Travel with Children - United folding cot? (Business Class, International)

My wife and I are looking to fly from Singapore to USA in a few months with what will be our newborn child. We are intending to fly Business Class but I am learning that many US carriers do NOT provide bassinets in Business Class.

I called United and while they do NOT have bassinets, they do offer some sort of floor bassinet.

Has anyone used this? Does it highly restrict the lie flat seat in Business? Does it fit under foot rest if foot rest is elevated and extended? All I know is that it is 12 x 26 inches but no clue on height. Any photos and/or experience would be GREATLY appreciated.

We have decided AA is out of question as they offer no bassinet or other solution (aside from purchase another seat). Former Continental aircraft offer bassinets in their business class, as well as Delta and former NWA aircraft. Looking forward to some feedback (this is my first thread and post).

-Trey

Welcome to FlyerTalk.

(1) Did the reservation agent actually use the word "cot"? I do not have personal experience with this, but I believe that what when wall bassinets are unavailable, what United offers instead is a "floor bassinet", which I've understood to be essentially a folding cardboard box placed on the floor.

(2) Flyertalk actually has a whole forum devoted to Travel with Children, where you can search past posts to get some better information: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-children-221/

(3) A Flyertalk procedure tip: don't create another post in that forum (cross-posting is against the FT rules); instead, look at your original post above for a red triangle with an exclamation mark, on the left side under your name. Click on this triangle, and a box will open up allowing you to send a "alert" to the moderators. (The triangle will only be visible if you are logged in). Use that feature to ask the mods to move your post to the Travel With Children forum, where I am guessing you will get more answers.

Good luck!

We are intending to fly Business Class

Not sure if you know this, but if you don't.... FYI: there will be a cost for the lap child, cost will depend on how you are planning on paying for your flight (paid, award, etc.) In some cases, you might be better off buying 3 Y seats.

BTW, welcome to FT! ^

Not sure if you know this, but if you don't.... FYI: there will be a cost for the lap child, cost will depend on how you are planning on paying for your flight (paid, award, etc.) In some cases, you might be better off buying 3 Y seats.

I second this suggestion.

Also, if one is paying for International Business Class, one will have a significantly better experience with a non-USA airline. @:-)

aragno, welcome to FlyerTalk. ZenFlyer's suggestion is good and I'll move this thread to the Travel with Children forum, as you appear to be considering several airlines. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, United forum.

My wife and I are looking to fly from Singapore to USA in a few months with what will be our newborn child. We are intending to fly Business Class but I am learning that many US carriers do NOT provide bassinets in Business Class

I would guess carriers don't want screaming newborns in C. I know I don't.
:mad:

Welcome to FlyerTalk.

(1) Did the reservation agent actually use the word "cot"? I do not have personal experience with this, but I believe that what when wall bassinets are unavailable, what United offers instead is a "floor bassinet", which I've understood to be essentially a folding cardboard box placed on the floor.

(2) Flyertalk actually has a whole forum devoted to Travel with Children, where you can search past posts to get some better information: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-children-221/

(3) A Flyertalk procedure tip: don't create another post in that forum (cross-posting is against the FT rules); instead, look at your original post above for a red triangle with an exclamation mark, on the left side under your name. Click on this triangle, and a box will open up allowing you to send a "alert" to the moderators. (The triangle will only be visible if you are logged in). Use that feature to ask the mods to move your post to the Travel With Children forum, where I am guessing you will get more answers.

Good luck!

Yes!! It was a floor bassinet! Any clue how tall it is? Can I bring my own and do this on other airlines, like AA?

I understand I will pay 10% of my fare. While some may not want a baby in business class, I am given a travel budget as part of my employment package and it allows me to fly business class twice per year with the wife and baby. I work hard and have done so for years to get where I am. In addition, a screaming baby in the row behind last row of business isn't much better. I feel if parents are responsible and do their best, I do not fault them. I suppose if people don't want to fly in a premium cabin with infants there are airlines which have no accommodation or fly in a suite. Keep in mind, even Emirates has bassinets on the floor in their first class suites- and they rely on paying customers in those cabins, not just people who get upgraded.

I am already looking at lowest fare class so 3 seats won't work for me. Although, next year it is possible to do this on 1 of the 2 trips.

