baby meals on VA help please

[PoppyAnna]

when we travel in april our daughters will be four and nineteen months. virgin will allocate a childs meal to our eldest but a baby meal to our youngest.
I personally wouldn't call her a baby and they eat the same food at home. when I asked VA they couldn't tell me she just said it was food that was easily digestable and wouldn't let me request a childs meal for her, and said if I wasn't happy I should bring my own food for her! Grrrr.... Does anybody know what this baby meal consists of?

 

[buzz182]

Very strange?

I presume you have purchased a seat for your daughter and she is not sitting on your lap. If not, this could be why.

When we went last Nov/Dec, Joshua had his own seat and even though he was 13 and a half months old, we ordered a childs meal for him as he was eating chopped up solid food and they didn't say he had to have a baby meal. Although to be on the safe side we did take a couple of Hipp Organic toddler meals with us incase he didn't like what he got!

If I can remember I think his main meal was spag bol.

I would call again and ask why they are saying your daughter has to have a baby meal, because if it were me ringing I would tell them that at 19 months she is a toddler NOT a baby! Especially if you have paid a childs fare for her seat, then you should get a childs meal.

HTH's

Karina

 

[PoppyAnna]

Thanks for the info.
She doesn't have her own seat, as she is under two I thought a lap seat was all that was available to me, would I have to pay full child fare for her to get her own seat? Call me tight but as I'm travelling with two kids I thought we could put the arm up and we could share two seats amongst three of us as we're all tiny, I figured one of the three adults in my group would be walking around with one of them some of the time anyway. In my experience it's likely that economy won't be full and hopefully we can stretch out a bit. I am aware that she is too old for a bassinet and therefore I didn't think she would be classed as a baby. As VA offer a lap belt for up to 2 years of age I think they should be more flexible with the meal allowance.
Bit miffed.

 

[buzz182]

Even though your daughter is under 2, she could be in her own seat from 6 months using an infant care chair which Virgin fit for you when you board. So yes, if you want her own seat you have to pay a childs fare for it.

I don't know if they would allow you but you could give them another call and offer to pay for a childs meal . But tbh I don't think they offer this option. So really i guess you'll have either take something for her or let her share some of her sisters and your meals.

Sorry, I can't really think of anything else.

Have a lovely time anyway, nothing beats seeing your childs face light up when they see their favourite characters!. Even at such a young age, Joshua's being Bear In The Big Blue House, Jo Jo, Little Einsteins, Lightening McQueen and of course Mickey!

Karina

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Thanks for the info.
She doesn't have her own seat, as she is under two I thought a lap seat was all that was available to me, would I have to pay full child fare for her to get her own seat? Call me tight but as I'm travelling with two kids I thought we could put the arm up and we could share two seats amongst three of us as we're all tiny, I figured one of the three adults in my group would be walking around with one of them some of the time anyway. In my experience it's likely that economy won't be full and hopefully we can stretch out a bit. I am aware that she is too old for a bassinet and therefore I didn't think she would be classed as a baby. As VA offer a lap belt for up to 2 years of age I think they should be more flexible with the meal allowance.
Bit miffed.

Why don't you phone Virgin and find out how much it costs?

Even if you are all small, those seats are not very big for an 8/9 hour flight (I am 5'4" and a size 10 and wouldn't fancy sharing a couple of seats with my not particularly large husband and a squirming toddler...). Especially on the way home - if you hope for anyone to get any sleep.

You may be lucky and have a quiet flight where you can spread out, but if you are flying anytime during or around the Easter holidays, you would probably find the flight completely packed.

Lap infants do have considerably restricted rights - no seat of their own, no proper meal (it could well be just a jar or two or baby food) and a considerably reduced luggage allowance. If you don't get your youngest a seat of their own, definitely look at taking enough suitable food with you. Maybe I have a big appetite, but I don't think that meals on planes are particularly big anyway, so sharing them probably wouldn't be enough if you were hungry...

Good luck,
Boo

 

[Soprano]

Virgin charge child price if you want a child seat regardless. We flew with an 18month old and 'paid' the extra because we wanted the extra bit of room. I say 'paid' as we booked when it was 'Free Child place' promo.

Not only will you be expected to pay full child fare, its likely you will have to pay Virgin's £25 'admin fee' on top of that.

