Anyone flown to Australia with 16m old?

[Species8472]

We're planning to visit my mother in Melbourne in October/November when DD will be about 16m. We've done the journey ourselves a few times, and it's bad enough without a toddler, and am bricking it at the thought of the journey.

Any tips gratefully received. Things to take, or not take for the flight, is it worth buying a seat for DD, or going business class (my very generous step-father is offering to pay this for us!), what food/drink can we expect on-board for a child of DD's age etc. Will probably go with Emirates, as they fly from our local airport and have gone with them many times before but have no idea what they're like with babies/small children.

Thanks!

We just emigrated and arrived last week. DS is 17m. We got a call the day before we flew from Singapore Airlines saying they had overbooked on bassinets and would we be ok if me and DS went Bus Class and DH stayed in Economy. Obviously we said yes!

Would absolurely recommend it, esp if getting it paid for! The second leg we went economy and it was a nightmare, mainly because DS wouldn't sleep and wouldn't sit still! If you don't go Business, try and buy an extra seat. Is your DD likely to sit and watch TV? Ours wouldn't so it was quite stressful. We took drawing stuff and books, and lots of snacks to keep him occupied.

To be honest out of the whole 24 hours the only bad bit was the last 3 1/2 hours so it wasn't too bad! If you have time to stop over for a couple of nights it might help - def did for us, but we had the time.

Hope this helps
Katie x

Emirates are great with kids, we flew econ to Oz with 2 and it really was fine, tiring but fine (2.9 and 4 months).

Food is goodish but I would have a bag full of snacks and sandwiches or similar. Ob take loads of activities, stickers, and toys they have never seen.

Will your DD watch tv? If so they have lots of kids progs but I would also have a DVD player/laptop as back up for fav progs.

I wouldn't bother with an upgrade but then I'm tight, but I would buy her a seat which will give you all more room and a place to sleep.

My pref is to make the stop as short as poss and just get to your destination.

Have fun

Thanks. We really have to do in one go unforunately, as DH's holiday time with work is limited. DD likes the (very little) tv that she sees now, so I expect she'll watch some on the plane (hopefully!)

One of the problems I'm having is that I don't know what kinds of activities she'll be into in a few months time, guess I'll have to play it by ear and rush out a few days before to stock up on stuff!

Sounds like it could be worth us buying 3 seats to go Economy or 2 in Business. Glad to hear that Emirates are good with kids, as we can fly direct from Birmingham, which is only about 35 mins away.

Probably stupid question, but what do you do about taking drinks/water on plane for baby? I'm still bf but don't feed DD in the daytime and might not still be feeding at all by the time we fly. Do planes carry full-fat milk or will we have to try to buy it once past security in the airport . Was simple the other time we flew (just to Ireland) as DD was still being ebf and not on solids.

We flew to Sydney on Emirates and did a short stop over in Dubai. DD was 16months. We got a BOGOF deal on business class and it was so worth the extra cost. The lie flat beds were fantastic as it meant one of us got good sleep whilst the other amused DD. We tag teamed every 4 or so hours. We took a laptop with DVDs, stickers and lots of them. The air steward/esses didn't mind us walking around (alot) We also booked a bassinet even though DD was a littl tall for it, it gave us storage space and somewhere for her to sit and play that wasn't on us. I also took crayons and paper. We took empty bottles for milk and they very kindly filled them up for us in the Emirates lounge as well as sorting out DD friendly food and a teddy or 2. On the planethey stored the milk in the fridge for us and heated it when we needed it. I also took a load of pouched foods (ellas kitchen fruit and porridge pouches) as DD liked them as drink and it got food into her with out the fuss as she was far to busy to eat properly. They do not supply food for under 2s so you will need to take food too. Be sure to throw it all in the quarentine bins at the airport when you arrive or you will be fined, as a couple infront of us were!

Let me know if you need any info.

and I forgot - raisins, boxes and boxes of raisins!

Thanks, she likes raisins and Ella's Kitchen, so that's great! That's good about the milk, and I guess booking Business means you get a bit attention from the staff and get the lounge as well. I wasn't sure about bassinet, as they sound OK for small babies only, but could be good for storage and somewhere else for DD to sit.
How did your DD sleep on the flight?

She slept 5 hours to Dubai (night flight) and then after the 4 hours in Dubai she slept 8 hours dubai to Sydney in 2 or 3 stints. It wasn't as bad as I thought - the jetlag on the other side was worse for us in the centre of Sydney at 2am!

Yes, the jet-lag is pretty awful! But the thought of that, plus possible non-sleeping toddler is scaring me! Glad to hear your DD slept well. Sorry, another question....did you take a pushchair, and do you get it back during stop-over, or just when you get to final destination? We have a travel system, so thinking of buying cheap pushchair to take with us instead.

