Babies on planes (a question, not a rant!)

tomtontom

Assuming you're going to the west coast, I'd look into Air New Zealand and booking the Sky Couch, or booking an extra seat*. 11 hours is a long time if baby doesn't fit the bassinet, or if you can't get one.

* Call the airline directly if you want to do this, you can often book the third seat at a reduced rate.

duchy

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Forget car seats, on long haul you really need a bassinet.

At 9 months the baby may not fit ......see my previous post.
I go agree for tiny babies they are great though.

jackieblack

duchy wrote: »

11 months ? Nah some flights just FEEL that long :rotfl:

Especially when you're sat next to/in front of/behind a screaming baby

Gloomendoom

duchy wrote: »

At 9 months the baby may not fit ......see my previous post.
I go agree for tiny babies they are great though.

Agreed, but it does depend on the airline. The last long haul flight I was on I was sat next to a a family with a child that was at least a year old in a bassinet. She was a good as gold for 95% of the flight.

duchy

We are all assuming 11 hours means west coast but of course it may not. Maybe the OP will specify when they come back.

Nick_C

tberry6686 wrote: »

Depends if it is a flight aimed at holidaymakers, if so baby's are pretty much expected. I fly long haul quite often for business (not to normal holiday destinations) and a baby on those flights is a PIA at best for everyone, including the parents.

duchy wrote: »

Airlines don't have business flights to the US or anywhere else (LCY JFK arguably is the one exception)

I would have thought any route where the profitability of the route depends on selling a lot of seats up front at high prices was a business route. Clearly destinations like Orlando are aimed at the leisure market - very few people in the premium cabins.

If you are defining a business flight as a flight that only has business class passengers, then there is also LTN to EWR

Charter flights ? None to America. LCCs? Plenty of business travellers use them too. None fly to the US unless you count Norwigian who court business travellers too.

Charter flights? Very few anywhere anymore. Most flights operated by Thomson, Thomas Cook, Canadian Affair etc now sell seats directly.

LCCs to the States - plenty. Thomson and Thomas Cook being the two biggest players, and not aiming at business travellers

Really business travel is rubbish unless your company value you enough to put you in business.

Mind you most business travellers don't leave home without their Boise headphones which solve the problem anyway.

I disagree. I've just got back from the States in business class, and I was on vacation and paying for my own seat. I didn't pack my Bose headphones as the airline provides them. But they are not practical to wear when you are sleeping on your side, so unfortunately I was woken by a screaming brat in the middle of the night. No escaping the little darlings, even in business class. No disturbance from any of the adults in the BC cabin though, despite the champagne flowing freely. Any airline that starts adult only flights will get my business.

DigForVictory

OP, go for it. Plan like blazes - what if, what if, what if but seize the opportunity & improve the plans.
My parents had to ship a 5 yo, a 3 yo & an 18 mo old baby & I hazily remember the flight as being fascinating but midsib being a real chore while the baby fed, slept & gawked quietly.

While you outnumber the children, it's all much easier.

Gloomendoom

On some flights I have been on, Business Class was at as much as 50% children. It's certainly no guarantee of a peaceful trip.

zagfles

Gloomendoom wrote: »

On some flights I have been on, Business Class was at as much as 50% children. It's certainly no guarantee of a peaceful trip.

On one flight a few years ago, we were on an A380, economy on the upper deck at the back, and we walked through the business class section to get to our seats. Business class travellers had already boarded, and there were a couple of kids maybe 12-13 with their Dad (I presume) and the kids were throwing nuts to each other trying to get them in the other's mouth. A snotty looking couple sat nearby looked really disgruntled :rotfl:

leylandsunaddict

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Forget car seats, on long haul you really need a bassinet.

You're not guaranteed to get one. They're only a request and are usually allocated to the youngest babies first. IMO they're not really suitable once a baby can sit up on their own. If they are sat up in them they're not properly restrained which isn't safe. If the seatbelt sign keeps going on an off you're forever having to disturb them, which is a pain if they're asleep, and if it's on for a prolonged period of time which isn't that uncommon then they're belted to you. Some airlines provide car type seats which fix to the bassinet positions, but I don't know whether they can stay in them when the seat belt sign is on.