red eye flights

BethS2006 · September 2009

We are going to Iowa for thanksgiving... and I am wondering if flying a red eye and the kids sleeping is a good or crazy idea. I hate red eyes in general... but I am terrified of my very busy toddlers being nightmares on the flight... we may or may not buy a 3rd seat just to "own" a row to ourself...

anyone done a red eye? we've done early morning, and afternoon flights... but the were 3 and 9 months... 16 months is a whole other world of hurt I fear (x2) and with gabe running and audrey on her way to walking (took a few solo steps theother night, will be mobile by t-giving)

thanks

B

Seattle_JiLLn · September 2009

I would 100% buy a third seat no matter what.

Not sure about the redeyes - at that age, Ben was a horrific sleeper, so it would have been a special brand of Hell for me. I guess it just depends on how well they will sleep in a car seat or on you?

I probably would do a day time flight though. Iowa isn't that far away. Do you fly direct or do you have to change planes in the middle of the night? If it was a 6+ hour direct flight, you could at least try for some sleep, but if you get a 4 hour flight, a layover and then another 1 hour flight or something, that would be miserable with tired babies.

preston18 · September 2009

The twinks are huge. Buy a third seat.

I flew with Nathan (at 7 months though) on the latest flight I could get. Worked liek a charm. But he was 7 months.

BethS2006 · September 2009

I am 99 % sure we will buy a 3rd seat... we arent taking carseats with, if we fly into iowa, grandma will meet us at the airport with them. If we fly into chicago we will have to rent them (yuk) but tony is refusing to lug them to baggage. fine. the third seat is more to have room than to put kids in it,,,

I am thinking snacks, crayons, stickers, books, lovies, dvd player (need to buy) new toys... any suggestions? I am just terrified of them screaming because they want to run around.. (gabe) Audrey will be thrilled with non stop mommy attention most likely hahaha

cwhip77 · September 2009

I've done one red eye and in theory it's great, but for J and I just couldn't fall asleep (if we ever do it again we're taking meds to knock us out!) so we were miserable the next day. I personally wouldn't do a red eye with babies - they turn the lights down and everything gets VERY quiet on the flight, if the kiddos aren't sleeping and get fussy you could have a mutiny on your hands from other passengers who were expecting to sleep. Plus you and T wouldn't really be able to sleep either, so that might make for grumpy parents that morning.

energyzer · September 2009

If you want to sit together, you HAVE to buy the 3rd seat. We just learned a couple weeks ago only one lap baby/child can be in each row. We had to sit in separate rows on the way down to CO. Our seats were originally next to each other and they reassigned them at the gate. Then the flight attendants rechecked our seating situation when we were on the plane. It has to do with the number of oxygen masks available. If you buy the third seat, it will techically belong to one of the kids and then you will only have one lap baby.

We've done red eyes a couple times when DS1 was around that age and it worked wonderfully. We made sure to have plenty of activities and snacks but didn't end up needing them. Some of it will depend on your kids but I would recommend it, as long as you can deal with it :0)

BethS2006 · September 2009

thanks all.... I have no idea what we will do. I hate.red.eyes. and if we fly into chicago, then it could be a nonstop... if its moline, then there is a plane change to a puddle jumper in chicago or minnesnowta

I know about the 2 lap babies in a row... we hit this the first time we flew... and usually book seats with the aisle between us or one in front of the other,.... I hate to book a third seat and end up with a half empty plane, whoch you KNOW will happen... BUT I hate even MORE to be stuck with 2 lap toddlers on a crowded plane. the extra 300 is worth it for my sanity....

pinktulips · September 2009

Being that it is Thanksgiving time, I think it is wise to get that third seat - there aren't going to be very many empty flights at that time of year.

Personally, I think a day flight would be better, for reasons said above (noisy babies on a quiet flight) and that getting back to sleep when you get there will be easier. I would shoot for a flight that takes off before nap time, around lunch time. Feed them at the gate, run them at the gate and then settle in for a movie, etc. The engine noise should lull them asleep and help them sleep longer then usual for nap. When they wake up from nap, offer a snack and something new to them like stickers and paper or a new toy. Then when you land you have time to run their wiggles out before bed time, and hopefully get a good nights sleep for yourself.

sunmountain · September 2009

It's difficult no matter when you fly with toddlers. But, we did the red eye to Boston and DS at 17 months and he did well. Our flight back was at his bedtime and he did okay but not as well as the red eye. We bought him a seat. I would never ever fly with a toddler w/out getting their own seat for any flight over an hour. That's cruel to the people around you and torture for you. Get your own row.

Seattle_JiLLn · September 2009

OK if you're flying to Chicago or Iowa, then no way would I do the red eye. It's not a long enough flight to get any sleep on. It's only 4 hours to Chicago. So the red eye would be from like midnight to 4AM. So you'd have to deal with waking them up to go to the airport, then getting hrough the airport and getting them settled and then they'll hopefully fall asleep for a bit, and then have to wake them up again to get off the plane.

red eye flights

Re: red eye flights

Choose Another Board

Search Boards