Travelling with infant(12 mth) in J

[darkice]

Hi All,

Just booked BNE to NRT for next month when our little girl will be 12 mth old. This will be our first international flight with her and she should have done CBR and PER by then.

I'm just wondering if we should definitely be asking for the bassinet seats? The trip over there is a daytime flight and I thought might get away with a normal seat. The flight back is a red eye though.

We've never flown J before, so ideally didn't want to be right up the front near the galley unless we had to. Any idea if they let the infants sleep on a J seat if there is one spare and would that be better or should I just try for bassinet?

Happy to take suggestions from frequent and family travellers!

 

[Hvr]

Ask for the bassinet seat. Then if there is a spare seat next to you ask if you can let your bub sleep there.

 

[Flying Fox]

Always ask for it.

Better to have and not need vs. need and not have!

 

[darkice]

thanks guys, i am definitely requesting for the red eye, but just to confirm what you guys are saying - you reckon the day leg too?

 

[Hvr]

Yes. All you need is a full cabin and you would really appreciate the bassinet.

 

[NoName]

Unlikely that a 12 month old will fit in the bassinet but I suppose you might as well ask for it.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Definitely ask, as long as bubs will fit in the bassinet. To answer your other question, I recently did an overnight back from Asia where the couple in the row 1 middle seats (A330) were able to use the spare 1A seat for their daughter. She was older than 12 months but slept all the way to Sydney. My thoughts were divided between relief she didn't cry at all and jealousy that she was far younger than I ever was to fly in 1A!

 

[darkice]

Unlikely that a 12 month old will fit in the bassinet but I suppose you might as well ask for it.

I wondered about this as well, it's really weird because domestic was 6 mths of age while international was 18 mths according to seatguru

"Bassinets may be requested for infants up to 6 months of age on domestic flights and 18 months of age on international flights. Bassinets are subject to availability."

 

[darkice]

My thoughts were divided between relief she didn't cry at all and jealousy that she was far younger than I ever was to fly in 1A!

i think both is appropriate!!

 

[GoldCanyon340]

i think both is appropriate!!

I was in 2A so I had a vested interest.

 

[Flying Fox]

Unlikely that a 12 month old will fit in the bassinet but I suppose you might as well ask for it.

When my boys were 18mths old they had no problems getting comfortable in the cot.

 

[NoName]

When my boys were 18mths old they had no problems getting comfortable in the cot.

Really? How small were they? My 6 month old only had a small amount of room a few years ago and he wasn't big by any means.

 

[JohnK]

My 12 month old daughter was extremely uncomfortable in the bassinet 2 weeks ago in economy on EK flight BNE-SIN. She turns a lot in her sleep and could not sleep.

The row behind only had 1 lady in the 4 seats so asked if ok if my wife and daughter could share the seats. No problem. Daughter slept quite well lying down in the E seat as my wife was next to her in D seat.

Lucky flight not full. Daughter only 8.5kgs and not tall either so getting to the point where the bassinet is uncomfortable. Have a QF economy A330 flight next month which could be interesting.

 

[AussieTim]

At 8 months he didn't fit in the bassinets (height), so we took turns holding him, there was a spare bed but we weren't comfortable safety wise with the idea.

At 12 months it's pushing it but bearable, by 20 months we opted in buying his own ticket instead (which of course ended up being an empty flight where we could have easily purloined an extra seat for him)

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Enjoy but try for the bassinet, if it works, it works!

 

[BAM1748]

You should be fine, ask as it may work for you. Travelled PE Jo'berg to Sydney with a bub on mums lap next to me. It was fine just had a few toys and Bub sat on the floor or mums lap. When mum dozed off Bub sat on the arm rest and showed me her book and offered me her drink when she saw my empty G&T glass.

All good fun. (Should point out I didn't know them)

Matt

 

[AisleSeat]

Unlikely that a 12 month old will fit in the bassinet but I suppose you might as well ask for it.

I flew international last year when our daughter was 18 months and she fit in the bassinet (tall for her age too). She did spend a lot of time on our laps, but the bassinet also gave us somewhere to put her where she could play and be out of the way.

 

[Flying Fox]

Really? How small were they? My 6 month old only had a small amount of room a few years ago and he wasn't big by any means.

I'm 5'10 and Mrs Flying Fox is 5'0 (so she is very little). Twin boys were born and weighed 2.3kgs each. So I guess we are a 'small' family

 

[darkice]

thanks guys, called up today and got bassinet seats for both legs. Had a colleague who said their 12 mth old son didn't fit the bassinet too, but that regardless it would be a place to put your child even for a little while. Similar to what others have mentioned

 

[GoldCanyon340]

thanks guys, called up today and got bassinet seats for both legs. Had a colleague who said their 12 mth old son didn't fit the bassinet too, but that regardless it would be a place to put your child even for a little while. Similar to what others have mentioned

Glad you got a good outcome

 

[JohnK]

This probably sounds like a bad idea but I'm still investigating the possibilities.

Brothers, dads and now mums Everyday Rewards points were expiring at various times and today I transferred mums expiring points to wife and now wife has nearly 120,000 QFF points. Enough for one way in business SYD-BKK for both of us + about ~$660 in taxes. Wow! Still need to find a way back though and award is going to be another 60,000 QFF points + $400-$500 in taxes.

Here is my crazy idea. Book a return award SYD-BKK in business for wife and daughter before daughter turns 2 in September and pay the absurd taxes and book an economy class airfare for myself on the same flights which should be say ~$700-$800 and not much more than the taxes.

Wife says up to me but she doesn't want us to be too far apart. On A333 the first row of economy is right behind business class so not too bad.

If I go with this option I want to be in a position to take care of daughter for some of the time so need bulkhead but not necessarily use bassinet. Would it be possible to request 2 bassinets or should I just put daughter on my booking and she can spend time as lap infant with wife in business class.

Note I do not want to share/swap seats with wife through the flight. Just share parenting duties.

Crazy idea? Is this a burden to the crew?