Do you REALLY feed your under 2 burgers?

[StarlightWonderStarlightBright]

was the reply from Air Canada check-in clerk who was trying to explain to me that although I had 'child meal' on my ticket, there was no food on board for my 15 month old because it is up to me to bring my own jar of mush.

I told him I have no mush as my child does not eat mush but real food and he looked at me with the most patronising, disbelieving and repremanding look and 'accused' me of feeding her 'burgers', to which I replied 'of course I do'.

He then went on to say that never before had he come across a parent who had not brought 'special' food for their baby.

We would have this problem too if we had taken DS on a flight. I guess you could just share your meal with him but then there's less for you and you've paid as much for a child meal as someone with a 6 year old! Perhaps you should enlighten Air Canada by writing to them?

If said burger consists of high quality minced beef, onion, egg and not much else, I struggle to see the problem.

What were the non mush eating children being given?

He was trying to be dramatic I think. I have another child (3) who got a child's meal of chicken pasta, fruit salad and a yoghurt.

I simply gave his meal to my 15month old and grabbed another adult meal for my 3 yr old, but still.

And, - I would give my 15month old the lowest quality meat burger as a one-off flight survival strategy. As it happens, after she had eaten the child's meal, - she went on to eat my 3yr olds adult meal too. She's a proper gannet!

I might write to them. They made quite a few mistakes actually, - although, as usual, the flight attendants tried their best to help resolve some of the problems.

Oh, as a one off flight survival strategy I'd feed my under 2 anything, I just thought the flight attendant was making a rather stupid comment about "burgers" in general as if they are the stuff of the devil when there isn't actually much wrong with them anyway, because they consist of minced beef, onion etc.

Well that's what I thought. I said 'what's wrong with burgers?' and he just replied 'for your under 2yr old? '.

I thought it wasn't the place or the person with whom to get into a debate about childhood nutrition, but he was SO WRONG it is blardy annoying not to be able to correct him on principle!

mmm same problem here although I take stuff in my hand luggage as a standby!

just an ignorant person who thinks all children eat is mush or mcdonalds...

problem here is that 'under 2's' are treated one way and over 2's another even if you have got them a seat.

but but but, - it never even occured to me to take any food. I've NEVER taken out any food. I bf and around 6 months fed when I fed, supplementing with bf. If I was peckish I'd buy a bun and share it. If my dd appeared peckish I'd buy a banana and share it, - or we'd go to a cafe for a snack.

and fwiw I would NEVER share my flight meal with me dd. She's very greedy and won't stick to her share!

How silly. My 14 mo would be horrified if I tried to feed him mush!

Hmm, - I was then told that 'if they had enough', then my dd could have some food.

Did they seriously plan to let my dd have nothing to eat for 14 hours?

Oh, actually, - I've just reminded myself, - I did have some food. I bought some chocolate which is still in my bag - yum. Off to get it!

I'm just about to fly with my ds1 (4) and ds2(11m) and will take food for the 11m old (solid btw, one thing i learnt from mumsnet is baby led weaning) on the ticket information it does tell me to bring own stuff for the infant ticket "in sealed jars" but that is only if i want cabincrew to heat it. i am planning to ignore and take the usual eclectic mix of bread, sausages veg sticks and biscuits. just need to check how the rules have changed after the underpant bomber...

always fly BA and usually get offered food anyway (although it was an adult meal last time we flew when DS1 was 2y 11m) he loved curry the though ! - was offered sandwiches when he was under 2.

Air Canada

I'll never fly with them with children again, after we did so in 2005. Least child-friendly airline I have ever experienced.

I've never been given a burger on a flight, sausages yes and manky looking chicken. Silly man, I hope you get a letter done.

That's ridiculous, I don't take any special food (apart from emergency snacks) when we go to eat anywhere. Human children are designed to eat what the rest of us do!

A 15 month old travels on your lap & barely eats anything, can easily share table food (regardless of ignorance of check-in staff)...I don't understand OP's problem. I would expect to share my adult food with little one during the flight, I certainly wouldn't expect a special meal to be available for them.

Mloo, your 15 month old may barely eat anything, but they're not all the same. My 9 month old will eat as much as I do for lunch, and it sounds like Starlight's LO is out the same mould . I don't think either my DD or I would have enough to sustain us for a 14 hour flight by sharing a plane meal. I'm really suprised by this - it would never occur to me that parents would have to bring food for flights unless they particularly wanted specific things (such as with food allergies).

mloo my 15 month old does not require 'special' food, - just food, and she is a growing infant capable of eating the same quantity and items that an adult eats and lots lots more.

She is being monitored for being slightly diddy for her age, so I believe she eats to apetite.

@mloo - It's not like the meals they provide are massive - they're barely a snack for an adult. Granted if they dont pay for a seat then perhaps they shouldn't be automatically entitled to a meal, BUT they should at least make the option available to have a meal.

I think the OP was more narked about the attitude of the half-wit on check in. WOW a child that eats real food. CRAZY!

The airlines make a fortune on the stupid things anyway - You'd have thought they'd be desperate to flog her their pre-packaged muck....

We flew Virgin earlier this year and the children (then aged 3 and 1) got SO MUCH food it was hilarious! There were sandwiches and crisps and fruit and raisins and chocolate bars and if I recall some hot food too.

However, we have also recently flown AA and as you now have to buy any food you want I make sure we took loads of snacks with us. Kept the dd's occupied during the 4 hour flight too. I am probably a bit of a worrier with food though and wouldn't go any distance without lots and lots of snacks.

But yes I would and have fed burger to my under-2-year-old.

They're nuts (Air Canada & the steward, that is). Not sure what you will gain by writing to them though as it sounds like some kind of loony policy they have.

When we flew BA to Australia, when DS was 10mo, they provided a child meal for him despite it not being necessary at the time. Qantas the same - always a child meal, despite him being under 2 when we flew this time. He doesn't eat much but I agree with the others that it would be difficult on a long flight to share the little food one does get with a child with a good appetite - I'd be left hungry even with mine not eating much! I do also take snacks for us - necessary however you look at it.

And of course I have fed burger to my DS when he was under 2 - either ones we have had for dinner ourselves (nice lamb and redcurrant types or homemade ones) and even BK when absolutely necessary on motorway journeys.

We have just flown on American Airlines and they are such an unbelievably shite and un child friendly airline - no such thing as providing any food for under 2 yr olds - adult meal or otherwise. Luckily, I thought the spinach and cheese pasta on offer looked revolting, so passed it on to my 13 mth old who chowed down on it

My dd2 used to love burgers as an under two. She still does infact now that she is almost 3.

Cheese burger served with stir fried peppers, salad, coleslaw and chips is her favourite meal.

I can't believe they thought a child wouldn't need feeding. I'd definately write to them. When dd1 was about the same age we went on a short flight with her and they gave her an adult meal, no problems at all. Even though we hadn't paid for on flight meals as they had some left over. I can't remember which airline it was though. One of the smaller ones, most likely.

I have flown transatlantic 8x with tots aged 1-2 and never had a meal offered for my on-lap tot. And never expected it, either. It's better for adults to eat lightly to deal with the jetlag, anyway. Half the time they will give you an extra adult meal if they have one, if you are that hungry; DH is our family hoover and always blags spare food. We always bring snacks, anyway.

I wasn't there so don't know how the interaction between OP and check-in staff went down, but I rather suspect the "half-wittedness" may have been less one-sided than OP suggests.