Travelling with an infant under 2, but with own seat

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willjd

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Hi All

Travelling to the UK at Xmas with the wife, Mother in LAw and our 18 month old boy.

Last time we did this trip he fitted in the bassinet and everything went well (as well as they can), but this time he wont fit in the bassinet so i think i have have 2 choices,
1. Pay for a seat for him (pretty much a full fare)
2. Have him on our laps for 22hours.

On the QF website it states that children over 2 must have their own seat, and that infants have must be able to sit up on a seat. (he doesnt really fit either of these

Could i buy 3 adults tickets and then a "comfort seat" between the 4 of us so that baby willjd can lie down?

Confused about what my options are based on Qantas rules and not paying $10k for 4 return tickets.

Maybe Red Roo could provide assistance?
 
You can buy your son a Child fare about 75% of an adult base fare, on the QF website just add a year to his date of birth then after booking ring QF and have them adjust the birth year to be the correct year.
I do not know how to book a Comfort seat but the additional seat could be good for all concerned.
 
Perhaps call Qantas directly and find out what your options are...? Then call a travel agent and see if they provide you any different information...?
 
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Buy 3 tickets and select seats in the centre section of 4 leaving one of the two in the centre empty. It will likely be the last seat chosen as you eliminate anyone in a group of 2 or more choosing it and no single in their right mind would chose it unless they had to.
 
75% of $2800 is still a lot if there is a cheaper way. ..

But worth it. I did this myself with my 10 month old (on SQ) and it was so good having 3 seats, the little fella could then just lie in between myself and my wife.

Oh on the way over we took his car seat onboard, hence why we book 3 seats (OP another option, but be aware if you have any flights on EK metal they won't accept an Aussie standard car seat, Qantas and SQ do), but he was having none of it and refused to sit let alone sleep as we expected he would. Fortunately we stayed in Singapore for a few days so on the long leg to London and the return we just put it in the hold.
 
But worth it. I did this myself with my 10 month old (on SQ) and it was so good having 3 seats, the little fella could then just lie in between myself and my wife.

I second this. I have a 1 y/o boy, we collectively did 18 or so flights in the last 6 months (yes we are nuts). The most recent flights he was testing the limits of the bassinet. For your sanity get the little fella his own seat. Tis a shame it's so expensive though. I don't know if anyone other that Q does a deeper discount on child seats - it might be worth shopping around outside of QF/EK.
 
75% of $2800 is still a lot if there is a cheaper way. ..
It is completely up to you but I would not want the risk of having an 18 month old on my lap for a long haul, it is just too cramped and would not make for a pleasant start or finish for your holiday. You can try the "preseat leaving middle open" trick but unless you high status there is always the risk that someone could be seated there. From 12 months we bought Little Miss Blackcloud her own seat, it was so much easier and there were 3 occassions where the plane was completely full, due to peak season travel and also a cancelled flight had passengers booked on the flight we took.
 
Buy a comfort seat, you have to call to get it meaning phone assistance fee. The cost is base fare but no taxes.

Another question. When you say the child is 18 months, that seems to be present tense. Are they 18 months now, or 7 months old now? It is the age at the time of the flight not the time of booking.

Buy 3 tickets and select seats in the centre section of 4 leaving one of the two in the centre empty. It will likely be the last seat chosen as you eliminate anyone in a group of 2 or more choosing it and no single in their right mind would chose it unless they had to.

IME people will take that seat. In between 2 children.
 
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Buy a comfort seat, you have to call to get it meaning phone assistance fee. The cost is base fare but no taxes.

Would it really work out any cheaper in this case? After all you still need to pay the infant fare too. May end up either being about the same.
 
Would it really work out any cheaper in this case? After all you still need to pay the infant fare too. May end up either being about the same.

Maybe. I'm still looking for the taxes component. A random search for Christmas this year gives me adult:$2990, child $2271, infant $293. So taxes of $293 or greater is the break even point.

