Bassinets on airlines

laowaigringa · March 2014

Working on booking flights for this summer, and we are living overseas so we have some major long-haul flights; one leg will be about 13 hours and the other about 8. (Am I looking forward to this? No, not really. I think I'd rather get an episiotomy again.) Anyway, hoping for advice from some of you who have flown with babies before. Are the bulkhead seats with the bassinets worth trying to book? I had one friend tell me she didn't think it was worth it because they make you take the baby out of them any time there's turbulence, but for such long flights it would be nice to have somewhere to put her down. Any thoughts and advice from experiences Moms appreciated!

worleygirl · March 2014

I haven't used one but I have flown quite a few (much shorter) flights with baby. Are the seats more expensive? If your tickets are paid for by your company I would probably spring for them. DS has always slept really well on planes and I could have put him down in one and he'd have stayed asleep.

ccip82 · March 2014

I've flown internationally using the bassinets. There are no additional fees for a bassinet. You will be seated in the bulk head row.

The downside:

Your tray and multimedia unit come out of the arm rest.

You cannot store anything under the "seat" in front of you...since there isn't one. Everything must be stored above.

Baby must be in your lap for take off, landing, and turbulent periods.

The benefits:

You can actually have your hands free for part of the long haul flight

You can actually eat a meal or have a drink.

You can actually do something else besides holding a baby for x many hours.

The bassinet works best the younger your LO is. We had a bassinet for DD when she was 5 months old and it worked out great...and at 8 and 9 months old...That was not so great because by that point she was semi mobile and did not want to be in a bassinet as long. However, the person next to me had at least a one year old in their bassinet and that kid slept peacefully in there almost the whole. Damn. Flight...So I guess it also depends on your LO.

Good luck, we are flying back to the States in three weeks and I reserved the bassinet for DS. I am hoping it works because I will also be flying by myself with my 2 1/2 year old DD...

RedSaffron · March 2014

@ccip82 sorry to hijack, but did you say you're flying by yourself with DD and DS back to the states?! Holy shet. I'm planning a trip to Japan next year with DD and I'm dragging SO and my mom because I'm chicken shit to do it by myself. Can you let me know how it goes and lots of tips later.

ccip82 · March 2014

@RedSaffron

Yes, by myself...I flew solo internationally when DD was about 15 months old and it really wasn't too bad. Two kids and I am scared...I can let you know how it goes

MarkandAbbi · March 2014

https://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/

Hopefully that link works. I'm on mobile. Has some really good info on flying with LO.

ccip82 · March 2014

MarkandAbbi said:

https://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/ Hopefully that link works. I'm on mobile. Has some really good info on flying with LO.

I think parents are aware of the risk they chose to take when they have a lap infant. OP wanted to know about bassinets. I think it is a little presumptuous to think she was not aware of the risks associated with air travel.

This pissed me the fuck off.

bethughknee · March 2014

ccip82 said:

MarkandAbbi said:

https://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/ Hopefully that link works. I'm on mobile. Has some really good info on flying with LO.

I think parents are aware of the risk they chose to take when they have a lap infant. OP wanted to know about bassinets. I think it is a little presumptuous to think she was not aware of the risks associated with air travel.

This pissed me the fuck off.

@MarkandAbbi Not once in your response did you offer anecdotal advice. Like "I flew with a LO before and this was the site I referenced." The OP specifically asked for experience and even more specifically regarding the bassinets. It's pretty damn rude to assume the OP didn't already have her LO's safety in mind.

laowaigringa · March 2014

Thanks for the input everyone. I don't think MarkandAbbi meant anything offensive by posting that link. I'm sure her intentions were good. It has given me something to think about, and perhaps we should spring for it and pay for a seat for LO. It would make life easier in a lot of ways. Or we just risk it and hope that our flights aren't full and they can put at least one of us next to an empty seat where we could put the car seat. I hate feeling like I'm being a cheapskate or that I'm reluctant to spend money on my child's safety, but we are talking $3,000 for one ticket versus an extremely small chance that something would happen on a flight that would be serious enough to potentially injure a baby. DH and I are teachers, our school does not pay for our flights - so that would be $9,000 out of pocket for our summer flights, basically both of our salaries for a month combined. No small potatoes. Anyway, guess we have things to think about and decisions to make. Again, I appreciate the input, ladies!

