Flying alone longhaul with 3-year-old and 1-year-old: would you? Have you? Any tips?

[claraquack]

There is a possibility that I may have to make an 8-hour transatlantic trip with my 2 dd's this year - they will be aged around 3.9 and 18 months at the time. The older one is well behaved and used to flying. The younger is a minx and liable to upset all the other passengers by being way too boistrous. Anyone got any experience? Can it be done without having a nervous breakdown? How do you deal with things like toilet trips, eating etc? We'd probably be flying either BA or Virgin and in business class.

Thanks!

Bump -anyone? Or am I the only nutter to contemplate this?

(Mumbles to self) Perhaps I should try this message in the living overseas area.....hmmm.

I flew to barbados with a three year old. I didn't have a one year old but I was 6 months pregnant.
It was a piece of cake. Ds 1 was fantasticly well behaved and just played with some little trains I bought him at the airport, chatted with me and slept.

There is a help thing on the main homepage abou this.

Can you do a night time flight at all? I fly to Australia every year with my DD and we always go out on the 10pm flights so at least she is knackered and sleeps a good portion of the first leg.

All the stewards will help you out, presumably you will each have a seat if you are in business so eating will be as normal.

Thanks - I'm actually going to avoid a nighttime flight as I have done that in the past (with dh) and the two dd's were a nightmare. The younger (7 months at the time) slept at the beginning, then woke up. The older was totally hyper and then flaked out at about the time the younger one woke up. I didn't get any sleep. I just couldn't hack it on my own.....

Thanks - my three-year-old will carry her own backpack, she did last time we travelled, and I packed it with her comfort blanket, some toys, a drink and lots and lots of snacks! We are thinking of getting a portable dvd player too but not sure if I want another thing to carry!

At least I won't be in that awful stage with the baby where I'll need twelve bottles and three thousand nappies!

I can't decide about getting an extra seat for dd2 - we'll be business class so there will be more room and I'm just not sure she'll sit in her seat on her own. But that's because she wouldn't at the moment - it's hard to imagine what they'll be like a few months down the line...

I don't think a car seat would be feasible as I physically don't think I could carry it along with the buggy, the toddler, the three-year-old, my bag, their bag etc etc etc! As it's a day flight I would be happy with her on my lap or sitting with her sister or on the floor or walking endlessly up and down the aisles - which is probably what would happen!

I would book an extra seat and if you think you'll need help in the airport book the airport assistance