Flying Emirates with two young DC?

[auntyspan]

Hi - about to book flights to Melbourne from Manchester (via Dubai) over Christmas. Flying with DH and DD1 (4) and DD2 (1). Has anyone any experience of flying Emirates with kids? Are the facilities OK? Any experiences would be gratefully received!

Emirates is easily the best airline in the world, IMO. My friend flew with children older than yours and had a very easy time.

Having said that, I've flown to Melbourne with Emirates and don't you have to change/wait at Dubai? Again, not too bad but may be something to bear in mind.

You'd have to change somewhere though and if you go with BA it'll be Singapore. Which, frankly, is a nicer airport than Dubai but I'd still rather fly with Emirates.

I regularly flew with both BA and Emirates when I lived in the Middle East and Emirates would win everytime.

If you tell Emirates when you are booking it that you have a one year old they will give you the bulk head seat. As it is the front row you will get the big table in the middle and they give you a travel cot that straps on to it.

When my DCs were that age (and I flew with two that age on my own) the youngest was happy to sit in it and play. As they won't have a seat as an under two, this is a great help.

If you have to do do long haul with them on your knee in the middle of the plane, it is a nightmare!!

Emirates staff were lovely with mine, offering to walk a grumpy baby up and down the aisle whilst I fed a three year old.

BA tended to just glare.

Not saying that is stereotypical of all flight crew, just on the particular route I was doing (and it was 15 years ago).

HTH

We just did London to Sydney on Emirates with DD (17mo) they were fantastic she was thoroughly spoilt with loads of toys and things to play with, the kiddies telly on the plane is fantastic and they were great about organising bassinet etc for us. At dubai we only had a 2.5 hour changeover and due to problems at Heathrow missed out connection going to Sydney Emirates were great and sorted us out with food etc and offered us a hotelfor the 6 hours, on the way back the timing was perfect and we seemed to be home in a flash.

recommend emirates - flown long haul with DD few times between the ages of 11 months to 4 years and they were fantastic. They have baby food, kiddies pack, ICE system which is really good. We went to the Far East one time and DD cried the whole leg from Heathrow to Dubai (great fun! , but she was 11 months) and every single member of staff kept asking us is she was ok - do we need anything which was nice...

Great - thanks everyone. You're filling me with confidence that it won't be all that bad! Just realised the flight from Dubai to Melbourne is 13 hours - does anyone know if there's a stop off to refuel anywhere?

Aunty - it's a similar time to the flight to Sydney and it's all non stop from Dubai. DD slept in 3 hours sleep/3 hours awake stints so it gave us a nice break before the next 'who will amuse her' hours. It does fly by(excuse the pun) and on the way home the 7 hours from Dubai seemed to last way longer than the previous 13 hours!

I doubt very much whether you will be able to fit a 1yo in the "cot", but you'll be fine! Bulkhead seats have more space for them to play in so good news if you get them.

I would recommend booking a ticket into the business class lounge at dubai - did it twice with trips to Oz when waiting at Dubai. Cost was £10 - £20 but then once inside all food and drinks are free. You have a clean place the children can sit / play. You don't have to worry about changing money to buy anything during the wait. Plus outside in the terminal - it is full of people lying everywhere!

Google - airport lounges

Another thing - getting a 'buggy' to walk off the plane to the check in - get in early. I waited until the plane was empty as easier to pack up the children and stuff but then all the buggies were gone!

Hi, I've just flown Birmingham - Dubai and back with Emirates. I did it with an 8month and a 23 month old! And my mum was there to help! The staff were fantastic, lots of toys/entertaining/baby food/nappy changing things/bassinet etc. It was much better than i anticipated, tv, food, naps and 'suprise' chocolate, drinks, magazines, stickers etc helped! Would definately recommend using business class lounge, it's brilliant in Dubai...huge and loads of space for the LO's to run around. Lots of nice food and drink to help yourself to. I also found that a couple of glasses of wine helped

I'd never fly Emirates again with a child. Absolutely horrendous. Seat allocation went tits up so me and husband with our 5 month old where the 2 seats in the middle of a row of 4 with able bodied people in the bulkhead.

Able bodied people at bulkhead refused to move.

Everyone was upset. Food was disgusting. Inflight entertainment failed half way to Australia.

Was told that I could leave my 5 month old to sleep at the bulkhead and we could return tto our seat - 15 rows back! I think bloody not.

Arrogant, rude and unhelpful crewe.

I could go on and on and one.

BA are by far the best.