mellybrown

Im just looking at flights on the Delta page to go back home for xmas this year - it says that if you are travelling with kids under 2 they need a ticket, but it could be at a reduced fare. Am I being a complete idiot because I cant find anywhere that tells me how much her ticket will be, she will be 8 months when we fly and Im not sure if she has to have a seat or if we can hold her? Someone give me some help on this, im stressing enough at the thought of getting on a plane, never mind with a baby in tow!!

fromthemanorborn

We just returned from a trip home taking our daughter who was a little over 10 months at the time. Flying with Virgin we paid approximately 10% of the adult fare.
We were also able to book her a "Sky-cot", (no fee, just subject to availability), which hooks onto the wall in front of your seat.
If I remember rightly, when booking online the total price for all travellers will pop up when you go to the checkout screen, then it apportions the costs to each ticket accordingly.
Simple answer, yes an infant does need a ticket.

mellybrown

Thanks What is the reality of travelling with a baby at that age for that long? We would do a night flight so im hoping she will sleep through most of it! I think I would die if she screamed the entire 9 hours!!!

CAdreaming

The baby on my Delta flight screamed for what seemed like hours- I felt sorry for the mum and just zoned it out with my earplugs in - it sort of blended into the noise of the engines anyway so I wouldnt worry - noone batted an eyelid. I must say that there was quite a bit of leg room in economy with Delta!

Mummy in the foothills

My kids didn't scream or cry the entire time. We used to try and get flights that left in the evening, nurse on take off and landing and they pretty much slept all the way, or bounced about on my knee.
I found Dd did well in her car seat (we had to pay more for a seat instead of a lap baby), she was used to it obviously, so after eating she went right to sleep with her teddy and blanket.

Gingerert

We flew with a seven month old to the UK two years ago, and yes, it was a complete nightmare. The main reason was that AA flew us out on a single-aisle plane and we couldn't walk anywhere because they needed it kept clear for the trolleys. And they just stuck us in any old place, rather than in the bulkhead row, which meant we were cramped, miserable, and annoying to every other person on that blessed plane.

We paid 10% of an adult fare and my son had his own seat - even though technically we didn't pay for one - because the person who was in our row with us moved to a different seat after takeoff to escape the mad family! My son screamed for six of the eight hours.

Oh God, I'm having nightmarish flashbacks...

However! I've also flown with my son at 11 months old to Seattle by myself, while he had a sinus infection. He was a much better traveller, despite being unwell, because I had a better seat with more space, and I could walk around with him.

So travel doesn't have to be the end of the world... although it sure can feel that way!

tonrob

Different airlines seem to have different policies, which I'm finding now when shopping around for us and the Sproutlet (6 months old).

Some charge 10% for lap infants - and that can be 10% of the fully flexible adult fare (not the discounted one you're used to paying) in some instances. If you're using miles, some airlines allow you to redeem miles for the baby, others do not (or, if they do, you basically pay for an adult). Grrr....:curse:

Some reports on Flyertalk regarding Continental (in particular) had people thinking they had booked and paid for their baby online as part of their overall booking only to find at the airport that CO's online booking engine screwed up the infant fare and hundreds of dollars more were owing. This was not an isolated occurrance from reports I read. people were not allowed to board until they'd handed over their credit card.

We are taking the Sproutlet on her first flight a month or so from now. We are flying BA from Boston to Frankfurt via London in business class using miles. BA allows you to use 10% of the miles (plus taxes) for a baby, but it took four phone calls to their shitty US call centre to get them to do this. On the first three calls their incompetent staff (including one stupidvisor) tried to tell me that 10% of the fully flexible fare needed to be paid - over $1000 just to have her on our laps!

There seems to be a lot less transparency from the airlines in terms of baby pricing (at least as compared to adult pricing) so we will be treading carefully, especially as we are also thinking of redeeming Continental miles on Lufthansa for next year's trip.

GeoffM

10% of adult cheap fare (exc taxes) for us, plus taxes, so it actually worked out about 20% of the adult ticket price. A child of any age on their own seat would have worked out about 90%. Check the baggage allowance for a lap child: though you should get car seat and stroller for "free", the baggage weight is not necessarily the same as a seated/adult allowance. All depends on the airline. Oh, and if you book it online, phone them up a couple of days later to ensure you are booked in the bulkhead, if desired.

AlienUk

Flew with my oldest who was 4 months old from Heathrow to JFK....He was amazingly good....was completely gobsmacked by another woman on the flight asking me what sedative I used on him.....

Flew 4 hours to Jamaica with the baby who was 10 months at the time, again he behaved impeccably...do either breastfeed or give them a bottle when taking off and landing...helps their ears...

Poppy girl

So would I if I was flying on the same plane

Congrats on the baby

mellybrown

thanks

Poppy girl

I must of missed the post I knew you were expecting when was the happy event!!

mellybrown

April 28th - shes 10 weeks old today!!!

Poppy girl

Oh Bless

Ash UK/US

Congrats on the baby

I flew with my oldest when she was only 2 months old and she did extremely well... I worried before hand too, maybe the it is a case of the younger you start the better they are... both of my kids are great travellers and love to fly!