Help, we have a seating situation with baby

[wansze82]

We are doing our first flight with our new infant on Fri 23 Aug, AC38, Melbourne to Vancouver. Unfortunately all the infant bassinet seats were booked out except for 1 seat. So my husband has to sit somewhere else! We are very nervous about this situation. I already called the airline but they said all those seats are booked out early because they have more leg room, not because there is a plane full of babies. The closest we could get my husband is diagonally behind me.

Does any AFF have suggestions on how to improve our situation?

 

[Quickstatus]

AC is hopeless with bassinets. 17years ago we requested bassinets and were told the same. Totally unhelpful. Most other airlines allow passengers with infants priority with bassinets.
There are downsides to Bassinets. You are required to take infant out of bassinet when the seat belt sign comes on - even if you had only just settled Bub down.
In your situation, I would actually buy an seat for the infant. That was you can seat together and share the baby carrying duties. Costs a bit more but gives you the associated luggage allowance and space

Also think about using a Car Seat inflight. We did this all those years ago with the twins. There are Car Seats approved for use by airlines but will need individual approval preflight at the time of booking.

Personally I believe infant lap belts to be unsafe where the infant is attached to the parent.

Here is the list of the relevant certitfications for car seats that airlines look for:

 

[wansze82]

Thanks for your ideas. Very helpful. It will be pricey as it's a flight to toronto, via vancouver so if another full seat will be $1600 more.

 

[Quickstatus]

Is that the child fare? (Usually discounted to 75% of adult fare)
It’s a very long way with an infant on the lap especially in the very narrow Dreamliner seats if you can’t get the Bassinet seat

 

[opusman]

so if another full seat will be $1600 more.

Think of it as penance for inflicting your child on the rest of the passengers

 

[harvyk]

Take the bassinet seat and play tag team with your husband.

It's better than doing the lap baby thing long haul. (Have experienced both)

 

[blackcat20]

Or ask at check in; they may move someone.

 

[Quickstatus]

AC is notorious for not doing that. They told me to ask the passengers myself after boarding

 

[BriarFlyer]

You may find that whomever is seated next to you is happy to swap with your partner, when they realise that the bassinet is in use.

 

[p--and--t]

You may find that whomever is seated next to you is happy to swap with your partner, when they realise that the bassinet is in use.

Agreed, many a passenger, although not happy that they paid extra for legroom, will not want to be sitting next to a bassinet (and potential crying baby and associated fuss, up and down, nappy changing, feeding etc) and be quick to want to swap seats to somewhere else.

 

[wansze82]

AC is notorious for not doing that. They told me to ask the passengers myself after boarding

That’s crazy!

Agreed, many a passenger, although not happy that they paid extra for legroom, will not want to be sitting next to a bassinet (and potential crying baby and associated fuss, up and down, nappy changing, feeding etc) and be quick to want to swap seats to somewhere else.

That’s what I’m hoping too

I just checked with Air Canada’s bassinet rules and because my baby is already sitting up she won’t be able to use it. I guess keeping the seat means extra leg room only at this stage

 

[Hvr]

I just checked with Air Canada’s bassinet rules and because my baby is already sitting up she won’t be able to use it. I guess keeping the seat means extra leg room only at this stage

Or you could move and allow parents with an eligible child to use the actual bassinet.

 

[JohnK]

I find it strange that an airline will allow passengers without infants to sit in bassinet seats while others with a baby miss out.

We've done a few flights where we couldn't sit together in bassinet seat. One time I was in same row window seat and other time I was in aisle seat row behind. That particular time flight was not full and wife and daughter moved next to me and baby slept on seat. Our daughter hated bassinets.

 

[don01]

"I find it strange that an airline will allow passengers without infants to sit in bassinet seats while others with a baby miss out. "

Why??? these are seats at a premium - they have some leg room. they are forward and quicker off the plane They sell them for extra ( ahhh now you hear the magic ch - ching?)

jump on the phone now and ask for a courtesy seat usually cheaper or get a 3rd seat(at infant price. talk beg, whine and wheedle) - you will enjoy the flight more. or try to pay for the extra leg room and see if the wailing wall is available then.

above all have a great trip and bring back great memories
D

 

[Frequent boarder]

Is that the child fare? (Usually discounted to 75% of adult fare)
It’s a very long way with an infant on the lap especially in the very narrow Dreamliner seats if you can’t get the Bassinet seat

To clarify. .. on most international flights kids are 25% off the fare & less in taxes not 25% off total including taxes

 

[moa999]

You also don't mention how old the bub is, but many find once they hit 9-12 months they are too big for the bassinet anyway.
Know a number of parents who have bought seats for kids younger than 2 for this reason.

 

[wansze82]

All seats with legroom have been booked out on this flight. We gave up the bassinet seat so that we can sit together and hope that the airline can block out that row for us closer to the day if the flight isn’t sold out. Otherwise it will be a long 15 hours.

 

[skylight]

We went to London on SQ J in December. My granddaughter was 23 months still fitted in the bassinet on SQ. They insisted my daughter have a bassinet seat. Same on JQ economy they actually moved pax for us to have bassinet seat at bulkhead same with QF . Unfortunately now we have to pay for a seat as she turned 2.

 

[JohnK]

"I find it strange that an airline will allow passengers without infants to sit in bassinet seats while others with a baby miss out. "

Why??? these are seats at a premium - they have some leg room. they are forward and quicker off the plane They sell them for extra ( ahhh now you hear the magic ch - ching?)

Actually bulkheads are not extra leg room seats. On the contrary I find the legroom more restrictive than standard seats. The only reason I prefer bulkhead is to avoid serial recliners who think it's their God given right to recline at all times.

 

[Happy Dude]

Or you could move and allow parents with an eligible child to use the actual bassinet.

But there are already others in those seats for the leg room, as per the OP, so why should they behave any different? It'd be easier if AC prioritised the bassinet seats for those with eligible infants instead of monetising a pretty important service.

It's moot now by the sounds of it, but I would have kept the seat and tag-teamed with my wife, hoping like hell that it makes it uncomfortable for the leg room purchasers.

It's no different to parking in a wheelchair spot when you don't need to, even if you've paid for it. I'm sure some councils may have already considered that. Just paint a $ sign next to the wheelchair symbol.