[hernette]

Flying Melbourne to LA then Chicago and Cleveland in May. Was very happy to read that the weight limit for bassinets on international flights was 18 kg as my little girl will be nowhere near that by May. Unfortunately, my travel agent told me yesterday that there are no bassinets on the plane we'll be flying (Boeing 777-300) doesn't have bassinets. Find it hard to believe that they would use a plane for such a long haul flight that has no bassinets, but there we are. We are booked in aisle and window seat of a row of 3 so hopefully we'll have a spare seat, but otherwise DH and I will have to take turns holding her for 15 hours!!! Anyone have any experience of this? Also would appreciate any tips on doing long haul flights with a baby.

Thanks in advance.

[tiggy2]

I've done regular overseas travel with small kids and never used a bassinet yet, I've booked one for the first time for our US trip this year. I haven't found it a problem, my kids have all liked sleeping on me anyway.
Going to the toilet and meals are a pain though as the tray can't really come down when you have a toddler asleep on you.

If you can get a front row seat it's much easier to get out to go to the toilet.

Take it in turns to eat, put the two meals on top of each other, first person eats, moves their tray to the bottom, second perso. Eats off that tray too if tht makes sense.
Make a toilet stop for both of you just before your hold looks likely to fall asleep.
I found it easiest being in the window seat with the child, you can use the wall to lean against with pillows.
Take an extra inflatable pillow and sarong for blanket.
It won't be comfortable but it's doable.

[handsfull]

Ring Virgin Australia and have a chat to them. I cannot believe they don't have bassinet facility on board. Just about all airlines long haul cater for them.

I do know when my family was travelling to Las Vegas via Bris - LA the other year back with an 11 month old, that it was first in first served at the check-in counter and if a much younger baby checked in they could still lose their seats.

So I'd be calling and checking them out.

[Bluenomi]

I've flown on a Virgin AUs 777 and DD was in a bassinet. The travel agent booked us one and confirmed it the day before flight and we got one both ways.

[Akatara]

http://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/plan/...stance/infants/

I read this as available on all international flights, but can't be booked, just requested.

No bassinet would be a bit annoying, would probably make me change airlines if they didn't have any on offer, but i guess they are never guaranteed anyway.


This post has been edited by Akatara: 24/01/2013, 09:05 AM

[MrsLexiK]

It could be that it is already allocated? I think they prefer to give them to the youngest of babies, and if there is a baby under 6 months already flying this baby will have the preference. (This is my understanding anyway so I could be wrong)

[joy6328]

I've done over 40 flights with my DD - now 21m - and never once in a bassinette.

I wouldn't rely on your TA as a source of info - just the make of the plane doesn't guarantee there will / wont be a basinette. Call Virgin and put in a request for one. Keep in mind they are given away on an age basis - so the youngest babies will get them first.

[KRT]

Looking at www.seatguru.com, there are bassinets on the Virgin Boeing 777. I would call and request the bassinet just in case.

However, having flown a number of times with our 13 month old, I wouldn't necessarily have my heart set on using the bassinet. At 9 months, DS would just try to stand up in the bassinet, and it was pretty squeezy lengthways for a pretty small baby. For our trans-Pacific flight in two months, we're actually planning not to get a bassinet for him and have requested non-bulkhead seats. For us, being able to store all the baby stuff under the seats in front of us and being able to lift up the armrests between seats is worth more than the extra leg room or potential bassinet.

Having said that, we're also booking a dedicated seat for DS as United offer a cheaper 'reserved seat for infant' fare. It was just so hard keeping out of our neighbour's hair (literally) when we flew with him at 12 months that I can't face it for 15 hours.

[howdo]

They really are too big for a basinette at that age. I flew with DD1 when she was 12 months old and well under the weight limit but she didn't fit at all. I didn't even bother using it after the first hour or so. I don't think they are much use at all once the baby can sit unaided, because they just sit up and try to lean out.

[Fabulous]

Yeah you can't really rely on the basinnette. We travelled to the USA on Virgin when my DS was the same age. He basically fitted in it but kept on waking himself up every time his arms and legs hit the sides. On the way back we had a bassinette but there was so much turbulence that we gave up after having to take him in and out of the bassinette every time the seatbelt light came on.

The bassinettes can only be requested and are not confirmed until you actually check-in.

This post has been edited by Fabulous: 25/01/2013, 07:56 PM