of the times I needed they didn't have what was needed.

You not flying until your kids were school age doesn't make you a thoughtful or considerate person. It doesn't make you anything at all except a martyr for a cause nobody else is bothered about. Parents are allowed to have a holiday with their kids even if the kids don't remember it. And so what if people are annoyed at finding themselves next to babies or toddlers on planes? Children are just entitled to be on a plane as adults. Like I said before, if you're so bothered go and buy yourselves noise cancelling headphones.

Did you miss the part where I said "attempt to drive"? Attempt being the key word.

No, I did not miss it.

I just don't believe you.