Edit expedia.com.au is showing taxes of $711 on a child fare for a return trip in December total fare $2271. But the base fare for an adult is $2080. Add the infant fare of $293 gives $2370. $100 more expensive.
 
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Personally, rather than buying a comfort seat, and having it guaranteed empty, then you don't have the child details on the trip.
You will also need to fill in an OPC for the tot as well.
Ergo, what about passport officials (Australian Customs-always ask to seeing my BP) needing to see a BP?
Comfort seat means empty seat, and if you do it, then the child would not have a BP.
I did comfort seat on QF last year, no BP for my "invisible mate".
In the end, better buy a child/infant fare, so he/she (tot) gets a BP.
 
Personally, rather than buying a comfort seat, and having it guaranteed empty, then you don't have the child details on the trip.
You will also need to fill in an OPC for the tot as well.
Ergo, what about passport officials (Australian Customs-always ask to seeing my BP) needing to see a BP?
Comfort seat means empty seat, and if you do it, then the child would not have a BP.
I did comfort seat on QF last year, no BP for my "invisible mate".
In the end, better buy a child/infant fare, so he/she (tot) gets a BP.

Infants are issued with a boarding pass. A comfort seat does not remove the need to pay for an infant fare, as discussed above.
 
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Thanks for all the the responses
- firstly little one is 8 and a bit months now so roughy 19 months when we fly.
- infants get a BP even if they don't get a seat - He had one in august last yer when we flew MEL - LHR return
- Comfort seat seems the way to go but now fuel has been rolled into base fare its not going to be as cheap as say yesterday...

Might call QF and see what the go is. If i ask what the cost of a comfort seat is but then say i want to add an infant fare i'm sure they will say no (they are losing money on this) - but nothing to lose in asking.

Thanks for everyones suggestions.
 
Fuel hasn't been rolled into the London/Dubai fares/ just everyewhere else
 
Might call QF and see what the go is. If i ask what the cost of a comfort seat is but then say i want to add an infant fare i'm sure they will say no (they are losing money on this) - but nothing to lose in asking.

Thanks for everyones suggestions.

I don't think the call centre person will care. Also look at 3 adults, infant and comfort seat as making more money compared to 3 adults and an infant.
 
Buy 3 tickets and select seats in the centre section of 4 leaving one of the two in the centre empty.

It will likely be the last seat chosen as you eliminate anyone in a group of 2 or more choosing it and no single in their right mind would chose it unless they had to.

The OP mentioned they are travelling to the UK at Xmas so not exactly low season.

Whilst nobody may elect to sit in a centre seat, if the flight is full all seats will be occupied.
 
Oh on the way over we took his car seat onboard, hence why we book 3 seats (OP another option, but be aware if you have any flights on EK metal they won't accept an Aussie standard car seat, Qantas and SQ do), but he was having none of it and refused to sit let alone sleep as we expected he would. Fortunately we stayed in Singapore for a few days so on the long leg to London and the return we just put it in the hold.

The kid or the seat ? ;)
 
Is a BP holder on the flight manifest?
So, if a comfort seat is bought, and the tot successfully gets onto the flight, and uses the comfort seat, should I say anything happen, and the tot does not have a BP, then s/he is not on the flight manifest, meaning not on the flight, eh?
Yes, I know, when you travelled in Jun last year, you paid the tix for tot, and he had a BP.
But if you buy 3 adult tixs, and a comfort seat, but don't mention the tot, will s/he get a BP?
In the airline pov, its just 3 adults travelling.
Penny wise, pounds foolish.
Look at that Indonesian Air Asia flight, no one expected it to go down. At least with those on the flight manifest, insurance will have to pay out to the families in the end, seeing they found the debris. Or the MH17 flight.
Best to get the tots name on the flight manifest, so that should anything happen, insurance should pay.
I certainly would pay for a seat if I had a tot, and s/he was travelling with me. But I am a confirmed bachelor pooch, so no puppies/tots, but if I had, you get the drift, I would have the tot a tix.
 
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