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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Virgin Atlantic

15 replies

nanny2mummy · 22/02/2010 22:24

So we are flying Virgin to Antigua next month and I was wondering if anyone has done this trip with them and what was it like.
I never took a baby on a long haul flight before so any advice is appreciated

I will be nearly 6 months pregnant with a 9 month old in tow (and before you ask, no I am not crazy )

So any tips for the flight and what to take for the baby would be great.

thanks

OP posts:
Frizbe · 22/02/2010 22:31

Have flown lots with Virgin, prior to having kids and once long haul with kids (not been able to afford it since!) but can honestly say they're the best long haul airline with or without kids IMO They're great with bigger kids, lots of packs to do and food to last a while, but not sure your 9mth old will get the benefit of that side of things, when my dd1 was 18mths I took her on a 10 hour flight with them and it was a great flight. They do have their own toddler seats on board, so if your child has its own seat booked, make sure you request one of these at check in.
Take lots of small things to do, older kids enjoy opening things once per hour, but again, not much use for a smaller person. Maybe a new book to chew?

nanny2mummy · 22/02/2010 22:34

I have booked a sky cot for DS as he does not get his own seat at this age.
Yes have prepared chewy toys for the flight as he is teething badly
do they provide baby food on flight or will I have to stock up myself?

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 23/02/2010 07:33

Take your own baby foodstuffs and do not rely on them at all to fully provide. They may get a bit funny about heating up milk (they could overheat it) and may also not be allowed to heat up baby food.

There is no change mat provided in the toilet to change baby (its just a solid metal board), you will need to bring your own. Would also consider changing baby's nappy before boarding.

As an aside on other forums the most common complaints about VA seem to be about the entertainment system packing up, the narrow seats and the attitude of some aircrew who seem to spend more time chatting to each other than actually serving the self loading frieght i.e the passengers.

mumoverseas · 23/02/2010 08:17

I hope that service isn't that bad Attila. We've just booked Virgin to Florida. Normally book with BA but fed up with them playing silly buggers and threatening strikes. Sure enough, a few days after we booked with virgin BA have voted to strike again.

nanny2mummy · 23/02/2010 12:32

oh gosh, I hope it won't be that bad

anyone else???

OP posts:
mumoverseas · 23/02/2010 12:37

I'm sure it won't be that bad nanny2mummy. I used to fly with Virgin a lot when DC1 and 2 were younger but recent years its been BA but now switched back to Virgin.

I'd definitely second the taking the babyfood just in case. Take a few jars although be prepared to open and taste at security and if needs be, buy some more at Boots airside. Might be a good idea to phone Boots and ask for some to be put aside so you know they will have it.

Make sure plenty of nappies and as said above, change baby just before you board as a little cramped changing in toilet.

Take some small toys/teething rings and make sure that for take off and landing you have a drink to hand for little one to drink to help with the ears as if they swallow it helps to equalise the pressure and avoids ear pain. Hope that helps

oranges · 23/02/2010 12:47

Virgin always happily heated up baby milk for me, but were always careful to tell me to test the temperature myself before feeding it to ds.

exexpat · 23/02/2010 12:57

I have flown Virgin long haul at least 20 times, mostly with DCs in tow, and usually find them great - more child-friendly than most other airlines I have tried. You can get the odd surly/unhelpful cabin crew member whoever you fly with. Now I mainly choose Virgin for the entertainment system, but my DCs are 11 and 7, so that's the most crucial thing for keeping them busy on a long flight. Kids' meals and activity packs are OK, but I always take food anyway, as we are veggie and they don't do veggie kids' meals, and the food timing is always off - meals never arrive when they are hungry, it's usually just when they have fallen asleep.

At your DS's age, if he doesn't have his own seat, there's not much difference between airlines, tbh. I chose to fly Virgin when my DCs were babies because Virgin was the only airline to have special baby/toddler seats to strap into the main seat - but that's only relevant if you're buying them a seat anyway...

