Travelling to Australia with 18 month old...

[Bshutt]

We need to go back to Australia with our 18 month old this year for my sisters wedding. I’m so anxious about it. What are others experiences and are there any game changers that will make the travel much easier? Eg. Particular cabin/seat type, produces, entertainment, strategies etc. He is too young for his own seat so he will be on our lap! Thanks!

You can pay for a seat for him. I certainly wouldn’t ever contemplate sitting with an 18 month old on my lap for 24 hours. Nightmare for you and everyone around you on the flights.

Definitely get his own seat! You can’t do a 24 hour flight with a toddler on your lap. How will he sleep etc?

I have done lots of long haul with a toddler. Get his own seat. When he’s asleep you can put him down. Try to take night flights. Small ziplock bags with different things. I took sticker books, books to read, water colouring thing, magnatiles, the Melissa and Doug shape sorter carry thing, colour pencils and a pad, small cars and planes, a small doctor’s kit etc. You can get toddler quiet books too.

If you can't get him his own seat make sure to have a cloth sling, so he can sit on your lap but be supported so you can sleep too without him being able to fall or wiggle away. Also makes it easier to get up out of your seat when you need to go for a walk around the plane or go to the loo.

I paid for a seat at that age. 10 months, ok just fitted in the bassinet, 19 months, bugger that holding a squirming unimpressed and bored little o e. The extra cost is more than worth it. They can stretch out and sleep, you get a little space too.

As already suggested, get him his own seat and take loads of things to keep him occupied.

You might want to consider flying with an airline that breaks the journey in the Middle East rather than Malaysia or Singapore. The journey time will be split more 50/50 then rather than 75/25. Non-stop would definitely be an endurance test.

For good stops- royal Brunei is 7,7,7 as opposed to the more traditional 7 & 14 hour flights.

I did this with a 2 year old and it was a nightmare. Didn't enjoy any of the holiday. Plane journey felt like 7 days! It was so bloody hot DS was constantly miserable. It was very unfair to take him and I would never do it again.

We spend a fair bit of time in Australia. It isn't hot everywhere all of the time. It can be downright chilly and wet.

Pay for bulkhead seats if you can- it means there is a small space in front of you that he can play in. Take painkillers/bonjella in travel size. Take sweets/lollipops for take off and landing to help with ears. Check with airline about foldable buggy, some let you take them to gate & they are then waiting for you at next gate, can be a lifesaver with a tired toddler in transit and useful during your holiday too.
Mostly, don't worry. I've flown long haul with a very tantrum prone toddler a lot. It's tiring but absolutely manageable.

Definitely buy a seat. I did this trip with both mine at 18 months. If there is any way to do it, buy a seat.

We now stop in Singapore for 12-15 hours when we go - stay in the airport hotel which is airside so you don’t need to clear immigration. They book in blocks of 6 hours. That way you get a proper rest in between flight legs, it also helps with jet lag.

You might want to consider flying with an airline that breaks the journey in the Middle East rather than Malaysia or Singapore. The journey time will be split more 50/50 then rather than 75/25. Non-stop would definitely be an endurance test.

This doesn’t stack up? We only stopped in Dubai once, but the two legs were slightly more uneven (to the east coast) than Singapore but both were around the 14h/8h split. Different if you’re going to Perth. I prefer doing the short leg second.!

I went when my son was 22 months so didn't have to pay for a seat and was fine. He sat on my lap and mostly slept there, I had a travel pillow thingy which was perfect for him, had a bulk head seat so we had plenty of foot space and took his trunki with lots of toys, colouring etc. Also take adaptors for the headsets and you'll be fine. He loves Australia. Don't get me wrong, wasn't the greatest 24 hours of my life and I would also recommend taking food on the flight but all in all there are worse things.

I’ve flown long haul with a toddler on my lap lots of times. The tips here about toys etc are good but my main recommendation is snacks. All the snacks. Relax your rules on screen time for the day. Also, take a book or toy that they’ve never seen before so it buys you more distraction. Yes to extra legroom.

Accept it’s going to be a shit day but realise that it is only 1 day. You’ll be fine.

One tip about the buggy. I have checked in buggies at the gate before and found on the other end they have come out with the main luggage thereby defeating the purpose of having them. It’s happened more than once now. I just take a sling for the walk from the plane to the arrivals lounge and they can sleep too if they want.

I live in Australia & years ago we flew here when my now teenager was 17 months (and I was a few months pregnant with his sister).
We couldn't afford a seat for our 17 month old.... Dh and I spent the flights with him on our lap. It can be done, but don't expect to relax on the flight.
We always break the flight in Singapore. My father breaks the flight in both Singapore and Dubai, but he is older and less tolerant of being uncomfortable.

If you can afford to buy a seat for the toddler, do so. Keep him/her entertained with the in-flight screen, give no sugary food and encourage sleep.

Consider breaking the journey in both Dubai and Asia. If you can't afford this, I highly recommend Singapore as a great stopover place. With young children, a longer stopover (at least 1 night in a hotel) is far better than a short one. Our most relaxing long haul flight has been with a 3 day stopover in Singapore.

If you can't afford to buy a seat for the toddler:
(1) get an aisle seat - so much easier to get out of and walk the toddler up and down.
(2) lots of screen time in flight.
(3) stop in Singapore for at least 2 days, 1 night, both to Australia and on the way back.
(4) Look into the difference in cost for premium economy for 2 adults? (or even 1 premium economy seat for the person who holds toddler, and 1 economy seat for the other adult?)

Another point: in premium economy on some airlines certainly BA you can’t put the seat rest up. So three economy seats will allow more space for a toddler to sleep than 2 premium economy ones. (I have just done 4 20+ hour flights with a toddler in the last 6 months and I have spent hours debating this stuff with DH!)

Thanks so much everyone! I think the consensus is to definitely get him his own seat. We were planning to stop in Singapore overnight but I’ll look at other leg options that are shorter flights.

I've done Australia/UK with a baby and toddler. Yes to the seat. Remember too, if you don't book a seat the catering extends to a jar of baby food so you need to take loads of food.

I'd be thoughtful of Royal Brunei airlines...their airport was terrible, and although it's been done up I'm not sure it's significantly better. Shortage of seats, nowhere to get a coffee, terrible toilets. Also, it's a dry flight and I've always felt a gin is necessary to get through a flight with children

Yes to a seat, as much for you both to manage an increased dtv risk as anything else!

Transit hotel in Singapore airport is very good for a flat sleep break

Remember, your travel goal is survival....keep your expectations and standards nice and low

If you fly BA they have bassinet seats for babies up to two years old so you don’t need to pay for an extra seat. They aren’t the most comfortable but our large 18 month old son managed ok in there for part of the journey to oz. Of course when the seatbelt sign is on they need to be taken out which is a pain and is the downside of not paying for a seat. I would call BA to check that you can book one. Otherwise I would recommend a tablet, headphones and lots of peppa pig! And snacks galore. There’s a website called ‘flying with a baby’ that has loads of useful tips and info www.flyingwithababy.com