travelling from London to Melbourne with a baby - which airline is best?

[emilybwebb]

I am travelling from London to Melbourne soon and I have a 13-week-old baby. I am from Melbourne and we are moving back permanently.
Any suggestions on what airline best caters for babies would be appreciated. I am travelling by myself (my husband is following on a bit after) so I need a direct route and I am not doing a stopover as I will have loads of stuff.

I am not so worried about the new cabin baggage rules, rather I want to know what airline will give me a bulkhead seat and and have good facilities. I am a bit reluctant to book with Qantas as I don't want to end up on a BA flight as I had a dreadful flight with them from LHR to Melbourne last Christmas when I was pregnant. I am also anxious in light of the whole foiled terror plot. I have flown so much and never been concerned before I had a baby and this has just heightened my anxiety.

Any suggestions/experiences/tips would be appreciated.

[Jordan D]

Not sure about the connections, but may I suggest Emirates via Dubai ... from all I have heard from recently travelled friends on the route, its very good, very friendly service and the babies all seemed content on her flight as she didn't hear a single cry all flight.

Jordan

[ETOPS]

Emirates via Dubai

Ands it's the carrier of choice for the bad guys, they are unlikely to dump on their own.............

[Sparkle]

you took the words right out of my mouth!

[Salusa]

I would go with Singapore Airlines.

If you time it right, you should only get a 2 hour transit through Changi, and IMO it is a better airport to go through than Dubai.

[Eliason]

By going via Dubai you might only have to change once - LHR-DXB, DXB -MEL nonstop (A340). And they offer a Stroller service in Dubai.

They usually have plenty of supply for babies on board as well (nappies, baby food, bottles, babymilk, ...) But than again - most airlines might...


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[angels]

I'd listen to Salusa.

Flew long haul several times with SQ when my two were babies and I never had a bad experience with either the airline or, thankfully, the kids.

That said, 24 hours in a metal tube is enough to unsettle most babies, so I wish you well!

[Cahlibahn]

How about the QF10? 21h 40m including the Singapore stopover?

[Jordan D]

ETOPS - care to justify your comment?

Jordan

[christep]

Cathay Pacific via HKG would be another option... pretty good with infants, and have some quite good pricing out of the UK I believe.

[emilybwebb]

Thanks for your advice. I'm going to have a good lok at Emirates, Singapore and maybe Cathay. I would like to fly Qantas home but in the past, even though I have booked with Qantas, I've ended up on a BA flight as they share and I had a shocking flight from LHR to Melbourne last Christmas. I was 20 weeks pregnant, seated by the toilet, had a old guy faint on me and had no choice of food as all the good dishes had been taken by the time they got to the back of the plane!

[Globaliser]

I would like to fly Qantas home but in the past, even though I have booked with Qantas, I've ended up on a BA flight as they share ...It should be easy to tell the difference. QF-operated international flights have flight numbers below 300, and in fact below 50 on London flights.

[hpcock]

Just a thought - If Gulf Air fly to Aus, & I think they do, they have a facility on board called "sky nanny" They take your kids of your hands for practically the whole flight, or if you are travelling with an infant, you get a lot of personal attention.

Of all the other airlines mentioned in this link, I would suggest Singapore, as they are fantastic with infants & kids. I've travelled many times with them in 1st, business & econ and found them to be at the peak of thier game. Forget Emirates with kids, had terrible experiences with kids - both times in 1st & business class - too much crap to mention, just not worth it, stay away. Statisticaly, BA/QF carry the most kids to Aus, so crew are always stretched when it comes to babies.

If you are travelling from LHR, give SQ a call at thier ticket desk, & they usually pre-assign a seat for you 3-4 days in advance.

Best of luck

HPC

[Flip Flop 2]

I am traveling to New Zealand from London this Christmas with my (at time of travel) 6 month old son and was wondering exactly the same thing - thank you for all your suggestions. I have heard very positive feedback on Cathay Pacific and when I spoke to them they could not have been more enthusiastic and helpful about traveling with children - but, I will now also get a quote from Singapore on these recommendations.

Has anyone flown with children using Cathay Pacific and what was your experience?

[lemmiwink]

Jordan,

I think etops' comment is quite justified if you have the slightest incling of how the world works.
So come off your high horse and get real!
(watched the news recently?)

[Jordan D]

I've got a very good idea how the 'real world' works - just I think ETOPS comment is a little imflamatory (sp) and as for the validitiy of the statement ...

