Seat selection tips-with toddler
#1
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Seat selection tips-with toddler
So Thursday we're flying Melbourne to London. The last time we did this our bubba was a tiny 6 month old, and it was just a simple case of getting a bassinet seat, but this time round we have a 22 month old now. We haven't paid for a seat for her, so we've got 2 seats. Has anyone else done this and know the best seat selection to maximise the chance of getting an extra seat spare? I just had a look at the seat map on Qantas, and there is either one 4 seater in the middle that's completely free at this moment in time, or a couple of 3 seaters on the side. I was thinking I could be ambitious and try and book 2 seats of the 4, in the hope that we might have a whole row to ourselves? Or am I more likely to get lucky by opting for the 3 seater and be happy with 1 spare (assuming even that happens).
Any tips?
Thanks.
Any tips?
Thanks.
#2
Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
Well, strategising to bag an extra seat? Difficult, since Qantas would obviously be trying to pack the plane. Actually, it's probably Emirates, given the incompetence of Joyce.
Desirability of the seats tend to go:
Desirability of the seats tend to go:
- Window
- Isle
- Middle outside 3
- Middle 2 inside 4
- away from the bulkhead (and the screaming kids)
- not right at the back.
#3
Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
If it were me I would book her her own seat. The last few times I've flown overseas the flights were full. Very unlikely you'll get a whole row of 4 to yourselves, so if you don't want to book a seat for the baby I'd opt for the row of 3 option and take the window and centre seats so if the other seat is occupied they aren't waking the baby every time they get up to go to the loo.
#4
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
hi,
if it was me, I'd plump for the two seats in three at the side, although this is only based on limited recent long-haul experience.
if it was me, I'd plump for the two seats in three at the side, although this is only based on limited recent long-haul experience.
#5
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
If it were me I would book her her own seat. The last few times I've flown overseas the flights were full. Very unlikely you'll get a whole row of 4 to yourselves, so if you don't want to book a seat for the baby I'd opt for the row of 3 option and take the window and centre seats so if the other seat is occupied they aren't waking the baby every time they get up to go to the loo.
#6
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
Well, strategising to bag an extra seat? Difficult, since Qantas would obviously be trying to pack the plane. Actually, it's probably Emirates, given the incompetence of Joyce.
Desirability of the seats tend to go:
Desirability of the seats tend to go:
- Window
- Isle
- Middle outside 3
- Middle 2 inside 4
- away from the bulkhead (and the screaming kids)
- not right at the back.
#7
Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
The idea of having a 22month sitting on a lap for 24+ hours makes me shudder a lot. However if I had to I'd go for two in the three I think.
Chances are one of you will be walking around with the child 90% of the time anyway so maybe it doesn't matter.
Chances are one of you will be walking around with the child 90% of the time anyway so maybe it doesn't matter.
#8
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
I recently went up to Asia for a holiday with wife and 9 month old. Jetstar (unfort Qantas didn't fly up there) kindly gave us a 3 seater with a spare for the little fella to lay out on in both directions. If the plane was full it would not have happened.
You could try booking a seat at the least popular rear of the plane, you on the window, wife on the aisle. If the plane is full and some poor bugger gets plonked in the middle, you can always give up your window or aisle for them. I've never met anyone who selects a middle seat out of choice for a long haul.
You could try booking a seat at the least popular rear of the plane, you on the window, wife on the aisle. If the plane is full and some poor bugger gets plonked in the middle, you can always give up your window or aisle for them. I've never met anyone who selects a middle seat out of choice for a long haul.
#9
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Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Avoca Beach
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
I agree with previous poster. Book two seats with a 'spare' in-between. Maybe in the centre 4 seats book D and F, leaving E and G spare. If one of those seats is left vacant you are in luck, if the flight is full then just swap with the passenger sat between you. This option would increase your chances too compared to Window and Aisle.
#10
Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
So if you went for, say, the window and middle seats in a 3, it's very likely the aisle would be occupied. Similarly for the aisle and middle. And if you went full psycho and went for window and aisle - you can bet that some poor sod would be lumbered with the middle seat and thus the worst of all worlds.
Whereas, if you went two out of the four in the middle, there is a tolerable chance that only the other aisle might be occupied, giving you the adjacent middle seat.
Either way, make sure the kid screams when people are getting seated, so the hosties want to get your kid away from complaining other passengers
#11
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
Making me shudder too lol. But when we thought about the trip, the idea behind flying now was the fact that from July she's an adult fare. Time will tell if my gamble will come back to bite me on the ass!
#12
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
My reasoning is that the window seats always go, and next to them, the aisle.
So if you went for, say, the window and middle seats in a 3, it's very likely the aisle would be occupied. Similarly for the aisle and middle. And if you went full psycho and went for window and aisle - you can bet that some poor sod would be lumbered with the middle seat and thus the worst of all worlds.
Whereas, if you went two out of the four in the middle, there is a tolerable chance that only the other aisle might be occupied, giving you the adjacent middle seat.
Either way, make sure the kid screams when people are getting seated, so the hosties want to get your kid away from complaining other passengers
So if you went for, say, the window and middle seats in a 3, it's very likely the aisle would be occupied. Similarly for the aisle and middle. And if you went full psycho and went for window and aisle - you can bet that some poor sod would be lumbered with the middle seat and thus the worst of all worlds.
Whereas, if you went two out of the four in the middle, there is a tolerable chance that only the other aisle might be occupied, giving you the adjacent middle seat.
Either way, make sure the kid screams when people are getting seated, so the hosties want to get your kid away from complaining other passengers
#13
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
Best off in the 3, window and aisle, kindly offering up the aisle or window should someone else get forced to take the middle.
#14
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Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
I like your logic. Yes I'm kind of hoping that any solo passenger would ask to move anyway, so even if we're not lucky initially with seating, surely nobody in their right mind would want to sit next to a toddler for 24 hours! Again it does boil down to it not being a full flight though...
Incidentally, I would be impressed if you have a wide choice of seats at this point if you re on QF9 this week - the seating is pretty limited on mine and thats not till mid July. I always try and pick seats as far ahead as possible.
Good luck
#15
Re: Seat selection tips-with toddler
On my (and my husband's) last few Qantas fights I would bank on nothing being spare and, like Dorothy, fork out for a seat. If I were the third person in a 3 some with a pair plus a wriggling infant I would be mightily pissed I think! There haven't been spare places on QF 9 when we've been on it!