aprivette1 · March 2014

I was on a flight from LAX to Paris last year and sat behind a mother using a bassinet. It worked marvelously for her - she had her hands free, was able to eat, read, sleep and baby slept almost the entire time. Flight attendants also kept coming by to coo and check in on little one. It was really nice.

worleygirl · March 2014

I never paid for a seat until DS was 2. I will probably get flamed for this but I figured if something happened I would grab him anyway and not leave him sitting alone.

forevergraceful · March 2014

Flight attendant here- I would suggest paying for a seat. You are requesting a bassinet when you book a ticket. It does not guarantee that you will get the seat with the bassinet. For instance, they could swap out the aircraft to one that doesn't have them, or someone with a disability could be required to sit in the bulkhead, or two families could request it and there is only one available.

Also agree with everything @ccip82 said. You will have to take them out anytime the seat belt sign is on, which on international flights can be quite frequent.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

forevergraceful · March 2014

ccip82 said:

MarkandAbbi said:

https://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/ Hopefully that link works. I'm on mobile. Has some really good info on flying with LO.

I think parents are aware of the risk they chose to take when they have a lap infant. OP wanted to know about bassinets. I think it is a little presumptuous to think she was not aware of the risks associated with air travel.

This pissed me the fuck off.

I would actually disagree with this. I don't believe many parents know the risk of having a lap child. I think people think that because it is allowed that it is safe.

ccip82 · March 2014

FWIW: Airfare is fucking expensive...Especially when you are factoring in international travel. It is also what some of us HAVE to do to see our families and loved ones.

BalletLover said:

ccip82 said:

MarkandAbbi said:

https://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/ Hopefully that link works. I'm on mobile. Has some really good info on flying with LO.

I think parents are aware of the risk they chose to take when they have a lap infant. OP wanted to know about bassinets. I think it is a little presumptuous to think she was not aware of the risks associated with air travel.

This pissed me the fuck off.

I would actually disagree with this. I don't believe many parents know the risk of having a lap child. I think people think that because it is allowed that it is safe.

@Balletlover

I stand corrected then! I think you would have a lot more experience than me in seeing this all the time. I was assuming that most people had common sense

forevergraceful · March 2014

@ccip82- I do agree that airfare is expensive and I certainly don't knock people for having lap children. If you can afford it, it is best to buy a seat and use car seat. If you can't, it is still safer than driving.

Oh dear, yes, I have seen it all. People putting their babies in the overheads, letting them sleep in the aisles when the cabin is completely dark, not bringing formula or diapers because they assumed the airline would have them, etc.

ETA: I didn't mean to say "Oh dear, as in 'oh honey'- meant it as 'oh god' or 'oh my word'." I reread this and it seemed condescending, which is not how I meant for it to come across.

worleygirl · March 2014

This is kind of funny. My mom traveled internationally for work when I was a baby. (For reference, I'm in my mid-30's.) She said she would bring me and I slept on the floor of the plane under her seat in the smoking section. Crazy.

Armyratt · March 2014

Glad for this post. I'm flying this summer with my two older kids and baby cause dh is deploying. 15 hours has me worried but I can't stand to be here in AK alone all summer. Great tips!

bethughknee · March 2014

BalletLover said:

@ccip82- I do agree that airfare is expensive and I certainly don't knock people for having lap children. If you can afford it, it is best to buy a seat and use car seat. If you can't, it is still safer than driving.

Oh dear, yes, I have seen it all. People putting their babies in the overheads, letting them sleep in the aisles when the cabin is completely dark, not bringing formula or diapers because they assumed the airline would have them, etc.

I CAN'T!!!!!

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