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Original poster

would you get a seat for a 7m old or sit her on your lap for a 9 hour flight?

22 replies

bebeBOO · 21/10/2009 14:47

We're looking at flights to see family in America.Dd is a rather large baby will most likely need entertaining, but she's not usually fussy/a crier. Would you get a seat or just use your lap for a 9 hr flight? I'd love to hear from people who have done it both ways. Are there any airlines which offer discounts for babies?

OP posts:

salbysea · 21/10/2009 14:51

I'd get a seat as I'm a worrier about health and safety type stuff and would be paranoid that if we were sharing a seat that would mean only one oxygen mask between two??
(please correct me if you're in the know and I'm wrong!!)

SusieDerkins · 21/10/2009 14:53

I think that under 2 you have to have them on your lap - no choice. 2 and over they have a proper seat of their own but you have to pay full fare.

Original poster

bebeBOO · 21/10/2009 14:58

Good point abt the oxygen mask..dunno myself... hmmm

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Trifle · 21/10/2009 14:58

Under 2 you have to have them on your lap for take off and landing but during the flight they can have their own seat if you pay for one. We did, worth every penny.

Jeroboam · 21/10/2009 14:59

There are only certain seats that an under-2 can sit (infant seats) and they have 2 oxygen masks afair.

ScaryFucker · 21/10/2009 15:00

I think you will find she is on your lap for the whole journey anyway

Are you flying with her alone ?

If not, share out the lap-duties

She will sleep for some (or most) of it

bronze · 21/10/2009 15:00

I think you can buy a seat and have a car seat on it but ther are particular about the make/type and only a few airlines for it. Yes little ones get discounted tickets on BA.
They will only put babes in arms in certain seats as they are the ones that have two masks.
My experience is only BA though
If there were two adults travelling at 7 months I would go for the lap option which as a bonus is also cheaper

BoffMonster · 21/10/2009 15:00

No, you can buy a seat for an under two, and you can even use your car seat if it's approved (there should be a sticker on the side). If it's not approved they still sometimes let you use it during the actual flight, just not during takeoff and landing. We have done this once with a rearward-facing one, and it was very helpful.

What we normally do though is pay the baby price, which is usually something like 10% of the flight cost, and get a 'free' seat, but then turn up ridiculously early to beg for an extra one if the flight isn't too full. Failing that, you usually just end up doing laps around the plane with the other parents of tinies, and while it's not restful it is sociable! Plus bear in mind there is always the obligatory old bat sitting in front of you who moans about your child kicking the seat and actually being a child, and protocol is to have a glass of wine and ignore said old bat completely.

BTW there are four oxygen masks per group of three seats for precisely this eventuality!

LIZS · 21/10/2009 15:01

I think she'd have to be in an airline approved car seat then on your lap for take off and landing. You pay the child fare if there is one.

Catitainahatita · 21/10/2009 15:07

My advice would depend on how many adults/children are going. As has been said carseats are often airline approved. You can take the seat on a wing or a prayer: ie you don't necessarily have to pay for an extra seat if the flight is not full and there would room next to you anyway. But, you are screwed if the flight is then full and you have to put the seat in the hold. Paying for the seat removes this eventuality, but is a very expensive option.

Having said all this, the seat is bulky and a real PITA to manoeuvre whilst holding a baby/trying to collect luggage and looking after toddlers at the same time. For this reason I have always gone with the lap option. I don't have enough hands. If you have a DH/DP or more travel companions this might not be a problem.

My favourite option would be to ask for a crib (often called a bassinet in the US)in the plane, you need to order it in advance with the airline,and this also should guarentee you don't have people sat in front of you. Your baby will sleep quite well in there. There is a weight limit, but I think a 7 month old, unless truely enormous should be ok.

Original poster

bebeBOO · 21/10/2009 15:22

Don't think our carseat would/will be approved and wouldn't want to bring it because it weighs a ton (aprica euroturn). But it's interesting that some are accepted. might look into that as we need a seat for the second car.

