Flying with infant - book her a seat?

[grannyed]

We are looking to have a holiday in Orlando for 4 weeks August 2010. We have to fit in with school holidays. Ideally we would like to fly direct from Manchester and it seems that our choice is limited to Virgin (unless someone can tell us differently)

We are 4 adults (Gran. Grandad, Son, Daugh-IL) and 3 girls aged 11, 6 and 18 months. The youngest can travel as an infant without a seat. Does anyone have experience of this - good or bad.

We have toyed with the idea of booking her a seat but Virgin fares aren't cheap an we wonder if it would be doable without - if we could get 2 sets of 3 seats close together.

Or does anyone know of any Indirect flight which aren't too lengthy...in which case we would book her a seat.

We went in 2006 indirect but because of a delay on the way out and a last minute flight change on the way back they proved to be dreadful flights and we only had 2 girls then, both with seats.

Any suggestions, comments appreciated.

 

[Rascal1003]

I can honestly say that the £150 extra that we paid for the seat for our son when he was an infant, was money very well spent. He had his own space to play and when he was asleep we could move freely and do what we wanted.

I would not even consider having the child on our lap after enjoying the extra space an additional seat offers. You have the option of a lap-belt if you think they wont sit still during take-off/landing or turbulence, which helps loads.

So far it really hasn't been that bad for us with our son (now just turned 3 and been 3 times) and we have one on the way (due in about 2 weeks) who will be in a Sky Cot on our October trip. I suspect this will be the most difficult of all our trips so far with the 3 year old !

 

[fairytale]

If you can afford the extra seat go for it

Im not sure which class you are travelling in, but if its economy I definatley would.

In PE, not sure if economy is the same, but the armrests do not tilt up inbetween seats, so the thought of getting a set of say three together may not be much of an advantage.

 

[Gingernut]

Took my DS for the first time when he was about 18 months and booked him a seat.

Money well spent. As he still doesn't sit still - kids! - it was much much easier. And, he fell asleep, as we'd been up early, before we even took off. When he was awake he wasn't content to just sit - which could be really tricky if he was just on our knees. We did walk around the plane quite a bit with him, but thats not a bad thing.

I would def think hard about seat or no seat, you obviously know your child the best but think about what is best for all the adults aswell - it could be a longggg flight otherwise.

 

[orangetiggs]

we are going next year with twins they will be about 8/9 months old and we will have one seat for them and one sky cot so we can at least have a bit of a rest

 

[Melcatfish]

We fly in five weeks with Virgin in August, I would have booked a seat for my 19 month old but it added close to £700 to our quote! We have two adults, a 4 year old and a 19 month old. I think it will be interesting!!!

I figured we would only have chance to make this mistake once and we would just go for it. I think it would be less problematic with four adults as in your party as there are more adults to share the toddler restraining and entertaining between.

Of course you won't know now but if the toddler is a sit still kind then of course after take off you could always put the arm rests up to make a sofa so they don't have to be on a lap all the time.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Mel
x

 

[jockey]

We have always booked seats for our kids under the age of 2. Last trip tho my DD who was 14 months sat on my knee most of the time, we did bring her car seat on board and the was useful for take off and landing and when the seat belt signs came on. She did protest at being put in the seat. Personally I think it's safer whoever if you have a clingy child you will probably end up with them on your knee! At least if you book them a seat you get the extra luggage allowance.

 

[barnaby1]

This is a very personal choice. I never booked a seat for my dd when she was under 2 and never found it a problem (although on the last trip at age 22 months the overnight flight home was a little uncomfortable due to her size). She flew once London to Australia and 3 times London to Orlando as a lap child. You pay 75% of the adult price so it isn't just a little extra at all.

 

[Elise79]

We took DD as at lap baby and had a skycot whe she was 9 months old (only in March) we are going back in September at 15months and she has her own seat!! There was just no way she was going to be happy sitting on someones lap for 9 hours even though we have 6 adults and DD. She will be happier having her own space as well.

Money worth spending in my book!