Jordan

[angels]

lemmiwink - Jordan's comment was perfectly justified. He just asked a poster to expand on what appears to be a racist comment.

With your massive amount of posts, do you have the slightest incling (sic!!) of how the world works? I'm sure Jordan has watched the news and he would have seen that some Englishmen (who I believe have never been to Dubai, or have any connection with the place) are accused of plotting to down some American planes flying to the States.

Flip Flop 2 - CX are also very good with kids. The enthuiasm you got was just a person doing their best to sell you a ticket, but they are fine with kids. I would put them at a close number 2 to SQ. So basically, whatever carrier comes up with best scheduling/price, use them.

[emilybwebb]

I've now booked on Singapore and the travel agent has requested a bassinet for me so, fingers crossed, I will get a bulkhead seat. I am travelling alone with my baby as my husband needs to wrap up things with the sale of our flat etc. and apparently that will mean that I will most likely get a bulkhead seat. I don't know how I'd manage otherwise. As it stands, I can take hand luggage on but no liquids/gels/creams etc. but they will have those for the baby. I am breastfeeding so taking milk on in bottles is not an issue.

[KiloMIke]

Rather than leave it to your travel agent give SQ reservations a ring and ask to check if a bassinet seat has been requested. All too often these requests go missing in cyberspace.

[angels]

Emily - excellent advice from KiloMike there.

Let us know how it all goes.

[BellEndBob]

Emily

I have flown all over the world with my girls. When they were little we found any Middle eastern/Far Eastern carrier was great. They love kids and we found all the on board staff to be superb.

BA/Quantas etc were good as well but all staff had the natural inbuilt dread of noisy kids.

Singapore Airlines is one of my favourites, delightful CC so you should have a pleasant trip, little one permitting!! Also, Changai is the best airport in the world (IMHO of course).

Good luck

[lemmiwink]

Angels my dear,
since when are posting on pprune and having a slight incling of how the world works got anything to do with one another?

According to yourself with over 2000 posts you obviously know abs everything about the world. I am so humbled.

Over 2000 posts, hmm, don't get out much do you?

Never mind. I still stand by my statement, and who said anything about downing planes???????:rolleyes:

[angels]

lemmiwink my dear.

Got the GCSE results yet? I bet you passed English grammar!!

I've never met him, but I can assure you that Jordan does have an inkling as to how the world works and your attack on him was not justified.

Over and out! (Yes I do get out.)

[lemmiwink]

Angels, my dear

you must have run out of points to raise as you are picking on my grammar. I rest my case.

Why don't you go away, pass all the UK CAA ATPL exams in a to yourself foreign language, and then I let you take part again in the discussions, ehh?;)

[Jordan D]

Is there really need for pettyness like this? angels was supporting a point I made, to which you have given no answer, nor the original poster.

You have then degenerated into petty name calling. Please do stop.

Jordan

[hpcock]

Why don't you go away, pass all the UK CAA ATPL exams in a to yourself foreign language, and then I let you take part again in the discussions, ehh?;)

Sorry to get embroiled in all this, but they are actually UK JAA ATPL Examinations now.

BTW, your English grammar really is quite poor mate. Sorry, that I too have to point it out to you, but I would really consider a good book on language & grammar before posting again.

Many thanks
HPC

[lemmiwink]

hpcock - the exams were CAA when I completed them. You are quite right that they are now JAA. My English grammar can and does slip occasionally however, how good is your German, French or Italian etc ? Give me a little bit of slack :rolleyes: in the same way that you did for "Quantas".

Angels old chap - I have passed exams in grammar including English as a foreign language. How did you pass your RT practical with "over and out" :ugh: You are a pilot are you not ???????

Getting back to the point, in the last few years nobody has downed an airline of middle eastern origin. If Emily is worried and looking for advice, I would seriously consider using the state airline of a Muslim country...... preferably one with a western slant such as Singapore.

[hpcock]

Dear Lemmiwink

I suggest you choose your words carefully & may I also suggest that you check your facts.

If you look at my previous post on this thread, you will no doubt notice that I have not mis-spealt Qantas, but infact used their 2 letter code.

As for how many languages I can speak - German (lived there for 3 yrs), Gujarati, Hindi, Russian, & English, a lot better than you (gramatically speaking of course!!)

I hope thats good enough

HPC

[lemmiwink]

"mis-spealt" & "gramatically"

I appreciate the irony in your post HP, if not your sauce.

