movingtooz

Hi all,

We are planning a trip back to the UK from Brisbane with our 11 month old in December. I am going to be doing the trip on my own (lucky me!) and am breastfeeding but not sure if I will be by then!

Does anyone have any recommendations/advice best flight times (departures etc) with a baby? We are looking at Emirates (which are also pretty reasonable) but it leaves at about 2am which is obviously not great timing but then again not sure if any of the flights are ever that good at fitting in with body clocks. I trying to avoid Royal Brunei as know this is 2 stops and therefore more disruptive for us both and also more pain for his ears.

Thanks a lot.

joh117

Hi

I flew back to the UK in July 06 from Melbourne to Manchester with Emirates with a 13mth old. I was still breastfeeding just for the flight. It was a very easy journey but she wasnt yet crawling so sat quite happily playing on our knees. Even went to a few other passengers for a cuddle. The cabin crew will clean bottles for you and also heat up any jars of food. The bassinetts are also good so request one when booking. Just hope you dont get much turbulance as you have to take them out.

There is the new rules now with liquids but as long as you can prove it is baby milk and we had to taste it on the way out of manchester last year to prove it was baby milk you are allowed it.

Emirates provide pushchairs in Dubai and we found it very easy. I dont think there is ever a great time to fly at some point the time difference will be bad. It didnt take us long to adjust to the times once home. We also went to Sri Lanka last year with her and she was a little tired in the afternoon but nothing an extra sleep didnt sort out.

Jo

galba

I have 4 small kids and have taken many international flights but none of them have had ear problems. Has you child had problems before?

We always stopover to give us parents a break - the kids find the whole flying experience much easier in our experience.

Best of luck

Galba

Machiavelli

Hi!

I recently flew Brisbane to Manchester return with Emirates.

On the way to UK we were allowed to stay on the plane when it stopped at Singapore to refuel. But on the way back we were forced to get off at Singapore due to new Australian Regulations. I complained to a crew member because my little lad was in a deep sleep, but was told that we had to get off and take all of our hand luggage with us. No pushchairs at Singapore so don't know what you would be expected to do there. If I were you I would give Emirates a call and ask about getting your own pushchair back at Singapore.

Not sure if you will get a basinette, if I remember correctly it depends on the weight of your baby, not the age.

If you are not breastfeeding when you travel, I would say still give baby a bottle on take off and landing because it helps to stop their ears from blocking up because they are sucking. We still give our lad a lollipop to suck on take off and landing to stop his ears from hurting.

We've travelled with Emirates five times now and the crew on every journey have been brilliant with children.

Hope this helps,

M

travelbug

Our son was 11months old when we flew with Emirates to Perth in November. We picked an evening flight - and he did sleep after an hour or so for quite a while - waking at Dubai and then settling down to sleep on the
2nd leg of our journey for a bit. We paid for our son to have his own seat - which was a godsend if you can afford to do that. He was too heavy for the bassinettes when we enquired with Emirates - and knowing what a fidget he is - he wouldnt have stayed in one anyway unless asleep. He quite enjoyed sitting between us and his 4 year old sister watching the TV screens - even though he wouldnt wear any of the earphones to listen as well! We booked him a child meal - but to be honest none of it was suitable for him to eat.
The kids meals involve an awful chicken nugget soggy style dinner - and a goody box (which our daughter did love) - but the crisps etc in there were pringles (too sharp for a 11month old) - and just chocolate type treats.
We were disappointed that there was no fruit on offer for the kids with their meals.... We'd taken some jarred baby food - a pasta one etc for older babies - even though he didnt eat jars at home just to make sure that he did have something half decent to eat if we needed it, and some treats like toddler biscuits etc... and he chewed on one of the bread rolls for a bit.
We took SMA progress cartons for his bottles (steri bottles - the disposable ones). One word of warning though - although we werent asked to open and try the baby milk cartons in the Uk - only asked to try one of the baby jars - i did have two cartons of milk left over when we arrived in Oz - and when we had our bag checked at Perth airport they confiscated them - saying we couldnt take the milk - even sealed in a carton...
We borrowed a buggy at dubai airport. But when we arrived at Perth our own buggy did not appear. It had not been put on the plane at the departure gate. It took 4 days for us to get our buggy back by the time they reloaded it onto another flight and the airport sent someone with it to where we were staying. In that time the airport had loaned us a spare - but it had wonky wheels and an airport name sprayed across the back of it - so we did go out and buy a cheap buggy in Target - so we came home with 2 buggies! So if you take your buggy to departure gate at heathrow or gatwick - make sure you say to them that you dont want it left behind!

Good luck travelling on your own...i dont envy you there. We've talked about my OH going out to Oz 1st and me following with our two kids - but i dont think i could bear the journey with two of them. One might be ok...but not two! I think half the nightmare with travelling longhaul is the thinking about it - it's never as bad as you imagine...
One tip though - make sure you have a change of top etc in your bag - we looked like we'd been slimed by the time we arrived - what with food/milk and dribble!

billymacker

I think you will find you traveled with singapore airlines not emirates if you stoped at singapore.

