Toddler own seat on plane or lap?

[jdy123]

Help please
We've booked a holiday to Lanzarote so 4 hour flight when DD will be 18 months.
I'm toying with the idea of buying her her own seat or just having her on our laps. Therell just be the 3 of us. First time taking her away.
Anyone with experience of either please offer your advice
Is having toddler on lap manageable for 4 hours ?

Own seat for your and other passengers sanity

We did this journey with a 15 month old.
It was quite cramped and uncomfortable even when he fell asleep for a bit.

I'd definitely consider getting them their own seat.

I did a 3 hour flight with my then 20 month old. It was so uncomfortable. But a seat if you can afford to.

I mean it's not impossible but it's really not pleasant. We did a 2 hour flight with a toddler on our laps and if I had my time again I'd have paid for another seat just to be able to put them and some toys down.

Get them their own seat. Otherwise there are going to be the three of you in 2 seats and some other poor sod sat next to you. Could you even sit in an arm chair for 4 hours with them on your lap? It's a holiday - make it as comfortable as possible for yourselves.

own seat if you can.
sime airlines don't allow it though.
for take off and landing children under 2 must be on their parent's lap.

Yes, you will need them on your lap for take off. Personally I didn't mind that bit it was more the trying to drink tea with what felt like a chimpanzee climbing all over us.

Own seat. They will need to be on your lap for take off and landing.

Not quite a far bur we took a toddler to Faro and he just alternated laps and it wasn’t exactly restful but was ok. Depending on the cost I’d consider an extra seat but I know lots who have managed without and that includes going to Australia etc (which does sound horrendous tbh)

When you’ve done 26 hour trips to Australia like that (with a child on your lap) a 4 hour flight seems like the blink of an eye! Still, long haul seats are a little bit larger so space could be an issue I guess.

If you can afford it own seat, we did Cyprus at around that age and she wiggled on me pretty much non stop, made it very uncomfortable!
Short haul is so cramped.

Thanks everyone.
I initially thought ahhhh we'll cope but 4 hours is a long time really.
I best get on the phone to Tui

@MaudebeGonne so trueeeee that poor soul that would have been sat next to us lol

I'd say own seat if you can. Assuming you have a partner, 3 of you can have the row together and it just feels much more manageable. Also in my experience, depending on the cost of the flights, it may not cost much more for a seat vs what is often a flat fare for an infant. Also if they have their own seat that often means they get their own luggage allowance.

If it’s Jet 2 def an extra seat
I’ve just come back from Lanzarote and the sears are tiny

@Wegobshite it's Tui but I can't imagine they're any better!
Anyways I've just booked her seat it was only an extra £110 ....£55 per flight seems worth it just for a little less stress. Wish us luck ha

We flew to Florida with a 15 month old without her own seat.
DH said it was like having a sweaty rabid octopus strapped to him
Buy a seat

I did it with an 18month old and if it wasn’t for the poor random that gets stuck next to you, I’d do it! But it made it twice as stressful every time he cried as I felt so sorry for that person sitting next to us! Definitely would do their own seat next time.