Flying with twins from UK to Oz ..... | ExpatWoman.com
 

Flying with twins from UK to Oz .....

1430
Posts
EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 January 2012 - 17:48

I've just had a msg from my sister in law to say she's going to visit her parents in Australia taking 1 year old twins who have just started walking. Is she mad? I understand she's travelling with another adult there but coming home on her own - would she need to book them a seat as at their age I don't think they would be entitled to a seat unless you paid for it, from what I've googled they class 1 year olds as 'lap' passengers ... am I right before I go giving her wrong advice?

40
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 January 2012 - 02:59
Reason we aren't allowed to hold babies without being strapped in to a seat at my airline is because at another airline the crew were looking after a baby in galley while mum was at toilet. Crewmember decided to sit baby on galley surface, baby falls off onto the floor, crewmember picks baby up and gives it back to mum without tell her the child has just suffered a major blow to the head, baby has to go into hospital and subsequently suffers brain damage. So no Solo, I would rather not hold your child for you because 1. your child is not my responsibility and 2. I wouldn't want a stranger holding onto my baby. I would prefer to help carry bags or open a buggy
1336
Posts
EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 27 January 2012 - 02:20
Yep, one lap child per adult, ergo solo adult must book a seat for one child & other on lap (or seats for both if preferred) to be honest it's better to book a seat if you don't want them on your lap for a long flight. I couldn't believe one woman recently, made the biggest fuss when she had to hold her own child for a flight. I get that it's a pain but it's their child- if they didn't want to hold it they should have bought a seat, Her complaint was that she should have got a basinette. (The kid was 2- FAR too big for a basinette, clearly). She wanted us to give her a basinette seat (which she couldn't use anyway) and kick another family with a small baby out of those seats!!! I mean really, move her to a seat she can't even use, and let a family with a newborn (who fits in the basinette easily) take her own seat purely because she didn't want to pay for a seat....! Sometimes you get lucky and end up with spare seats, but sometimes you don't. So yeah, booking a seat definitely a good idea as it's the only way to guarantee to have the space. Bear in mind though you can only order child/special meals for booked seats, not for lap children. Had another parent upset because they had 2 kids and a baby, 2 kid's meals arrived but they gave one to the baby (even though we stated was for the older kids) then they blamed us that there was nothing for the other child- we supply baby food jars for infants on laps. So just a tip to check this out or perhaps BYO if it might be a hassle! I know with EK it's up to the individual crewmember if they hold babies or not- I generally don't except to let mum go use the toilet- in which case I'll sit down on the seat with baby on my lap. Restraint would refer to the infant loop/extension belt, not any kind of seat, just FYI. However if you do book a seat you can bring a car seat so long as it's an approved type.
2937
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 January 2012 - 20:36
I just confirmed with BA, Virgin and Emirates that if you're travelling alone with two infants, one must be booked as a child and have their own seat. Emirates said something about a restraint for the seat and Virgin will apparently give you an infant seat for one to sit in.
 
 

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