LucaLeon123 Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Hi all, What has been your experience with flying with little kids? We are unsure if to wait until our youngest is two to fly out to oz or go before? We have the dilemma of how much money we could save if we go before he is two versus him having his own seat. Can we cope with him sitting on our knees all that way? Would it be an absolute nightmare? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmsyEss Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Hi! We are flying out with a 2.5 year old and 1 year old and I must admit I'm quite relieved that we will have three seats and not two!. We did a shorter flight when the girls were younger and couldn't purchase a seat for our eldest so we had two seats for four bums! Very uncomfortable :-) also some airlines have a policy whereby you can't have two infants in the same row so we weren't even sat near each other. It was a nightmare! I guess it depends how old your little one will be when you are considering the move? I'm hoping it's not too bad with my one year old as she will have just turned one and is quite petite but I can imagine it's difficult on such a long flight with a toddler before they turn 2. I remember flying to New Zealand and I was sat next to a couple with a girl who must have been very close to 2 and the mum seemed very uncomfortable as the girl was far too big for the sky cots provided. I guess you have to weigh up the price you will save and also it's only a one way journey and I'm guessing your youngest will be a bit older before your holidays back to the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<Dan> Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 We have flew twice with our kids, once was just the two of them who were around 7 and 9 which was fine as they had films / games to play with. The last time we went, our youngest was 13 months old. We were dreading it but he slept through the take off and landing on all the flights bar the last leg on the return. The hardest part was keeping him in his basket as he really didnt want to stay in it for long. It wasn't as bad as we expected and as long as they are under two, they don't need a seat so are cheaper. We had the problem of making sure we took enough milk and they ask you to taste a few bottles in customs to make sure its safe. Obviously you cant keep it long, so we had to make up more bottles at Dubai (But we did stay the night on the way). Also, when going through customs, you go through a separate queue, which is short, but that because it takes AGES to get through as they check loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DyLeB Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 When we went to validate our visas our daughter was 23 month - so technically she could have sat on our laps - but we decided to pay the extra and get her a seat. Best thing we did - she is quite small for her age - but no way we would have managed without her own seat. She ended up lying down on her bit of mine and bit of oh. It was a long flight - we had to leave Scotland on the red eye 6 am flight to heathrow then all they way to Perth via KL. once we arrived in kl they had lost our buggy even though we gave it to them at the gate and never got it in Perth till 2 days later. Luckily Perth airport has loads of buggys everywhere you can use. She hardly slept on the London to kl flight - but she was good just sat in her seat looking depressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelchic Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 When we flew over (just me and my son) it was 3 flights and we had 3 seats between the 2 of us for all 3 flights. It could have been just good luck but there were quite a few empty seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou8670 Posted June 27, 2014 Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 (edited) Hi all, What has been your experience with flying with little kids? We are unsure if to wait until our youngest is two to fly out to oz or go before? We have the dilemma of how much money we could save if we go before he is two versus him having his own seat. Can we cope with him sitting on our knees all that way? Would it be an absolute nightmare? Mid week flights are quieter and Singapore airlines wasn't as busy as when we flew with Emirates via Dubai but that could have been pure luck! We had two side rows and a middle row between 5 of us on Singapore airlines. We've also flown with 2 just under 2 to St Lucia and it was a nightmare but then it's only a day in your life so maybe find a quieter flight and chance it. Edited June 27, 2014 by Lou8670 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelchic Posted June 27, 2014 Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 Yeah ours was mid week. Left on Thursday morning and arrived fri afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucaLeon123 Posted June 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 Thank you all for our help with this. I decided at 3am last night (!) that I think we will wait till he is 2 and book him a seat of his own. I just thought of meal times and him wanting to sleep I think it will be less stressful if we can sit him in his own seat. I have flown to oz before and there has been empty seats but not sure I want to risk it. Thank you for helping me brain storm! I think this is the start of many early morning thinking sessions!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmsyEss Posted June 27, 2014 Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 Glad you came to a decision and I can tell you through our visa process I have had many early morning thinking sessions. It's hard to sleep some nights with so much to think about :-) and now we are only three months away from our move, I feel like my to do list is never ending! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelchic Posted June 27, 2014 Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 I did a big spider chart and stuck it to the fridge in the kitchen. I just tackled one thing at a time and highlighted it as I went along. Trouble was, every time I passed it I added something on so it got nigger and bigger. But nothing got forgotten so it was worth it. Ive still got it lol Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmsyEss Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 I did a big spider chart and stuck it to the fridge in the kitchen. I just tackled one thing at a time and highlighted it as I went along. Trouble was, every time I passed it I added something on so it got nigger and bigger. But nothing got forgotten so it was worth it. Ive still got it lol Debs I love the spider chart idea! Might be doing that! I tackled our paperwork yesterday and a glass of wine was needed as I sifted through everything from my degree certificate to my daughters' birthing records. So much to do and our container arrives mid august! Car boot sale is tomorrow to get rid of a lot of baby clothes and toys. Never ending! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plimthing Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 In general the airlines do tend to bend over backwards to help out travellers with young kids, no doubt someone will say otherwise but that is my experience. If you are flying with someone under 2 they will try (if you book early enough) to give you a seat with a bassinet in front of it (ie a front row/bulkhead seat in the middle), it gives you loads more space for all the associated stuff you haul when you travel with kids. We flew out on our reccie trip with a 20 month old and a 5 year old. The youngest had a vommiting bug, the eldest a bad ear infection. It was so bad we almost cancelled the flight from the hotel room at heathrow! The girls on the Malaysian Airlines flight were great, and kept us in constant supply of clean blankets and entertainment for them. If any other passengers whinge about it, just turn round and give them 'the parent death stare' they will soon figure out its best if they shut up and face front. At the end of the day you are paying big bucks for the flights and they want you to fly with them next time, so they (hostesses) do help, and don't forget to ask if you want something, you will be suprised what they keep behind the curtain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou8670 Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 My worst experience flying long haul didn't involve my kids or anyone's else's for that matter! It was the t**ser in the seat behind me who at one point lost his temper so badly (after he had complained that I wouldn't put my seat in the upright position on a night flight) that, when I said to the flight attendant he had thumped me in the back, launched into one and shook my seat so hard that everyone in the rows front and behind gasped in horror! I buried my head and let the staff deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucaLeon123 Posted June 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 Oh blimey 3months to go! We are hoping to be in Perth by feb next year and I am panicking about the time scale! Where are you heading in Perth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo and scott Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 My worst experience flying long haul didn't involve my kids or anyone's else's for that matter! It was the t**ser in the seat behind me who at one point lost his temper so badly (after he had complained that I wouldn't put my seat in the upright position on a night flight) that, when I said to the flight attendant he had thumped me in the back, launched into one and shook my seat so hard that everyone in the rows front and behind gasped in horror! I buried my head and let the staff deal with it. that's sounds awful lou, I hope they sorted it for you. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julesktm1 Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Lou hope you were moved to business class what a bully x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beandownunder Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 My worst experience flying long haul didn't involve my kids or anyone's else's for that matter! It was the t**ser in the seat behind me who at one point lost his temper so badly (after he had complained that I wouldn't put my seat in the upright position on a night flight) that, when I said to the flight attendant he had thumped me in the back, launched into one and shook my seat so hard that everyone in the rows front and behind gasped in horror! I buried my head and let the staff deal with it. omg Lou! that's awful. Hope it got sorted! can't bear it when people kick or rock my chair, drives me nuts! J x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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