It's always sensible to take your own food, milk and nappies whoever you fly with - I think you can book an 'infant' meal with Virgin, but it may not be food he likes, and even if the airline normally carries baby supplies, you wouldn't want to rely on them in case yours was the one flight when they ran out. Make sure you check now with the airport about the latest regulations on what foods/liquids you can take through security, and again a day or two before you fly (it can change at very short notice).

Lots of chew toys is a good idea, though my two often spent happy hours playing with the plastic cups from the inflight meals and ripping up the inflight magazines and catalogues. Oh, and take plenty of spare clothes for DS and yourself.

nanny2mummy · 23/02/2010 15:15

thank for all tips

yes I will be bringing baby food and milk for DS, I was just wondering if they provide anything or not, not that it matters as he needs specific food/milk due to his bad reflux anyways
Yes already have a list for toys and spare clothes, as he refluxes a lot, this is always a must even on a short journey never mind the long haul
We flew xmas just gone but flight was only 3 hours, he slept for 2.5 hours.

The sky cot is booked so I hope he will be able to get some sleep, day flight on the way there and overnight on the way back.

Another question??????
to avoid bringing too many bottles for milk that have to be washed and sterilised, should I just get some disposable ones?
Did anyone used them and are they any good?
DS has a problem with swallowing too much air when drinking milk/water so I have special bottles with easy flow for air.

OP posts:
Hullygully · 23/02/2010 15:19

Virgin miles better than most.

Frizbe · 24/02/2010 19:46

I used disposable bottles when we were camping with dd1 when she was younger (and dd2 come to think of it) they're ok, but I do remember them being a tad leaky/full on at times, which ours at home weren't!

Check what foodstuffs you're allowed to take into the destination country too, as no point in taking lots of stuff that they then have a wobble about at customs, might just be best to take enough for the flight iuswim?

Kiwinyc · 27/02/2010 15:55

Definitely take your own food for the baby, our experience with a 9mo on Virgin to Cape Town was abysmal (despite buying her her own seat) and our DD would have starved if we'd relied on the useless Virgin staff.

They are better with older toddlers but with babies they are hopeless and thus we've boycotted VA ever since.

Its a shame BA are shooting themselves in the foot with these threatened strikes, because they are 100 times better when travelling with babies and their sky cot is much better too - a proper high sided fabric cot with a mattress, instead of the 'tray' you have to pad with blankets on Virgin.

amicissima · 27/02/2010 21:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rebeccaj · 01/03/2010 09:48

Spare clothes for you as well as DS - my DD vomited all over me on a return flight from Sydney and I ended up wearing Virgin pyjamas all the way home (including a 3 hour stopover in Hong Kong...)

We did Antigua with Virgin a couple of years ago when DD was 2.5 and DS almost 1, and it was fine. We didn't have a skycot, but we did have the front row seats on the Upper deck (premium economy) so quite a lot of room. We've always found Virgin good with babies/toddlers - we took the kids to Sydney when they were 2.25/8 months and they were very good. Have to admit I wasn't sterilising bottles any more by then, just washing them well in hot water, so I just took the bottles we were using anyway.

Mine have always loved the little hardback books you get in packs of 5/6 (like these so I always bought a couple of packs and gave them one at a time - lasted ages!

JamInMyWellies · 01/03/2010 10:03

Just done VA longhaul to NY with my DS's 2.8yrs and 14mth. They were excellent.

The toddler sear is a waste of time as it sits bolt upright so they cannot get comfy to sleep. The sky cot when we few last summer and DS2 was 6mth was too small also if its a newer plane they have these weird sky cots which they attach to the wall.

They will heat up millk but heat it to a temp that means you have to leave it to cool for about 10mins before giving it to the baby.

I would take plenty of food and snacka s the baby food is a bit hit and miss but the toddler meal is fine. You will have had to prearrange for the childrens food unless you have bought a ticket for your baby you wont get any food.

Also get to check in ealry so you can request the bulk head seats.

Take a spare change of clothes DS2 alsways gets sick on landing.

They are very good at taking the buggy as you board and bring it back to you at the plane door.

Just dont expect too much I always go with the most pessimistic view of what its goign to be like and am generally pleasantly surprised.

Enjoy and remember its for a relatively short space of time and if your DC kicks off you will never see the other passengers again.

Have fun.

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