OP posts:

LadyBuzz · 21/10/2009 15:23

We flew to the US when DS was 20 months, he didn't have his own seat. It was awful, mainly when you had your table down as there was nowhere to put him and no room for him to stay in your lap.
However we had the seats where the skycots are on the way back and it was a big improvement as they have alot of space in front of them. Your DD will still qualify for the sky cot and this can be booked in advance.
We are going again in Feb with DS now 3.7 and DS2 15 months, we haven't booked a seat or a sky cot for him but there are 10 adults going so it will be easier to juggle.

Some airlines have infant seats now (virgin definately do) so it would be worth looking into that as it would save you carting your seat with you but you would have to pay foir the seat.

HTH

Hullygully · 21/10/2009 15:25

I'd get the seat if you can afford it. I did a 10 hr flight with a five month old on my lap and a two year old next to me. Get the seat..

Original poster

bebeBOO · 21/10/2009 15:26

So to summarize: it seems most people say go with lap option and hope to get a seat which seems somewhat likely to happen if we get to check in desk early...
Might look into the bassinet/crib option too.

I think I'll call AA which is the carrier that seems to have the cheapest flights on expedia and see what they suggest/what options they have too. I don't really want the price of the flight to go up by so much...it cuts down on spending money after all.

OP posts:

Original poster

bebeBOO · 21/10/2009 15:27

Hmm also good point abt the eating/tray...didn't think abt that.

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choppychopster · 21/10/2009 15:31

Definitely ask for a sky cot. They'll seat you behind the bulkhead where there's a bit more space and your DD will have somewhere to lie down and have a proper sleep (hopefully!).

Sturl · 21/10/2009 17:37

I would keep the child on your knee. Pre advise the airline and get bulk head seats. That way you will have a bassinet (Skycot) once airborne.
All this comes free of charge with every airline ive ever flown with (which is just about every Transatlantic airline)

Costs for a baby are typically 10% of the seat fare or a flat rate of something like £90.

Best of luck.

Sturl · 21/10/2009 17:40

Just to clarify on an earlier post to get a Bassinet you have to be sat at a bulkhead seat.
These seats are rarely pre released and a simply phone call should sort you out no problem.

defyinggravity · 21/10/2009 17:54

We took our 20 month old to America over the Summer, and I was a nervous wreck about him not having a seat and was dreading it. Turns out the plane wan't full going out so he had a seat, and coming back he didn't have a seat but it was night time and he did sleep a fair bit.
In my opinion, the thought of flying with him was far worse than the reality of it, although I do know some people have had nightmare times of it.
Buying an extra seat can be pricey though and, if it was me, I'd kick myself for paying through the nose for it then finding the plane wasn't full. But I'm a tightwad.

Original poster

bebeBOO · 21/10/2009 20:04

Well I booked 'lap' with her And apparently when we check in I have to request the bassinet/crib. Dh is a little perturbed because we have e-tickets and she has a paper one coming in the mail -just the way it's done apparently. But I'm very excited.
Thanks for all the thoughts and info! I would have never known about the bassinet and would have assumed that the 10% fare was only an occasional thing/special deal sometimes run.

I'll let you all know how it goes

OP posts:

Nefret · 22/10/2009 11:00

I would take baby on my lap too, mainly because I wouldn't want to spend all that money on an extra seat when no doubt she would want cudlding most of the way anyway!

Don't worry about the oxygen masks, you don't have to share, they will sit you in a seat where there are two oxygen masks.

It's good that you get a basinette/crib for when she is alseep.

BErriesBEllsandMOOnlight · 08/12/2009 20:32

So it was not great AT ALL. She wiggled and fussed and there were no bassinets any longer nor did they have lap belts for babies (AA). The attendants were not helpful and next time I'm going to get a seat for her. She did not sleep longer than half an hour. And because we were in a 'bulkhead' seat there was a large screen flickering in front of her for hours and hours on end... Made for a highly stimulated crazy baby.

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