Re-read the thread again carefully.

[hpcock]

BA/QF carry the most kids to Aus, so crew are always stretched when it comes to babies.



HPC

Firstly, I'm glad that you have the ability to spot irony. Secondly, can you find the spelling mistake regarding Qantas? - because I sure as hell can't.

Awaiting your response.

HPC

[Volmet South]

I think Lemmywink was drawing attention to you criticising his / her grammar while choosing not to refer to BellEnd Bob's spelling of Quantas. I suspect there may be some indignation about double standards.

Dragging this dreary thread back to the question. Air France should be a good bet, the Frogs haven't upset anyone East of Calais for a hundred years.

[AmD]

Given feedback from family I would recomend Malaysian and Kuala Lumpar airport. The journey is more evenly broken up and the facilities at KL are good.

[Captain Rat]

Second Amd post. Malaysian are good especially with kids. However I would say any of the Asian carriers MH,CX,SQ as there attitude towards kids is much beter. I am not trying to citicise western carriers, its just that the asian culture is very much more tolerant to kids..!!

[skiesfull]

lemmiwink
Singapore is not a muslim state with a western slant. It is a multicultural, multi-ethnic state.

[bananas_oz]

With 25 flights before our boy was 3, we found that the pleasantness of the journey was not so much the choice of carrier, but rather on the behaviour of the PAX sharing our journey that day.

[rmac]

For all of you "debating" and I use that word loosely the issues of terrorism and airlines, a few points to consider on some of the issues that you have touched;

1. Its not racist to point out that the bad guys in the field of terrorism mainly come from the Middle East. This is the kind of warped PC thinking that does not see the irony in muslims rioting because the pope called their religion violent :ugh:

2. Its a generally accepted feeling in the ME, that the UAE appears to have found some kind of accomodation with the "bad guys", whatever it is, that keeps their part of the world peaceful to date, while all around is falling apart.

3. I am not bothering to edit this casual text for spelling or grammar as I will not be submitting it to my tutor...so don't bother wasting your time looking for nits to pick.:oh:

4. And for those of you claiming to be polyglots, I bet you can barely manage to order a beer in the multitude of languages you claim to speak ;)

5. In 25 years in a practical workplace, 10 military and 15 business, it is my empirical finding that most 20 year old students are hot on theory, but a little short on practice.


Thanks for reading this.....shall we keep it real going forward ??

[skiesfull]

rmac
I have found over the years, that being able to order beers in many languages is not a necessity - if you shout loud enough at 'Johnny Foreigner' beer will soon arrive! -hopefully in a glass!!

[Jordan D]

Thanks rmac for your comments. The difference here is, that this place exists as a society of mutual respect. You're last comment shows little respect. I won't be petty to show you little though.

Jordan

[rmac]

Jordan. Not an unexpected response. At the risk of being accused as sexist, are you female ? I hope so, because if you are to travel through the male world with that level of sensitivity, you are going to have a tough old time :\

I was once a quite opinionated 20 year old junior officer, who thought that all senior officers were full of sh1t, and didn't have a clue. By the time I hit 30, evidence proved that I had been correct, but, here's the important bit, not for the reasons that I had originally thought ! :O

Its unfortunate but true that in most cases, the older are looking back and drawing on experience, while the younger are looking forward and speculating based on their own "superior" intellect. Each side of the argument has its benefits, but normally experience wins out in the end as we live in a very grey world, where the socially imprinted maps of behaviour and morality become of less use the further in to the jungle we tread.:E

You seem like an essentially honourable and intelligent person Jordan, if you tone down the sensitivity and develop a feel for the grey areas, you'll probably do quite well.

rmac

[skiesfull]

I agree with rmac's last comment - the ex-students I work with have a pot full of confidence and a pot empty on experience. The trick for us 'old hands' is to fill the latter pot, without shattering the former (and hurting their sensitivities-after all we were students once)!

[Jordan D]

rmac - I'm male.

I do feel that this is thread drift of the worst kind though ...

Jordan

[TightSlot]

I got lost somewhere - we started with babies travelling to Melbourne, and now...?

:uhoh:

[rmac]

TS

I think someone was trying to be "helpful" with a suggestion about which airline not to get your baby blown up on...and it moved on from there ;)

[angels]

I wonder if emily realised she'd inadvertently chucked a rather large rock into the gentile pool of SLF?!

I also wonder, has she travelled/booked yet? If so who was the carrier and how was the experience?

Come on emily, do tell!