If you flew with a lap baby

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op again, DD will be 2 in June so we wanted to get one trip to England in without being an extra $1,000 for her seat.

I seriously doubt an international flight is going to have an empty seat. I can't imagine having a lap child on my lap for 6-7 hours especially in the wiggly almost-2-year-old-stage.

Huh? Why would an international flight be especially likely to have no empty seats? Most major airlines fly the same capacity plane every single day, and on the less busy days (e.g. Wednesday vs. Friday), there is a chance that the plane won't be entirely full. I've been on many transatlantic flights where that was the case (without children, so I can't answer OP's question).

[Anonymous]

i never ask but i did have a flight attendant move a man in our row to another row. it wasnt needed or requested but it was thoughtful of him. she slept the whole flight regardless.
i have lucked out in getting my own row on a cross country flight when i was by myself. that was awesome and not requested.

[Anonymous]

also totally understand. we will be doing an international trip before ours turns 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot remember the last time I flew when the flight was not packed full.

This.

[Anonymous]

My child is 4 and up until she was 2 she always flew as a lap child. I always asked and I always got to be moved to a seat with an empty seat next to me and we travelled a lot, mostly internationally. The only time it was not possible was on a flight from Orlando to DC. just ask op, and after everyone has boarded you can move yourself - dont even need to ask. As long as you stay within your class, they won't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is 4 and up until she was 2 she always flew as a lap child. I always asked and I always got to be moved to a seat with an empty seat next to me and we travelled a lot, mostly internationally. The only time it was not possible was on a flight from Orlando to DC. just ask op, and after everyone has boarded you can move yourself - dont even need to ask. As long as you stay within your class, they won't care.

Do you ask at check-in, or when you are boarding?

[Anonymous]

We probably flew half a dozen times the year that my kid was 3-15 months (mostly x-country). We never bought a ticket for him. I'd say at least 50% of the time, maybe even 60-75% of the time, we were able to arrange it so there was an open seat between DH and me. The agents at the airport were surprisingly helpful - moved people around and then blocked the seat between us. We took our carseat to the gate "just in case" and then gate-checked it if we didn't get the extra seat.

One thing that made this much more feasible was looking for open rows and selecting an aisle and a window for DH and me when I bought the tickets. If there was a person assigned between us, it was much easier for the airline to move them to a different middle seat than from a window or aisle to a middle. If we didn't end up with an open seat, the person in the middle was obviously thrilled to switch with one of so we'd end up middle-window.

This was mostly on United FWIW. I usually asked at check-in, but they could only give us a gut feel ("it looks good" or "we're completely full") and tell us to ask again at the gate. If they said there was no chance, we'd just check the carseat there and not have to lug it through the airport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is 4 and up until she was 2 she always flew as a lap child. I always asked and I always got to be moved to a seat with an empty seat next to me and we travelled a lot, mostly internationally. The only time it was not possible was on a flight from Orlando to DC. just ask op, and after everyone has boarded you can move yourself - dont even need to ask. As long as you stay within your class, they won't care.

Do you ask at check-in, or when you are boarding?

Ask to one of the flight attendants. I NEVER had luck asking at checking in or boarding - they always said: "you have to ask the flight attendant." (what is a lie I know, but it is what it is.)

[Anonymous]

I have done at least 10 times crossing the Atlantic. Once, I was lap holding my 1.5 year old while pregnant. You know, it was not fun, but I was alright. Worth it to save the money. When traveling alone with the little kids, my mantra was, "All I have to do is get on board before the door closes." Say it then repeat, over and over. You, too, will be alright.

[Anonymous]

US Airways makes you put the car seat in the window, so it's not blocking others in the event of an emergency. This might be FAA regulation. So if it's just you and a child, and you are banking on an empty seat, book the window, not the aisle, and hope for an empty middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:US Airways makes you put the car seat in the window, so it's not blocking others in the event of an emergency. This might be FAA regulation. So if it's just you and a child, and you are banking on an empty seat, book the window, not the aisle, and hope for an empty middle.

OP said LAP BABY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US Airways makes you put the car seat in the window, so it's not blocking others in the event of an emergency. This might be FAA regulation. So if it's just you and a child, and you are banking on an empty seat, book the window, not the aisle, and hope for an empty middle.

OP said LAP BABY.

Not the PP, but OP said:

"did the airline let you have an empty seat next to you if the flight wasn't full?

We are flying BA in April with a toddler lap baby and are hoping that if the flights not full we can do this?
What are the chances?"

She wants to know what the chances are that she will get a free seat (what most people hope for when they fly with a lap baby). PP's response was directly relevant to that. Maybe read before you correct someone?

[Anonymous]

make sure you have an aisle seat so your child can stand up when necessary. You'll be fine

[Anonymous]

you should just get a first class upgrade they love babies up there

[Anonymous]

I'm sure 14:31 was being sarcastic, but I flew with my infant in first class plenty of times. No big deal.