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Best airline for babies

3 replies

inscotland · 24/11/2008 17:58

To fly with to Australia?

Any recommendations?

OP posts:
DottieLottie · 24/11/2008 19:27

Personally I like Emirates, they fly from local airport (Bham). I like the fact that I can split the journey into 3 sectors (stops in Dubai and Singapore) also like that I can fly into Melbourne. I find the staff very helpfully - have flown on numerous occasions without dh - most recently last year with dd1 (9) and dd2 (5mths) and they were great. I find Dubai airport okay as well, mainly because if you are travelling with young children they like to get you up to the front of queues so you don't have to wait too long.

I have also flown BA and Virgin (not to Oz) and found both of them ok - preferred BA. I would not fly Qantas mainly due to having had to use them in the past when I live in Oz and they were rubbish!!

Hope this helps, lots of others also recommend Singapore Airlines.

MadMarg · 25/11/2008 17:27

Depends on age of baby. I flew with Malaysian when DS was 4 1/2 months. They were fabulous. So helpful in every way. However all they have is a bassinet, and once he had outgrown that, he then had to be on my lap.

However, British Airways have a pull down tray/table on which they can place either a bassinet or a sky cot. The sky cot will take up to a 3 year old in it. But you need to do this through a travel agent and make sure it is a British Airways plane. They code share with Qantas, and the Qantas planes DO NOT have the sky cot, only the bassinets.

Ask for things like a pram not being included in your luggage allowance, etc. Make the travel agent ring, check what you are allowed to take with you, and GET IT IN WRITING!!! The staff at the airports don't always know what you have been given permission to take with you within the cost of the tickets and I have had several incidents where I have had to get really bolshy with the staff both in London and in Australia. Dont' believe them if they tell you nappies will be supplied, they are cheap plastic ones, and they only give you a couple.

Also, if you can avoid it, try not to have your pram taken off the plane in the stopover for you to use. Although useful (especially if travelling alone), more often than not it leads to you losing the pram, and then having it arrive a day or so later. You can't have it taken off on any domestic connections, anyway, and it has to be checked in in oversize luggage in Australia. Found this out the HARD way - changed the rules when DS was 15 months old!!!! You can always request loan prams at the airports.

rislip · 25/11/2008 17:32

Singapore Airlines. Every time. The service is very very good. I have flown on my own with dd a number of times, and each time it's been fantastic. If you are going on your own with children, request special assistance. They help you with bags onto the plane, set you and up and really look after you throughout the flight.
Also, if you can. i'd recommend getting a room at the in the Changi airport hotel for 6 hours, having a shower and a proper sleep in a bed. We did this last time, it was really good and made it all so much easier.

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