If anyone has any details on height of the floor bassinet or if the seat will recline above the height of the floor bassinet I would be keen to know. At least if the baby is sleeping I can have a rest while my wife does too on our 26 hour journey.

I second this suggestion.

Also, if one is paying for International Business Class, one will have a significantly better experience with a non-USA airline. @:-)

I wish we could pay for such but we get a budget equal to 2 full-fare business tix on SQ + 10% for infant, but since my wife took a flight before baby is born, we are trying to get 4 more business tix in budget, which we can do but only if infant is in bassinet. Maybe next year on an Asian carrier (or Continental aircraft) :)

For others, please leave your opinion about infants in premium cabins to this threads seeking such opinions. This one was simply to gain some desired information from other helpful members.

Thanks for the responses thus far and look forward to more details on this bassinet.

Do you think it is possible to use similar on AA?

Hi Trey,

Take heart in the fact that newborns are usually no problem in any cabin. They just sleep and eat most of the time. They don't even cry very loudly. Enjoy it while it lasts because it wont.

I agree, let's not debate children in premium cabins. Where's the whole thread dedicated to this topic?? (I'll look it up when I finish). A newborn is a whole different ballgame than flying with a mobile, louder child.

To be honest, I would not make this a deal-breaker. Unfortunately, there really isn't any other way than to go through Seat guru.com and read up on the options on each aircraft.

Yes, I said "aircraft" not "airline" since (not good news) can change, even within the same company. So look at the flight and look up that specific plane.

I have to say that my husband flew United business a couple of years back. He obviously didn't have to deal with a bassinet but looking at his seat, I'm not sure where you'd even put a floor bassinet. United has very narrow business class seats. Parents often like to have the baby just with them, but I would go for a company with a wider business class seat to do this.

Did that make sense?

Also, we've had threads about the "wishbone" seating. Check that you and your wife would be actually next to each other, not facing away and able to pass the baby back and forth.

What route are you flying, and when? SIN-NRT is currently scheduled as an old-style 777, which is actually good news for you, as they have proper bassinets in the bulkhead in business. You may want to choose your onward flight from NRT to avoid the new seats. Yes, you and your wife will be stuck in the recliners, but the bassinet will be worth it, IMHO, if you cannot afford a third seat for the infant.

As EclipsePearl notes, traveling with a child that young is typically quite easy (on both the parents and the others in the cabin). Enjoy it while it lasts! Good luck.

UA floor bassinets are essentially small boxes/baskets. I think i saw one and it was 8-10" high at best. Alternatively you can buy a portable foldable travel bed such as eddie bauer one or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00012CHFI/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=
The best option would be to keep your kid with you but it depends on your size and how much space will be left on UA flatbed seat.
In some circumstances an extra seat in coach with a basket carseat strapped to it may be the best option. After all you probably won't be able to fully utilize C bed for yourself anyways with a lap infant so Y may be just as good (read just as inconvenient and uncomfortable).

I flew Dulles-Narita-Singapore last Christmas with a then-13-month-old. We were offered the use of the bassinet but we did not use it.

Here is a picture:
http://www.isabelles.net/2009/06/united-airlines-100k-at-24-months.html

I would recommend that if you can, you try for the "mini-cabin" available on some aircraft on this route; there is one row of business class that is quite separate from the rest between a lavatory and a cupboard. We had this seat and it was very nice to be away from the rest of the passengers with the baby.

Whether or not you could put the baby down on the floor while the seat was fully reclined would depend on how tall you were--I could not. And you can't put the baby *under* the footrest. The disadvantage of the bassinets in general is that if there is turbulence, you have to pick the baby up--risking waking a sleeping baby. If this is a newborn, my recommendation would be to find a wrap or carrier that your baby will sleep in, and practice using it before the flight so that you or your wife are comfortable falling asleep with the baby in the carrier.

Good luck.

I flew Dulles-Narita-Singapore last Christmas with a then-13-month-old. We were offered the use of the bassinet but we did not use it.

Here is a picture:
http://www.isabelles.net/2009/06/united-airlines-100k-at-24-months.html

I would recommend that if you can, you try for the "mini-cabin" available on some aircraft on this route; there is one row of business class that is quite separate from the rest between a lavatory and a cupboard. We had this seat and it was very nice to be away from the rest of the passengers with the baby.

