purchasing another seat for 18 month old
#16
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
ok - so I have made the decision to buy an extra seat to make life easier.
I have enquired to webjet about changing his ticket and have been quoted $2200 (incl change fees) - a HUGE amount I feel.
However, DH now says, if you are paying that much for a seat maybe I should come! So now I have the dilemma, do I stick to original plan - me and my son in a seat and DH stays home, or me and DH without a seat for son!?
I must say it would be useful to have an extra pair of hands but then son still wont have his own seat?! - We are going for just over 2 weeks btw...
What do you reckon!?
I have enquired to webjet about changing his ticket and have been quoted $2200 (incl change fees) - a HUGE amount I feel.
However, DH now says, if you are paying that much for a seat maybe I should come! So now I have the dilemma, do I stick to original plan - me and my son in a seat and DH stays home, or me and DH without a seat for son!?
I must say it would be useful to have an extra pair of hands but then son still wont have his own seat?! - We are going for just over 2 weeks btw...
What do you reckon!?
Last edited by sylvesterthecat; Aug 18th 2008 at 3:49 am.
#17
Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
who are you flying with - try asking them directly incase webjet aren't giving you the best deal. Are they asking for an adult fare not a kids fare?
Still wouldn't fancy half the flight with kiddie on lap - but then wouldn't fancy extra $2200 either.
Still wouldn't fancy half the flight with kiddie on lap - but then wouldn't fancy extra $2200 either.
#18
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
It's an awful lot of money for a 2 wk holiday! My poor credit card is suffering the brunt!
#19
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
Apart from anything else, it's much safer and recommended to have his own seat. I've seen a few of those airline disaster shows where small children haven't had their own seats and have sat on the parents lap, and in times of heavy turbulence and emergencies, small children his age have been thrown around or gone sliding down the aisles and have usually died. I know it's a lot of money but IMO it's just not worth the risk to not have him properly locked in.
#20
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
Hi i have two children one of 8 and the other one is the same age as yours, if i were you i would get a seat for your child, it will make life a lot easier for you. I just couldnt imagine having my Oliver on my lap for 20 hours and to be honest i dont think he would like it too, at least if you child has its own seat they will have some space of their own everyone needs a bit of space its a long flight.
#21
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
Apart from anything else, it's much safer and recommended to have his own seat. I've seen a few of those airline disaster shows where small children haven't had their own seats and have sat on the parents lap, and in times of heavy turbulence and emergencies, small children his age have been thrown around or gone sliding down the aisles and have usually died. I know it's a lot of money but IMO it's just not worth the risk to not have him properly locked in.
#22
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
Hi i have two children one of 8 and the other one is the same age as yours, if i were you i would get a seat for your child, it will make life a lot easier for you. I just couldnt imagine having my Oliver on my lap for 20 hours and to be honest i dont think he would like it too, at least if you child has its own seat they will have some space of their own everyone needs a bit of space its a long flight.
looks like baby gets the holiday! but it would be nice having an extra pair of hands i must say...
#23
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
Do you want your other half to go with you?
#24
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#25
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
As if you would really rather that your other half came along for the company and the help then you have your answer.
#26
Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
I say to take OH and the baby, work out before you leave who will be responsible for the little cherub for which sector.
If you are responsible up to KL on the way out, you will be responsible to KL on the way back.
that way one person gets 7 hours off work and the other one gets 13 hours off work each way.
when you are checking in, ask for as far down the back as possible (except for the last row), not many people like going down there so you might get that magical third seat anyway. also the rear cabin is usually the coolest of all, allowing you guys to sleep.
just make sure OH pulls his weight with bubs and all should be fine.
and phenergen is your friend.
If you are responsible up to KL on the way out, you will be responsible to KL on the way back.
that way one person gets 7 hours off work and the other one gets 13 hours off work each way.
when you are checking in, ask for as far down the back as possible (except for the last row), not many people like going down there so you might get that magical third seat anyway. also the rear cabin is usually the coolest of all, allowing you guys to sleep.
just make sure OH pulls his weight with bubs and all should be fine.
and phenergen is your friend.
#27
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
I don't know how the child sits securely on the parents lap ie what kind of strap they're in, but from what I've seen in those re-enactment documentaries of airline disasters, in an emergency the passengers are told to lean forward right over with their head between their legs, if you're holding a child there's no possible way you can do that. It would seem simple enough to think we can hold tightly to the child, but with heavy turbulence or engine problems up in the air and the pressure when a plane lands in an emergency, the child is like a misssile, one show I saw the small child just slid out of the mother's lap and went sliding down the plane under the seats and died.
#28
Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
I don't know how the child sits securely on the parents lap ie what kind of strap they're in, but from what I've seen in those re-enactment documentaries of airline disasters, in an emergency the passengers are told to lean forward right over with their head between their legs, if you're holding a child there's no possible way you can do that. It would seem simple enough to think we can hold tightly to the child, but with heavy turbulence or engine problems up in the air and the pressure when a plane lands in an emergency, the child is like a misssile, one show I saw the small child just slid out of the mother's lap and went sliding down the plane under the seats and died.
#29
Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
A couple of questions along similar lines:
If you decide to buy an extra seat(s) for your toddler(s) where then is it best to sit?
Bulk head – Advantage of extra room for ease of picking up all the toys/food that will be constantly dropped and for ease of rummaging in bags. Also no people in front to annoy. Disadvantage is that arm rests do not lift up so your child cannot sleep sideways across the seat/your lap (I don’t know if this is the case for all planes or just the ones I have flown on).
Or do you go for the rows where the arm rests can be lifted so your child(ren) can sleep sideways at the expense of the leg room and risk annoying the passengers in front of you. Did you find it was feasible for your child to sleep this way & did you manage to sleep more than one child side by side?
If you decide to buy an extra seat(s) for your toddler(s) where then is it best to sit?
Bulk head – Advantage of extra room for ease of picking up all the toys/food that will be constantly dropped and for ease of rummaging in bags. Also no people in front to annoy. Disadvantage is that arm rests do not lift up so your child cannot sleep sideways across the seat/your lap (I don’t know if this is the case for all planes or just the ones I have flown on).
Or do you go for the rows where the arm rests can be lifted so your child(ren) can sleep sideways at the expense of the leg room and risk annoying the passengers in front of you. Did you find it was feasible for your child to sleep this way & did you manage to sleep more than one child side by side?
#30
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Re: purchasing another seat for 18 month old
the age between 1 and 2 is not well catered for on aircraft (yet) except for Virgin and BA who i think provide a toddler (car) seat..
like most things, it seemed like a good idea at the time..