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Original poster

Bassinet on planes - I have some questions:

15 replies

Jewelsandgems · 16/04/2010 21:23

We are flying with singapore airlines and really want the good bulkhead seats (but you ave to be online exactly 48 hours before departure to even try and get these seats).

But, when we phoned to see if we needed to lug carseats on the place they said a) no - thank god - and b) that they can request a bassinet for our 2 year old and this is somehow attached to the bulkhead wall.

So, if we do request a bassinet I am guessing we are guarenteed bulkhead seats? And what happens if DD2 does not like the bassinet (she has been sleeping in normal bed for ages now....) do you think they will move us to non-bulkhead seats? [I don't mind doing this if there is another family who needs the bassinet] but just wondered.

Lastly, has anyone used one of these bassinets? What are they like? How big? How are they attached? [confused emoticon]

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 16/04/2010 21:26

a bassinet for a 2 yr old??? are you sure they didn' mis-hear and think it's 2 months?

i thought once they were 2 you had to buy a seat? there is no way on earth you'll get a 2 yr old in a bassinet surely???

Original poster

Jewelsandgems · 16/04/2010 21:28

I know! No, we've already paid for a seat and DH said to them that DD2 is 2 and they were like 'yes, they are useable for 2 year olds....)

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 16/04/2010 21:28

found this online

[http://www.lucylovesaustralia.com/?p=50 pic of a singapore airlines bassinet]]

thisisyesterday · 16/04/2010 21:29

this is from their site:
The bassinets used are 768 L x 298 W x 158 H (mm) in dimension and can support a maximum weight of 14 kg. In USA, the dimension used are 30.76 L x 11.96 W x 8 H (inches)and weight of 30.8 lbs.Infants who do not fit the bassinet size will travel on the lap of accompanied adult passengers. Only one lap infant is allowed per adult.

thisisyesterday · 16/04/2010 21:30

i suppose you'll be able to plonk her in it maybe when you don't want to hold her??? if she is anything like my 2 yr old though she'll probably try and climb out

Oilersgirl · 16/04/2010 21:32

Hmmmm???? Yes they must have misunderstood there is a weight limit on bassinets and usually 9 months old is the limit for one (14kg). Here is the info on Singapore airlines: www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/plan/specialneeds.jsp?v=-419368786&#Header3

EldonAve · 16/04/2010 21:34

you will get bumped off the bulkhead seats if there are smaller children

muggglewump · 16/04/2010 21:35

No way will a 2yr old fit in one.
I flew with my just turned one yr old and she only just fit, though she could lie down (and if I zipped her in it she couldn't get up), but not a good idea for a two yr old, I'm not sure it would hold the weight either.

I think they have this wrong.

Original poster

Jewelsandgems · 16/04/2010 21:39

I guess we will just have to wait and see. We are on one of the new giant double decker planes so hopefully their are enough bulkhead seats so go around [hopeful emoticon]

OP posts:

Original poster

Jewelsandgems · 16/04/2010 21:41

I agree mugglewump - based on that picture thisisyesterday linked to, I don't think it would hold DD2.

OP posts:

Olihan · 16/04/2010 21:41

We've flown with Singapore Airways quite a few times and had the bassinets. There is a weight limit on them (about 15kgs?, may only be 10kgs though) and they aren't hugely long. We used one for dd when she was (a small) 19mo and it was a bit of a squeeze. She couldn;t really lie down comfortably in it, her legs had to be scrunched up for her to fit.

They are about a foot deep and maybe 2 feet long and they attach to the wall in front of the bulk head seats using 2 anchor points hidden in the wall. They are a metal frame with a canvas 'box hanging from it with a firm, slightly padded base.

The downsides of them are that they cover the whole area in front of the seats and make it very hard for the person in the second seat to get in and out. I'd say from experience that once the bassinet is up you have less room in front of your upper body than you do in a normal seat. You have to have your TV up before the bassinet is set up or you can't watch it, plus you can't put it down so you have to climb over it.

They don't get put up until after the seatbelt sign goes off and you are not allowed to use them if there's any turbulence. So she'll be on a lap for the take off and landing and any bumpy bits, which can be quite disruptive if they've only just gone to sleep.

The other issue that we found was that the armrests on the bulk head seats don;t lift up - they have the TV screens and trays in them so they're fixed. We found it easier in the other seats as we could lift the armrests up and the dcs could lie a bit flatter, sprawled across their seats and onto our laps.

If you've paid for a seat for your 2yo I doubt you'd get a bassinet anyway as afaik, they are reserved for those travelling on an infant ticket which don;t have seats.

HTH

Beasknees · 16/04/2010 21:45

if you do book one check and check and check again. I flew to NZ via San Fransisco and Japan ( 4 flights in total ) and pretty much every flight they messed up although i think we did have a bassinet once but didn't use it but having the bulkhead was great for having a bit of extra room to stretch out in.

Original poster

Jewelsandgems · 16/04/2010 21:47

olihan that definately helped

We have phoned SQ and as far as we can tell, we have reserved bulkhead seats and they have reserved a bassinet for us just incase, that we don't have to use.

But yes beaskness we will be doing lots of checking - good advice

OP posts:

MiniMarmite · 16/04/2010 21:53

I've also flown with Singapore Airlines on the A380 when DS was 12 weeks. Like others have said I would be surprised if they would allow a 2yo to use one, especially if you have paid for a seat.

I do remember quite a large child using one on our flight and he really didn't want to be in it!

Olihan's description is spot on so I won't go into that again.

We always find Singapore Airlines to be really good and they tried to help with DS as much as they could. The only thing we didn't like was that we were not always seated together as a family which made things pretty tiring for me.

I seem to remember that you could not reserve infant spaces online - but we had not booked a seat so your situation might be different - in fact I would be surprised if you would be guarenteed a bassinet given the age of your child and the fact that you have booked a seat)

I hope you have a good flight when you get to it.

Olihan · 16/04/2010 21:54

Just seen you're on the A380, my dsis flew out on that last time she went and said it was FAB . She said there was generally more space all round, even on the ordinary cattle class seats.

Definitely keep checking that a bassinet is reserved for you but bear in mind that they are allocated by age so if there are lots of little babies they will have priority and they'll move you to different seats.

We went four years in a row and one outbound flight was packed with babies for some reason. DS2 was 13mo so didn;t get a bassinet (although SQ check in did give us a row with 2 empty seats so he could have his own seat - they're really helpful in that way).

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