Whether or not you could put the baby down on the floor while the seat was fully reclined would depend on how tall you were--I could not. And you can't put the baby *under* the footrest. The disadvantage of the bassinets in general is that if there is turbulence, you have to pick the baby up--risking waking a sleeping baby. If this is a newborn, my recommendation would be to find a wrap or carrier that your baby will sleep in, and practice using it before the flight so that you or your wife are comfortable falling asleep with the baby in the carrier.

Good luck.

Thanks! We continue to hear the sling is what works best... is that bassinet with the baby your personal bassinet? or the one provided by the airline? If yours, where did you get it?!

If you had to choose between having your child in an extra seat at 2 months or at 6 months, which is best? We might be able to swing one of our trips this year with an extra seat for the car seat. I was leaning toward 6 months as they become more mobile and I think I can "hold" a sleeping baby better than a lively one!!

I believe going forward from next year onward we will aim for booking a separate seat and use the car seat as much as possible.

The bassinet in the pic is the one provided by United (and I should add that neither the blog post or the picture are mine--I simply found a picture that looked like the bassinet UA provided us when we flew.)

If you had to choose between having your child in an extra seat at 2 months or at 6 months, which is best?

I think the answer to that very much depends on your child. Some children will very happily sleep by themselves at a young age, but some are NOT PLEASED that they have been removed from the comfort of the womb and will let you know--people sometimes refer to the the first three months of life as the "fourth trimester." My baby was one of the latter kind and would not have been happy in a car seat at two months; and in fact, would not have been happy in a car seat at six months. At eight weeks old, he did 70% of his sleeping on top of a person and the other 30% in short stretches with my hand or arm nearby.

My kid would not have liked the car seat at 6 months either, but then we don't have a car, and so he hasn't had a lot of chance to get used to it. But I would most definitely wait until you get to meet your baby and figure out what will work best for him or her. And not all babies are very mobile at 6 months. That's on the early end for crawling and some babies don't even sit up unassisted at that age. (OTOH, some walk by 9 months.)

If you are flying on UA in business class in the new configuration with the lie flat seats, I don't think a floor bassinet will work for you. There is not much room for it at your feet, and it would interfer with you raising and lowering your foot rest. The seats themselves, as already noted, are rather narrow. Also, everytime there is turbulence and the fasten seat belt sign comes on, you're going to have to pick the baby up and hold them.

If you don't want to purchase three Y seats, and I understand this, with a newborn, you're probably better off holding the baby in a sling. On this UA plane in this class of service, there really is no ideal solution for a baby.

As for the link with the picture of the baby on the floor, this looks as if this is the old business configuration, and the baby is laying at the parent's feet.

On this UA plane in this class of service, there really is no ideal solution for a baby.

As for the link with the picture of the baby on the floor, this looks as if this is the old business configuration, and the baby is laying at the parent's feet.

In an effort to stem the potential misinformation, I ask the OP again: what route are you flying? SIN-NRT is currently scheduled as a 777 with the old business class, which does NOT have lie-flat seating in business, but does have bulkhead-mounted bassinets. There are old-style 777 onwards from NRT as well if you choose your route carefully.

This may all be a moot point, as I believe in OP's other thread, they state they have decided to fly AA.

This may all be a moot point, as I believe in OP's other thread, they state they have decided to fly AA.

Nope



We have decided AA is out of question as they offer no bassinet or other solution (aside from purchase another seat).

Nope

Yes.

6rugrats said the op's other thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-children/1204165-use-folding-floor-bassinet-aa-international.html

This may all be a moot point, as I believe in OP's other thread, they state they have decided to fly AA.

Nope

So, we have settled on AA. AA doesn't provide a bassinet (but neither did UA).
Yes, OP has two threads going. This quote is from their other one, and they do state they have decided on AA.

Link provided already by lost*in*cyberspace

My wife and I are looking to fly from Singapore to USA in a few months with what will be our newborn child. We are intending to fly Business Class but I am learning that many US carriers do NOT provide bassinets in Business Class.

I called United and while they do NOT have bassinets, they do offer some sort of floor bassinet.

Has anyone used this? Does it highly restrict the lie flat seat in Business? Does it fit under foot rest if foot rest is elevated and extended? All I know is that it is 12 x 26 inches but no clue on height. Any photos and/or experience would be GREATLY appreciated.

