Flying with a 14 month old on your lap.

[UKDEB]

Has anyone done this? Is it a crazy notion? I'm trying to price up a trip for my daughter and her partner in October. Surprisingly I can get a really good price in Virgin Economy with M+M (£379 each - £247 of which is taxes ), but there's no way they could afford to pay for a seat for their son. (I'm assuming the cost of a seat would be the full adult price?)

 

[UKDEB]

It's just dawned on me that he'll be 16 months when they fly.

 

[bobo_UK]

Yes its doable and if its the choice between going and not going its a no brainer.
We did it in 2004 and although hard work it wasn't that bad. On the way out we had bulkhead seats so we were able to put blankets on the floor and let her play and sit on the floor. On the way back she slept for 90% of the journey so other than having a baby laid across your for 7 hours it wasn't a big deal.

I think if you were to buy a ticket it would be a child price, we asked and it was about £350 at the time so decided against.

 

[paulh]

if your able to get M+M for the flight chances are it might not be full so they might be able to get a seat after take off(this happened today on our way back for someone with us airways)
Paul

 

[Cosmo.Kramer]

We're going with our 14 month old in 29 days but we've booked a seat for as last year she didn't settle at all on the flight, which made it a REALLY long flight. Depends on the child though.

 

[Tammy Stringer]

Deb

We did it with both the girls - admittedly they were both nearly 23 months old but it was fine.

You know us there is no way we would pay for a child seat if we could get them there for nothing on our lap

We found as long as you took plenty of things to keep them interested - a small bag of new toys, stickers, snacks etc., and once the seat belt sign is off lots of walking with them up and down the aisles - they were fine. The worse thing is when they drop off and you need to then wake them to put the lap belt on if it isn't already.

Tam

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We did this when Joshua was 10 months old (picture below refers), seem to remember it was hard work (then again he always is ).
Tried to use the sky cot thingy but he didn't settle in that at all, spent most of the time with his mum if I remember rightly.

I think the next time when we was about 2 we bought him a seat.

To be honest I don't know how we coped with him being so young - I suppose the fact we were over 10 years younger helped.

 

[scojos]

DD was 18months old the 1st time we travelled, on the way there we had bulk head seats, and there was a "spare" seat so she really got her own seat - i didnt pay for it.
on the way home the plane was rammed and i had her on my lap (asleep) all the way home, it was tight, but i couldnt have paid the extra 300£ for her to travel.
lots of snacks and drinks are advised...
Tracy

 

[islandmum]

if they cant afford it then do it .... but its not going to be easy most likely. Okay for the night flight when the babe will hopefully sleep but the day flight could be a pain.

But then again its only 9 hours out of their lives and a holiday the other side of it!

 

[BRobson]

We did it with Molly at 15 months and Lewis and 16 months and it was fine

The only bit Lewis hated was being tied in with the belt on my lap for take off

Other than that the tvs distracted them and I just had a bribe bag of little things that we got out to play with - small magna doodle, stickers,books etc - by the time they eat , the go for a couple of laps round the plane and an afternoon nap the time soon flies.

Now my two are 7 & 9 and were quite self sufficient last year - I was actually lost with how to fill 9 hours as I am soooo out of practice relaxing

 

[Elise79]

I think it depends on the child.

We took Chloe at 9 months on our laps and said 'never again'! She has her own seat next month when she will be 15 mths.

Ou reasons are she does not like to sit on peoples laps - quick cuddle yes but not for 9 hours and we would all be miserable. She likes to be independent and I struggled to keep her still in the lap belt for take off and landing last time and wanted her in a 5 point harness next time. I have to say though she has never been a 'sit still' type baby and was walking happily by 11 months (having been furniture surfing since 6 months )

 

[Cosmo.Kramer]

Agree about the depends on the child argument. Mollie is a very independant little madam so it's difficult to get her to stay still on your lap for any length of time.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Yes, it can be done, here is us in 2003 when little 'un was 18 months

 

[T16GEM]

Harley was due to turn 2 the day after we flew back, he sat on my lap the whole time, and enjoyed his cuddles. There was no way we were paying for a seat for him when we didn't need to. He was fine, he is an active little chappy but we played and watched some tv together so it was fine.

The only time I would say was difficult was during meal times, but we had a word with the hostess and asked her if she could keep either DH's or my meal back until the other had finished as there was no way that you could get the table down with them on your lap!

 

[Cosmo.Kramer]

Looks like you have quite a bit of room there.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I would imagine it would be harder the less legroom, seat comfort you have, harder in Economy than PE/UC for sure.

 

[paulh]

You know us there is no way we would pay for a child seat if we could get them there for nothing on our lap

Now me would have the 13 year old to sit on DW lap and 21 year old on mine if i could save money
Paul

 

[UKDEB]

Oh, ha ha, Obi - those armrests in UC are bigger than a seat in Economy!

Not sure whether it's going to happen now anyway. Matt phoned DVC Member Services earlier and there's no studio available anywhere for their dates. We can get SSR for all but two of their nights, so may have to take that and waitlist. I'm 99.9% sure it'll come through, but it's a bit of a gamble.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Looks like you have quite a bit of room there.

Its the old UC seats, the very comfortable Recaro seats.
They should have put those in PE when they fitted the UC suites!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Oh, ha ha, Obi - those armrests in UC are bigger than a seat in Economy!

Not sure whether it's going to happen now anyway. Matt phoned DVC Member Services earlier and there's no studio available anywhere for their dates. We can get SSR for all but two of their nights, so may have to take that and waitlist. I'm 99.9% sure it'll come through, but it's a bit of a gamble.

What about using your RCI availability to one of the resorts off site but close to WDW? Orange Lake or Vistana for example?