First flight in CE with toddler

[DTR]

Hi all

Trying to work out the best option and would appreciate help from those with experience!

We have the option to fly as a couple in euro traveller with our toddler in a middle seat but we’d prefer to fly in club Europe if possible.

However, seating is 2×2 in CE, and to add complicity there are currently only two CE reward seats on our preferred flight time.

I can’t imagine our toddler sitting in a seat alone for very long…so with the blocked out seat in the middle of CE, I’m worried it’ll be hard to maintain the peace during take off and landing…and difficult to handle for one of us on a three hr flight!

Consequently we have a few questions:

– Is it possible to move the table and shift to the middle seat in CE to sit next to a toddler?
– Can toddlers still sit on laps for take off landing at 2 yrs if needed despite needing their own seat booked?
– If we manage to book three seats in business, can we move the table so our toddler can sit in the middle and we sit together?
– In the event we take our preferred flight time and one of us is back in economy, are crew realistically going to be worried about us being together in CE after take off with toddler on lap – not least as this will make life better for everyone concerned!?
– should we just give up and sit in economy?!

Or anything else we are missing?

Thanks in advance for any tips 😊

[yonasl]

If you have a full row in CE, nothing stops you from removing the middle table and using the 3 seats (you can fold the table yourself).

I would just go in economy. Unless you really are after the CE food or lounge access.

[Andrew J]

The tables have been removed anyway on lots of the aircraft now.

[RK228]

With our toddler in the circumstances described, I’d be opting for economy. No question.

[NorthernLass]

You’ll need a seat for the toddler anyway if they’re 2 (is the plan to sit them in a car seat?), so CE might make that a bit awkward as you wouldn’t all be on the same side of the aisle.
Also, you will spend so much time entertaining and caring for the toddler that you wouldn’t have much time to enjoy the F & B in CE (and there’s no guarantee it would be any good, especially atm!) So another vote for economy from me.

[DTR]

Thanks all. This is very helpful.

I should have added that we have 241/upgrade vouchers that will go to waste if not used, and other family who will be in CE, so that has added to the desire to fly business – but not if it makes things more difficult on the flight. We would also value the extra space and fast track security (not lounge due to Amex plat/plaza premium).

All that said, eco may be the way to go.

Northernlass – wasn’t thinking of taking the car seat but perhaps we should? I figure he won’t want to be in it for long, so it might be in the way…but it would save hiring one at the other end. Perhaps it go in the middle with tray table removed if we did go CE?

[TicknBash]

Redeemed CE recently to Dalaman with a 2 kids under 4 on an A320 as had spare 241s and avios to burn.
No ‘table’ on the middle seat but the captain did open up her cockpit for CE row kids to keep them entertained during a slight delay – which I enjoyed.

If you are travelling off peak and a light load destination, as everyone’s comments, CE is not much value onboard unless you’re after lounge access.

[aseftel]

I think knowing the answers to these questions would help:

– How old is your child?
– How much flying experience do they have?
– How long is the flight?
– What time is the flight?

[DTR]

All helpful, thanks.

– just over 2
– 0 flying experience!
– just under 3 hrs flight
– morning flight (so during awake/nap time)

[NorthernLass]

Don’t they have to sit on a car/booster seat at that age? It’s a long time ago so I can’t remember! I do remember always taking one or the other when my son was small but that might just have been so we could use them in a hire car.

Now you’ve said you are travelling with family in CE, I might be tempted to go for that if your relatives are the type to keep the toddler entertained while you drink as much champagne as you can manage in 3 hours lol.

*Take LOTS of toys, snacks and other entertaining things.

[MadeUpName]

I’ve got a slightly different view – yes, take the table out in CE so one of you can sit right next to the toddler, but keep the other seat where it is (ideally across the aisle). That way one of you can have some quieter time and eat in peace. Then swap over so parent no2 can eat / relax. We found that worked well and allowed us to arrive a little more relaxed. And yes to lots of snacks!@

[Mighty Hunter]

In the event we take our preferred flight time and one of us is back in economy, are crew realistically going to be worried about us being together in CE after take off with toddler on lap – not least as this will make life better for everyone concerned!

This could be a problem. I’m a retired BA capt and considered myself to be quite flexible when it came to upgrades. My decision making depended on whether BA were going to lose revenue as a result, and in this case, if the crew asked me if it was OK, I’d have to reluctantly say no.

Lots of pax try all sorts of tricks to get seats in a better cabin, in this case I know it’s not a trick but the situation is that by deliberately booking one parent and child into J and the other parent in M, then expecting all to sit in J, rather than booking all 3 in J is costing BA money.

[Toppcat]

I have done CE a few times with our toddler (currently <2y). It works well as you can book 2x seats and take out the middle tray so the toddler can sit in between both parents (albeit on a lap for takeoff and landing). You clearly don’t get to really enjoy the better catering of CE, but on the flip side you can board last and know you are likely to have overhead space for buggy and bags, and you also get off the plane first, so less waiting around at immigration etc. The extra baggage allowance is also useful for all the kids stuff..

But also – take a lot more toys / books / stickers etc than you think you will need!

[Toppcat]

DTR wrote:

All helpful, thanks.

– just over 2
– 0 flying experience!
– just under 3 hrs flight
– morning flight (so during awake/nap time)

Ah – just seen that they are >2! Don’t know what the best approach is in that case…

Tbh – do you need to do BA? Flying LCC and paying for a row to yourselves at the front of the plane (and maybe extra luggage) has also worked well for us in the past.

[aseftel]

DTR wrote:

All helpful, thanks.

– just over 2
– 0 flying experience!
– just under 3 hrs flight
– morning flight (so during awake/nap time)

They will need to be booked in their own seat as they are over two. Given that they haven’t flown before, my recommendation would be to fly in economy so they can have parents in adjacent seats in case they don’t like the take off/landing.

[alig4th]

We’re about to do something similar with our two. The eldest did a couple of CE flights when <2 and, as you say, the extra space in the middle seat helped with all the extra stuff we needed to hand (toys etc) and an extra tray table to put food/drinks on while one of us dealt with the kid.

Now the eldest is 3.5 and the youngest will be 5 months, so we’re planning to stick the eldest by the window (hopefully interesting for them), me on the aisle seat and wife+baby across the aisle. That way I can deal with eldest if needs be and wife can feed lap-baby if needs be.

Depending how much older than 2 your little one is, may be better to have them on the aisle so either window-parent or aisle parent can try and calm them/play with them as needed.

BA rules say that one parent must be “next to” a child, this can be an aisle in front/behind (doesn’t necessarily mean next to), so bear that in mind; if there’s no open seats/you don’t have status/don’t want to pay for seating, you may end up sat in front of/behind your little one, with your partner sat miles away…