We have decided AA is out of question as they offer no bassinet or other solution (aside from purchase another seat). Former Continental aircraft offer bassinets in their business class, as well as Delta and former NWA aircraft. Looking forward to some feedback (this is my first thread and post).

-Trey

so what was the verdict? did you fly united business class? I'm asking because I will be doing the same with an infant of my own. Is there bassinet wall mounts in business? how does the floor bassinets work? thanks

so what was the verdict? did you fly united business class? I'm asking because I will be doing the same with an infant of my own. Is there bassinet wall mounts in business? how does the floor bassinets work? thanks

In the end, I flew SQ and AA, where SQ had a wall mount bassinet (but the seat is large enough as a bed to accommodate both mother and baby in a travel bassinet (Eddie Bauer one). On AA there was no bassinet so we used the travel bassinet on the floor, which wasn't really used much as he slept with one of us during most of the trip.

I did more research on the UA bassinet and essentially, found that it restricts the business class seat recline when it's on the floor. We did this trip when our baby was 2 months old and quite frankly he was breastfeeding so often for most of the trip it wouldn't have mattered if we had a bassinet or not.

Fast forward 4 months. We flew again when he was 6 months old and again on SQ and AA. SQ was great as usual with the large seat, and since this is always an overnight flight for us, it's great. The baby didn't want to sleep on our flight to DFW from NRT so the bassinet was not used. We did try the bassinet on the SQ flight and he really didn't like it, as he is normally in a crib. On the return flight at 7 months, he slept very well on the floor with the travel bassinet.

Some airlines won't allow the bassinet on the floor, as we found on a recent flight with SQ, KIX-SIN in economy, but SIN-NRT was okay and it worked great. I wish I had more info for you on the UA seat and bassinet arrangement.

I'm sending my wife with 6 month old baby SFO-SYD in C on the new 747 configuration. We have a confirmed "Bassinet/Carrycot" in our reservation.

Any suggestion on what seats to choose? The flight is quite empty at the moment. I'm thinking of picking a seat downstairs, to make it easy to reach the toilet with a change table.

I booked the following flights for myself and my baby who will be 10 1/2 months at the time of the flights. (My spouse will be coming along on a different ticket).
I called all the airlines involved and they confirmed that a bassinet would be available, but this thread is getting me concerned. Does anyone have additional specific information regarding the airlines/airplanes/flights that I will be taking? Because it is an award ticket, I can't really change flights, but if its not going to work I may just not go (and miss my neice's wedding :().

Tue UA978 I (Business Class) NEWARK, NJ (EWR - LIBERTY) 6:50 PM ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (ZRH) 8:40 AM 767-300 Dinner

LX254 I (Business Class) ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (ZRH) 9:45 AM TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (TLV) 2:40 PM A-330

(Destination)

LX257 I (Business Class) TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (TLV) 5:30 AM ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (ZRH) 8:50 AM A-330 Breakfast

LH1185 I (Business Class) ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (ZRH) 9:50 AM FRANKFURT, GERMANY (FRA) 11:05 AM ERJ 190

LH402 I (Business Class) FRANKFURT, GERMANY (FRA) 1:30 PM NEWARK, NJ (EWR - LIBERTY) 4:05 PM 747-400


Any other thoughts on how to make this trip that will in the best case scenario be grueling more managable would also be appreciated (I don't have an unlimited budget, but if I could spend a few dollars on a gadget that would make the trip easier, I would consider that as well)

First of all, welcome to FT. Don't hesitate to start a new thread if needed...

I can't give you information on LX but LH has the biggest bassinets I know of. My year old baby fit in one on a transatlantic years ago and I understand they're still good. Most bassinets only hold little babies to about age 6 months.

There is no "gadget" you can get to make a lap baby safer. Some airlines use "belly belts" not for the baby's but for the other passengers' safety. They're provided by the airlines (not by U.S. and Canadian companies because of the risk to the child). The risk of anything going wrong is very slim so lap babies are allowed. It can be uncomfortable though as they grow.

I was able to quickly look it up. Not good news but typical in the industry.