 

[aaronandterri]

ive booked a seat for izzy at xmas when we go shell just be one then, ive also thought of asking for a sky cot aswell as she will probably still not be very big shes only just nearly 12lbs now and in newborn size stuff, im not sure if theyd let me have both!
weve always booked an extra seat even if the baby is with me the kids make use of the space!

 

[Miss Mo]

We're off next week banana:) without a seat for our 15 month old!! Seemed a good idea at the time but now I'm a little aprehensive!! come back in a few weeks and I'll tell you if it was ok or not! I am REALLY wishing we had a luggage allowance for him though (ok for my shopping).

mo x

 

[grannyed]

thankyou everybody!

I'd be interested in how things go for you MIss Mo

..but I am beginning to lean towards booking a seat for DGD.

 

[orangetiggs]

depends on what airline you fly with, virgin atlantic give an infant with no seat 1x 23kg bag plu 6kg of hand luggage and a pushchair or car seat checked in

 

[barnaby1]

depends on what airline you fly with, virgin atlantic give an infant with no seat 1x 23kg bag plu 6kg of hand luggage and a pushchair or car seat checked in

You only get 10 kgs checked baggage for an infant with no seat plus 6kgs hand luggage on Virgin Atlantic. And 1 of either a stroller, car seat or crib.

 

[orangetiggs]

You only get 10 kgs checked baggage for an infant with no seat plus 6kgs hand luggage on Virgin Atlantic. And 1 of either a stroller, car seat or crib.

This is from thier site

What if a passenger is travelling with children, can they take a pushchair or car seat?

Passengers travelling with children or infants will be entitled to take one fully collapsible pushchair or a car seat in addition to their free checked baggage allowance. Infants not entitled to a seat are entitled to one piece of checked luggage weighing no more than 23 kilos. They are also entitled to one piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 6 kilos

 

[Elise79]

They have changed that then in March DD could only have 10kgs.

 

[kristieuk]

A bit late to this thread, but my advice would be, if you can stretch to it, book the extra seat. We have a general rule that once the baby reaches 1, it's used to moving around, and being strapped into a car facing across the plane is going to cause a few problems on a 10 hour flight, that's if you are lucky enough to get the bassinet seats.

Saying that, DD had just turned 1 last year when we went, and we didn't book her a seat - she played on the floor underneath the bassinet for most of the flight, and it was ok. If we didn't get the bassinet, it would have been very difficult.

This year, we took a short trip to Spain and didn't book a seat, but there was a spare seat next to us, and I'm so thankful there was because she hardly sat down and the thought of her standing on my lap rocking my seat even for 2 hours was too much to bear! Your little one might not sit in the seat the whole time, but even if they can stand and use the seat to play on, the extra space is going to be a godsend.

Good luck, whatever you decide

 

[Miss Mo]

We had planned to take a car seat and a buggy next week - no-one at the travel agent told us this would be a problem if we did. We're flying Thomas Cook - will they just charge us or can they tell us we can't take both??? We need both plus by that point we'll be at the airport with both so won't have anywhere to get rid of them!!!

mo x

 

[barnaby1]

This is from thier site

What if a passenger is travelling with children, can they take a pushchair or car seat?

Passengers travelling with children or infants will be entitled to take one fully collapsible pushchair or a car seat in addition to their free checked baggage allowance. Infants not entitled to a seat are entitled to one piece of checked luggage weighing no more than 23 kilos. They are also entitled to one piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 6 kilos

I checked the VA site before I posted and you have made me look again. I have just cut and pasted this from their site:

Infants not entitled to a seat are entitled to one piece of checked baggage weighing no more than 10 kg and with dimensions of 9 x 14 x 22 ins. They are also entitled to one piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 6kg. This is over and above the buggy or bassinet or car seat, which are carried free of charge.

Is it written in 2 different places on their website?????

 

[orangetiggs]

having worked for them we were told 23kg so i'm not sure, i used to tell all my customers this when they booked infants and never had complaints