British Expats

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   New Zealand (https://britishexpats.com/forum/new-zealand-83/)
-   -   Best airline for travelling with young kids (https://britishexpats.com/forum/new-zealand-83/best-airline-travelling-young-kids-762483/)

LornaBee Jun 21st 2012 10:01 pm

Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
Just looking at flight and just wondered if anyone had any good experience of travelling with 2 young kids and recommend and airlines/route. We are looking to sit in 4 seats together. Some planes only to 3-3-3.
Thanks
Lorna

ohdearydear Jun 22nd 2012 12:03 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 

Originally Posted by LornaBee (Post 10131889)
Just looking at flight and just wondered if anyone had any good experience of travelling with 2 young kids and recommend and airlines/route. We are looking to sit in 4 seats together. Some planes only to 3-3-3.
Thanks
Lorna

Personally we flew with Singapore Air but I'm not sure if they have 4 seats together - there was just my husband and baby daughter with me. A way round it is to just not sit together. Not ideal for such a long flight (imo) but it's what a family did on our flight and they actually preferred it because it meant that one of them could get a decent kip while the other was caring for the kids - they'd just swap seats when the other needed a break.

I think that Air New Zealand have 4 seats together in the middle. A friend always flys with them and thinks they are great - she always travels with her year old daughter - and she tells me that they've been great for her - they warmed bottles, had jarred food incase she ran out and had toys to hand.

How old are your kids?

Mark Smith Jun 22nd 2012 1:37 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
Emirates airbus A380 has 4 in the middle. We came out manchester to dubai 777, Dubai to sydney A380 and then Sydney - Christchurch 777.
If I recall the 777's have a few rows of 2 seats at the back (Emirates).

RobClubley Jun 22nd 2012 1:47 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
Singapore Air were really good when my wife travelled to the UK and back with out daughter when she was 10 months old.
Pretty sure their 747s have 3-4-3 seat arrangement.
But I think they have replaced them with newer 777s and A380s now.

Caz8NZ Jun 22nd 2012 2:20 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
Try this website - very very useful!

http://www.seatguru.com/

autawa Jun 22nd 2012 7:44 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
Hi Lorna, i am travelling back to the UK from NZ in 4 weeks time and i'm going with emirates, first time i have flown with them. I am doing it alone with a 2 year old and a one year old! i will let you know how things go with them. We flew to NZ with Singapore Airlines when my oldest was ten months old and they were fantastic, was hoping to fly with them again this time but the connections just didn't really work for going it alone.

Cheers
Lisa:D

Philzbub Jun 22nd 2012 8:21 pm

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
Hi Lorna, I had a recent visit to Auckland over Easter and flew with Emirates (B'ham>Dubai>Mel>Akl) on the 777 for all the journey. They have a 3-4-3 config for the majority economy seating. Great airline on the whole. This 3-4-3 config does mean that the aisles are terribly thin making it awkward at times to stretch your legs without tripping over everyone or bumping people. The food trolley only just fits down the aisle too which again can be a pain if you are sat on an end seat! Good service on Emirates though, if there is any complaint, it is they tend to not come round with water, or juices, as often as some may like. Minor thing tbh, but just something I noticed on this trip the crew seemed to disappear between meals for hours on end and no one was around and saw plenty of people having to get up to get their attention (and they would be huddled up in groups at the back or middle of the plane nattering away). Having said that, don't let that put you off I have flown with them a few times and they are still up there as a great airline to fly with IMO. When we all fly out next time, and we will be with a one and a half year old, think we are going to try Air New Zealand as just one stop in in LA. If you go with Emirates and fly from London you can get on the New A380 Airbus, which other than cracking wings being reported :blink: is supposed to be very nice, and feels more spacious in economy.
Safe travels! :thumbup:

Catchafire Jun 22nd 2012 9:46 pm

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
We have flown Malaysian, Air Asia X, Emirates all with kids under 4 and can recommend them.

We have also flown KLM and they were by far the worst as far as helping with kids. Really were treated as cattle.

Heathrow is also a terrible airport for kids (this was three years ago).

pcmay10 Jun 23rd 2012 8:38 pm

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
hi there we have just arrived with singapore airlines they use the a380 to singapore then the smaller 747 direct to Auckland,flying direct to nz rather than stopping off in Aus was priceless,the a380 has 4 seats together but the 747 you need 3 in a row and 1 on the row beside hope that helps all great with kids...

Margaret Parkinson Jun 23rd 2012 10:50 pm

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
When you decide avoid Heathrow its the worst place on this earth. Travelling via America is not good either.

All the best.

BenP Jun 30th 2012 10:53 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
Cant recommend Singapore airlines enough, we flew with them and our baby daughter, they doubled our luggage allowance as we were emigrating and on the singapore> auckland flight our daughter got quite Ill and the staff dealt with the whole situation amazingly the whole ordeal was faultless!

P18PPS Jul 1st 2012 3:54 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
traveling with kids is a nightmare no matter what - so go with whomever is the cheapest and save your money!!!!

love30stm Jul 1st 2012 5:14 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
I'm flying Back to the UK for a visit with Thai airlines and Austrian hopefully no annoying kids on board ;):lol:

AndyRuth Jul 1st 2012 7:26 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
just can not understand why a lot of people have a downer on flying via America , with young kids it is a breeze , we have been virtually last of the plane 3 times at LA , fast tracked to the front of the queue and the transit room was a self contained area :thumbsup:with complimentary drinks and snacks , far more relaxed and far less stressful than being thrown out into a stiflingly hot and humid Hong Kong airport with two toddlers :thumbdown:

Los Angeles and Air NZ get a huge thumbs up here !

BenP Jul 1st 2012 7:46 am

Re: Best airline for travelling with young kids
 
American airlines and airports are by far the worst I have ever set foot on/in. I can't ever see people's problem with heathrow though, I actually quite like it!


All times are GMT. The time now is 4:33 am.

Powered by vBulletin: ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.