Flying to Los Angeles in club class

[snoopybella]

We are flying to LA in the summer with BA in club with our 7 year old daughter. We are worried that the other passengers may be intolerant of children and we don't want to keep on telling her to be quiet. Has anyone done a similar flight?

Yes. No reason either why you can't go in the lounge at T5 (is this where you're flying from?) because you've also paid for the privilege!. They also have a childrens area in there. BAs website also has a map of the Galleries Club lounge.

Would take along some foodstuffs she likes to eat together with some of her fave toys and books.

Would also use a portable DVD player if at all possible and choose the seats by the window. I have seen children in ClubWorld in August and its been fine. LA is not a main businessmen route either.

If both of you are seen to be making an effort to keep her occupied then the other pax should notice and appreciate that. Don't forget either than you won't see these people again post flight anyway. I'm sure it will be okay.

I fly BA club frequently both with and without DD who is now 3. Never been a problem. LA is a really long flight so agree re bringing something to keep her (and you) occupied.

Thanks for the replies and advice. Hopefully the flight will be fine.

BA allow kids in the lounges, provided they are quiet. Have never had any problems and I know in the old T4 lounges there was a seperate room for kids with some playthings in them (albeit for kids younger than 7).

Similarly on flight they will have their own TV screen with a reasonable seletion of movies and TV shows to keep them entertained. I find after the mean if I plug them into this and put the bed flat they will often doze off anyway.

Book a childrens meal with BA before you fly (you can do it through the website - "manage my booking") and you are more likely to get something they like.

With the privacy screens you are generally quite secluded from other passengers I doubt they will notice.

There is one disadvantage to flying club with kids - it spoils them. On charter flight to Europe 4 months after we had done club to Boston, just boarded when (then) 5yo DS pipes up in a very loud voice "daddy, does this seat go flat" .

The funny thing when a friend of ours (has his own licence/plane)flies with his ds ds shouts on take off 'Faster Faster'!

don't worry - you have paid for your tickets, and you (and dd) have as much right to be there as anyone.

we have taken our 2 (now aged 4 and 2) on several club flights. dd1 is autistic as well, which can make for interesting times

the only passenger who ever got annoyed with her was last year (BA flight to California), where he got annoyed that dd1 was walking up and down a lot (note, she was walking nicely, disturbing no -one, just up and down quietly for 10 mins at a time)

he glared lots, huffed about a bit, and then when i had got dd1 seated again, got up and did the same - not sure why dd1 wasn't allowed to do it...

it will all be fine, and please don't spend all the time getting your dd to be quiet (other than normal consideration of other passengers) - she should really enjoy it

The other passengers may be intolerant of your daughter, but don't let them faze you. She is just as entitled to a seat there as they are.

We flew to JFK with four children in Club and they behaved well. We had a few passengers who objected to their very breathing, but a few dirty looks (towards the tut-tutters) was all that was needed.

If you get any hassle, let the cabin crew deal with it.

DD when she was 4 months screamed um, about 9 hours of the flight from Heathrow to LAX

They put us right behind Club, and we were still getting hate stares in baggage claim.

I wouldn't worry about it. I didn't, nor did the cabin crew who were asked to move us.

The point being that you and your DD have a right to be in Club, whereas we just were loud enough!

She's 7 FGS sake. Not likely to be running up and down screaming is she?

We flew first class to Florida at Easter with 7 year old DS. Didn't get any looks. Wouldn't wanted to have either! DS was great. He read a magazine at take off, then played with the games thing, ate, watched a movie and slept.

we've flown BA club class twice when DD2 was 9 months and then 21 months and eldest kids were around 11 and 14 years and 12 and 15 years and had no problems at all.
In fact the first time, BA had booked us in the wrong row for the bassinet, they'd put us in row 1 but in fact the bassinet was in row 3 as its all, as kids would say 'spaz' seating in club. A really lovely family with adult kids kindly swopped rows with us and everyone was really nice about the kids who were really well behaved.
As others have said though, you've paid your money like everyone else so entitled to be there.

We flew to Vancouver every Christmas from when DD and DS were 5 and 4 for at least 10 years, never any problems. The crew often used to give them a goody bag of stuff at the end of the flight ( stuffed full chocolate and of mini coke cans- which they had never tasted! They also gave us a bottle of champagne, for being so well behaved)

They have always flown business class. It is only now that at 22 and 23 they are flying economy because they have both left home and have to pay for it. ( Ok, they both got upgraded this year when with us)

My friends children have flown business at least 3 times a year, multiple flights, since the age of 6 months old, they are now 11, 14 and 15.

Why should there be a problem? DD was delighted to bump into a school friend on a return flight one time ( aged 7) and they chattered happily the whole 10 hours!

We took ours when they were aged 8m (DS) and 2 years (DD) to Sydney return in Virgin Upper Class, and I had the same fear to start with, but everyone was lovely - even when DD was sick all over me and the seat, and the floor.....The stewardesses were fab too, they took DS off for a wander around the cabin and a cuddle at one point.

So I wouldn't worry too much. You have as much right to be there as any of them!