We offer a baby-bassinette in all classes on long-haul flights and in Business Class on short-haul flights. It measures 70x30x20 cm and is suitable for babies up to the age of 8 months and weighing about 10 kg. It may be used during the cruise phase of the flight but not during take-off and landing.
http://blog.swiss.com/2011/10/travelling-with-infants-and-children.html

If you bring a car seat, you may or may not score an empty seat to use it in. Both airlines will let you use it but unlogically, Swissair wont let you for take-off and landing (the most important times to use it!) Lufthansa will (experience with U.S. car seat speaking). If you are bringing a car seat to Israel, be sure to GATE check, not luggage check it so bring it to the gate either way. That way you'll be ready if a seat opens up. It's a real sanity-saver to have the baby in a separate seat!

I booked the following flights for myself and my baby who will be 10 1/2 months at the time of the flights. (My spouse will be coming along on a different ticket).
I called all the airlines involved and they confirmed that a bassinet would be available, but this thread is getting me concerned. Does anyone have additional specific information regarding the airlines/airplanes/flights that I will be taking? Because it is an award ticket, I can't really change flights, but if its not going to work I may just not go (and miss my neice's wedding :().

Tue UA978 I (Business Class) NEWARK, NJ (EWR - LIBERTY) 6:50 PM ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (ZRH) 8:40 AM 767-300 Dinner

LX254 I (Business Class) ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (ZRH) 9:45 AM TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (TLV) 2:40 PM A-330

(Destination)

LX257 I (Business Class) TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (TLV) 5:30 AM ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (ZRH) 8:50 AM A-330 Breakfast

LH1185 I (Business Class) ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (ZRH) 9:50 AM FRANKFURT, GERMANY (FRA) 11:05 AM ERJ 190

LH402 I (Business Class) FRANKFURT, GERMANY (FRA) 1:30 PM NEWARK, NJ (EWR - LIBERTY) 4:05 PM 747-400

Did you get seat assignments from LX and LH? When I was planning a RTW trip in C recently, I noticed that the bassinet seats were blocked, and you had to call them to reserve those seats.

Any other thoughts on how to make this trip that will in the best case scenario be grueling more managable would also be appreciated (I don't have an unlimited budget, but if I could spend a few dollars on a gadget that would make the trip easier, I would consider that as well)

Other parents at my work have recommended this:
http://www.amazon.com/CARES-Child-Aviation-Restraint-System/dp/B0012E4FV8

(from a discussion about car seats vs. this harness)
Whether your kid is happier in one of those or in her car seat probably depends on how much she likes the car seat (ours doesn't like hers enough and was happier in the harness). It's likely not a good idea to fly with just the airline seat belt; your baby probably will just take it off.

Thank you very much to both of you.

I suspect it was not clear in my posting, the first flight will be on UA (which is why I put it in this thread). Any up to date info on them?

A number of follow up questions;

How do you gate check a car seat?
How do you lug it through the airport (I need to push a stroller and a carry on bag for all our equipment for a long trip)?
Would they even know with certainty that a seat will be available when we are boarding the plane?
Any guess on the odds of seats being available?
I have tight connections, so I want to avoid gate checking if possible. I was even thinking of getting a stroller clip on for my carry on bag to avoid gate checking. Is this a legitamate concern?
My baby will be way over 8 months, but I assume less than 10Kg when I fly. Will that work on Swiss?
As far as I recall CARES is for over a year only. Is there a way I could use it for my 10 1/2 month old?


Thanks,

A number of follow up questions;

How do you gate check a car seat?
How do you lug it through the airport (I need to push a stroller and a carry on bag for all our equipment for a long trip)?


We flew United domestic SFO-OGG last week. We brought both the stroller and the car seat through security to the gate. Once at the gate, I asked for a gate check tag for the stroller. The stroller has it's own bag, which is very handy, and fits other things too. Walking through the airport, we put the car seat in the stroller and the baby in the car seat. Easy.


Would they even know with certainty that a seat will be available when we are boarding the plane?
Any guess on the odds of seats being available?


I chose seats with an empty adjacent seat before checkin. At the gate, I asked if it was still free and it was one time. The other time, we gate checked the car seat. Later, a friend told me to always bring the car seat onto the plane and have the FAs check it if there wasn't a seat available. He had been told the flight was full, but it wasn't.


My baby will be way over 8 months, but I assume less than 10Kg when I fly. Will that work on Swiss?
As far as I recall CARES is for over a year only. Is there a way I could use it for my 10 1/2 month old?