Pollyana

Emirates, Qantas and many other airlines stop in Singapore en route to the UK.

billymacker

Yes you are correct about other airlines but why would you get on a plane with kids and stop at Singapore then have to stop at Dubia because all Emirate flights go via Dubia then on to the Manchester.

Emirate flights usally fly Australia-Dubia-Manchester one stop.

I quoted singapore airlines because this flight is Australia-Singapore-manchester one stop again

If you fly with Qantus/BA plus others they go via london then manchester

lisaroo

have you thought of asking the gp for a magic potion for emergencies, all jokes aside we been to oz and back twice sinse last aug with 3 kids under 7, the youngest being 6 months at the last flight, he was fine to be honest it was my 18 month old that got the magic dose!!!!!! but its completley safe and have used phenergan and another aussie version which was also v good, my own gp uses it herself, just an idea to fall back on

hollykimalan

" Re: Flying to UK with 11 month old - advice please!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pollyana
Emirates, Qantas and many other airlines stop in Singapore en route to the UK.

Yes you are correct about other airlines but why would you get on a plane with kids and stop at Singapore then have to stop at Dubia because all Emirate flights go via Dubia then on to the Manchester.

Emirate flights usally fly Australia-Dubia-Manchester one stop.

I quoted singapore airlines because this flight is Australia-Singapore-manchester one stop again

If you fly with Qantus/BA plus others they go via london then manchester ".

Please Billy- stop spouting drivel on subjects you obviously have no knowledge about. Pollyanna is trying to point only ONE of the errors in the information that you offer.

I spotted Six errors/ factual inaccuracies in the nine lines you posted.-
That is not including the seven spelling and grammar mistakes

I just hope this parent trying to plan this 'difficult' journey ignores your, ahem.. advice.
HKA

derab

I have noticed that no-one has really given you an idea about the various "bassinets" that are fitted to the different airlines fleets.

now.. I haven't travelled SQ or EK (singapore or emirates) since having the kids but last time i went home i travelled BA and QF.

The BA 747's have a table arrangement that they can fit one of two baby accessories onto. one is a crib-like bassinet and the other is a layback bouncer type seat, I was travelling with a 18 month old and used the bouncer and it worked a treat (i think the weight limit is 12 kg from memory)
on the QF section there was a 1 piece moulded crib bassinet and it maxed out at 9kg with a maximum length of about 75cm (again from memory) anyway.. my girl was wayyy too big for that equipment so had to sit on out lap.

like it has been mentioned before, if you transit in singapore (EK have half of their flights transiting there) you will not get a loan of a stroller, do you have a baby bjorn baby sling? or one of those little 3 wheelers that packs up into a backpack?

movingtooz

Thanks for all the advice so far.

I have now booked to go with Emirates as was only one stop and cheapest. The times are not great but I reckon no timing is ever going to be ideal for such a long trip with a child of any age.

I have requested a bassinette but have a v long baby so will see if he can fit it by then! If not, I have an ergo (baby carrier) which has been recommended to use on flights and gives my hands free when in transit but will look at getting a lightweight buggy too as will be useful in the UK too.

Thanks again - any more tips appreciated!

derab

We also have bassinets on board all of our aircraft, measuring approximately 29.5 inches (74.93cm) long by 13 inches (33.02cm) wide by 6.5 inches (16.51 cm) deep. There is a weight limit of 11 kgs.

thats directly from the emirates website
http://www.emirates.com/au/english/f...h_infants.aspx

so it seems that they have the 1 piece moulded bassinets like Qantas.

but they do do complimentary stroller loan at dubai airport which is a plus.

Machiavelli

Hello!

Now that I have stopped laughing at your posts, I can respond to you.

I think you will find that I am perfectly capable of booking flights and remembering who I have travelled with.

Are you trying to tell me that I have made this return journey FIVE times and each time I have purchased tickets and made the journey with Singapore Airlines and then imagined that I was checking in at Emirates' flight desk and getting on one of their aircraft?

On each journey, whether going to or returning from the UK, no matter what airport in the UK I went to or left from, Emirates fly via Dubai to Australia. I have made this journey from Sydney to the UK via Dubai return, and Brisbane to the UK via Dubai return. All Emirates flights from Sydney and Brisbane to UK airports go via Singapore airport to refuel. All Emirates flights from Dubai to Sydney and Brisbane go via Singapore airport to refuel.

I was merely pointing out to the OP that if she is travelling from the UK to Australia with Emirates that she will be asked to disembark at Singapore airport while the plane is being refuelled. I was told by Emirates crew on my last journey (this year) that I had to wake my child and take him and all of our hand luggage off of the aircraft.

I was trying to be helpful by offering information on journeys I have made.

You, on the other hand, have made a complete t!t of yourself!

M

hollykimalan

"I have noticed that no-one has really given you an idea about the various "bassinets" that are fitted to the different airlines fleets."

Good Point.


Website below will be able to help you locate the skycots as they are called
on Emirates. They also give good general advice on 'good' or 'bad' seats.

www.seatguru.com


We are just about to make our first long haul flight with three kids under 3 years old.
Keep in touch with any advice. We are flying with Emirates...from Glasgow...and yes we will be stopping in both Dubai and Singapore (refuel).
HKA
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