No we took a backpack which we took onboard with us and they stowed it for us down the back. It was much easier on trams and boats than a pushchair, DD loved it, she could see everything at our height and we could hear her when she had questions and wanted things.

Oh, OK, hadn't really considered that. We won't need anything like that when we arrive as we won't be doing much travelling around, except locally by car. Thanks for all the tips!

Emirates just e-mailed me to say they are doing business companion fares for travel upto 30th November. So basically BOGOF fares

Ooh, thanks oops! I'll have a look at that

Emirates have hundreds of spare buggies in the terminal at Dubai. You don't get yours back, but you don't need it either. They are really distinctive red Maclarens

Your buggy will get a rough ride with the baggage handlers so if you really like it they way it is I would buy a cheap one. Ours is still fine but it looks like it's been in a fight and lost, but I don't care much about buggies.

Thanks Theochris

If you fly with BA they have sky cots available for children that are too big for the bassinets. I don't know of other airlines that have that facility. (Make sure that it is a BA plane, as they code share with Qantas and Qantas don't have them). It gives your DC a seat for the flight.

Hello! We will be flying with DD to Australia, who will be 16 months old at that point. We will be flying Qantas and British Airways, and have bought her a seat. The only problem I am having is finding a car seat to strap her into on the flight that will fit BA's requirements. Google has revealed nothing. I want to get the Britax Evolva 123, but it looks a but chunky so worried cabin crew won't let me use it.

Does anyone know what UK model car seat is OK to use on BA?

We too are flying with DD to Australia when she will be 16 months, and have bought her a seat.

Also trying to find out which car seats will fit in the seat - any information would be very much appreciated!

So if a child of that age has their own seat do they have to be in a car-seat? Not sure what we'll do about that as we were planning to hire a car with seat in Oz, and not take one with us.

What car seat have you bought dizzyme?

My phone calls to BA have gleaned the following information (based on flying economy class on a 747 jet):

• if you are all sitting in a row, you can try and use your own car seat, but if that seat is too big (allowable dimensions are 44cm X 44cm), the BA cabin crew may not allow you to use the car seat, but lady in call centre thinks they might because it will just be DH and me who are squashed (ie not inconveniencing any other passengers).

• you can request the special Britax car seats that BA stock for the flights, but it is on "first come, first served" basis.

I plan on buying the Britax Evolva 123, which meets Qantas standards (not hard, just have to meet European standards w sticker saying ECE144 and a few other requirements that it seems most car seats do meet), however, the dimensions are too big for the BA 747 seats.

Am thinking that as I want Britax Evolva car seat for general use for DD, and that the BA leg is just 1 of about 6 flights we are taking, might just "wing it" and see how we go. Which means BA might refuse to let us use our car seat, but hopefully BA will have a BA Britax car seat we can use.

Species - no, you do not have to take a car seat. I just heard/read that it is a good idea, as your little one might not be restrained/snuggly enough in the airline's seats. Apparently they sit and sleep much better in a car seat. If you like, you can always ask your airline if they have a car seat and ask to use it. Seems there are various options, depending on the airline.

Thanks bunnymother

bunnymother - haven't bought a seat yet, still trying to work out which one will fit on the plane.

Me too, I could be looking for many many hours, it would seem. Will prob just get the seat I want and hope that BA let it slide.

Staying in the transit hotel in Singapore airport between flights is great. We have done the trip several times with kids 4 and 2 and we stop for around 12 hours in the hotel on the way there. There is a pool etc. and you get to sleep and stretch out. Same on the way back. Helps with the jetlag too.

We did emirates business class to Sydney when ds was about that age.I dreaded it but it was great. I think depends on the actual plane but if you get the two seats in the middle it's basically like a whole compartment by yourself and ds played in the floor. They also have great kids tv choices so no need for DVD player. Iggle piggle and mickey mouse! There is a childrens area in the lounge at Dubai for your stopover, if you go business, not much there but all contained. The emirates staff are fantastic on the plane, and they offered to take ds for a bit. We had all the usual small toys for ds, but he slept for a lot if the journey, sharing the bed with me. If your stepfather could do 3 seats that would be good! But I would do 2 business rather than 3 economy, just because of the layout. Ds was asleep for dinner and they did him a meal later. Chicken, peas and sweetcorn, bread rolls, plenty of fruit, snacks. Buggies in the airport are great, they are just lined up as you get off the plane. Emirates do do some very good deals so worth keeping an eye on them.

Thanks whatname. We've decided we're going to do 2 seats in Business, not dreading the journey quite as much now .