What day do you travel out? Some days, mid week, seem to be quieter than Monday or weekends so would agree, its likely you can get another seat to stretch out. But you have to be real quick as everyone wants a row to themselves!

 

[Boo Boo Too]

What day do you travel out? Some days, mid week, seem to be quieter than Monday or weekends so would agree, its likely you can get another seat to stretch out. But you have to be real quick as everyone wants a row to themselves!

Also the ability to "spread out" on a partially full flight very much depends on where you are sitting... In my experience, airlines tend to fill up from the front to the back: so the front cabin and a bit can be crammed, then the back bit can have one person per 3 or 4 seats! Have seen this lots of times... Of course if you are sitting at the front, by the time the seatbelt sign goes off and you go back down the plane to find some space - everyone is sprawlled out and pretending to sleep...

In a big group you are less likely to get spare seats next to you because you will probably all be sitting next to each other.

If the seating is 3-4-3. If there are six of you, for example, you might want to go for two sets of three (behind each other) in the middle "4" section towards the back. IF (BIG IF) the plane is not completely fully, then you have a CHANCE that no-one will be put in the two spare aisle seats. Obviously if the plane is packed, then you have a couple of strangers sitting with you AND it will take you ages to get off the plane. If, however, there were six of you and you went for two sets of seats in the "3" section by the window, you would be unlikely to get to spread out - since there are likely to be people behind or infront of you that would also want to spread out in their rows (if a seat was spare).

If that makes ANY sense. I would go for a child seat if it was within the budget.

Boo

 

[PoppyAnna]

After ten minutes on Virgin's 0845 number and 220 quid later little Poppy now has her own seat. Quite cheap....
I think it's for the best in the long run. she's a bit of a "Dora the Explorer" (same would say dangerous) of a child, having the ability to safely strap her into her own seat and make her watch TV suddenly appeals.....
Also, the ability to spread out on the flight would have been impossible I've just booked one of the last two seats available......I bet Virgin HATE me they've had to sell me a transatlantic seat for 220.00 and now wont be able to make a booking for two pax.......! I feel like I've got them back for changing my flight times and not telling me......!
Thanks to all of you for your pearls of wisdom....you made me see sense.
It could make or break the holiday, DH hates bad flight experiences and NEVER forgots them.....don't think I could put up with the stories for years to come!
Thanks again!
Jo.

 

[janeyb]

I'd take enough food with you. When we flew with our 15 month old last year and requested a meal for her, they completely ignored her when handing out meals, and when asked all they could offer her was one small jar of baby food for babies 4+ months!! (they didn't have anymore left!!)
Luckily I had taken enough snacks with me onboard!!

When we fly out again this year, with baby no.2 also, I'll be taking food with me!! Have a lovely time.

 

[Madjock]

I think you made the right decision!

First time we went DD2 was 21 months and I was very glad we had paid for her seat because on the way out we hit turbulence which meant she had to be strapped in for just over an hour, can you imagine having a squirming child on your lap for that time. On the return she was so whacked she fell asleep as soon as we took off and never woke up even after we landed, it was uncomfortable enough having her sprawled out with her own seat I can't imagine how much worse it would've been if we were squeezing in.

As for the food, both DDs don't like airplane food anyway so we always take lots of snacks.

Have a great time.

 

[buzz182]

Glad you got it sorted!

At least now you can relax and enjoy the flight.

Karina

 

[Boo Boo Too]

I honestly think that is a very good choice. Think of it as about £10 an hour for a little bit more room + a bit extra for her meals etc....

Also, although I didn't mention it earlier, it IS better from a safety aspect: IF, in the VERY unlikely event of an emergency landing or similar, it is a LOT safer for your DD to be strapped into her own seat

janeyb, did your daughter have her own seat (when she was missed out with the meals)? Who did you complaisn to at the time?

Boo

 

[diamond57]

I would definitely recommend requesting the Virgin seat that they can supply - it was not automatic when we flew with dd (admittedly that was about 5 years ago), but it was very good and comfortable for her. Also, the baggage allowance came in handy. They supplied her with a child's meal, and on the way back had both (12 month plus jars and a child's meal because they could not locate our preference). At that time they also kept spare nappies etc on board, may be worth checking with the current restrictions on hand luggage the more they can supply on board the easier coming through security checks will be for you.