The problem with the bassinet being too small is if the baby will be uncomfortable, not whether the FAs will think the baby is too old. I guess you could try.

I don't have a CARES harness, so I don't know.

As far as I recall CARES is for over a year only. Is there a way I could use it for my 10 1/2 month old?
[/LIST]

Thanks,

I don't think you'll be able to use it. Specs below:

Designed for children 1 year and older weighing 22-44 pounds and up to 40" tall

I understand that it doesn't even fit very well on the lower end of the limits anyway. A car seat is the only practical option for a baby under a year.

You also would need a separate seat so I'm hesitant to recommend a product if it's not sure that you can even use it. It also can't be used in a car so the whole purpose is a bit moot if you can't use it on the plane.

If I were you, I'd use a good quality baby carrier (front/back soft carrier, ring sling, wrap, etc.) put the car seat on a foldable metal luggage cart, shove your carry-on in there and pull that behind you. Borrow a stroller in Israel. When I flew alone internationally, I did it like that. I had a seat for the baby but if you score one, then that means nothing gate-checked.

They can tell you when you board whether there's an empty seat or not, at the gate.

You can also do it like the pp suggested, shoving the car seat into the stroller. This will entirely depend on both designs and whether they fit. Take a bungee and double secure it to either contraption.

If you have an infant bucket-style seat still, use a stroller frame. That might mean two gate-checked items.

Bassinets, like car seats, are usually outgrown by height before weight so guestamate how long your baby will be when you travel.

You have kind of tight connections but you will be able to check your bags all the way through (double check). I too have an hour in Paris in Dec. and it doesn't thrill me but I assume they're used to this...

Thanks all for the help. So far it sounds like the best plan is take a car seat to the gate and hope for the bests.

I now might be able to downgrade to coach and then get the baby his own seat.
The problem is that it will cost several hundred dollars to make the change is it worth it to give business class and pay several hundred dollars to get the baby his own (guaranteed) seat?

Thanks all for the help. So far it sounds like the best plan is take a car seat to the gate and hope for the bests.

I now might be able to downgrade to coach and then get the baby his own seat.
The problem is that it will cost several hundred dollars to make the change is it worth it to give business class and pay several hundred dollars to get the baby his own (guaranteed) seat?

IMO you should stop worrying and inventing complications for yourself.
You have C seat. Request a bassinet -if you don't get one, C seats have enough space to share with lap kids. Worst case scenario your kid will sleep in one end and you'll sit and watch IFE in the other. Just bring enough essentials (food, diapers, pacifiers etc)

Check you carseat with luggage if you need it at destination - there is absolutely no reason to drag it with you if your kid does not have own seat and in C on UA or LH open seat are very unlikely given their upgrade process.

Do not downgrade to coach - there is no guarantee that your kid will sleep or behave better in own seat (or bassinet for that matter) but you'll have less space, fewer lavs, worse service, meals and IFE for sure.

We had flown with our twins as lap kids in C and F on UA, SQ, CX, KA, AA, AC before they turned two and managed just fine. BTW we never got to use bassinets for a variety of reasons but saw several. We did use benadryl on several occasions and i think it helped too - try it at home first if you decide to use it.

Please do NOT check your car seat as luggage. A lost or broken car seat is more complicated than simply taking it to the gate.

Having a baby on your lap is still having a baby on your lap, even if it's with a bigger seat. Less "complicated" to have the baby in its own space. So much easier to eat without a child perched on your lap.

Do what works for you but please don't check the car seat.

Thanks all for the help. So far it sounds like the best plan is take a car seat to the gate and hope for the bests.

I now might be able to downgrade to coach and then get the baby his own seat.
The problem is that it will cost several hundred dollars to make the change is it worth it to give business class and pay several hundred dollars to get the baby his own (guaranteed) seat?

I wouldn't spend money downgrading.

You can do it on the plane for free: Wait for boarding to complete, then find someone who has a spare seat next to them and swap with them.

Please do NOT check your car seat as luggage. A lost or broken car seat is more complicated than simply taking it to the gate.

Having a baby on your lap is still having a baby on your lap, even if it's with a bigger seat. Less "complicated" to have the baby in its own space. So much easier to eat without a child perched on your lap.

Do what works for you but please don't check the car seat.

Countless car seats get checked every day on all sorts of airlines around the world and manage just fine. There is no reason to be paranoid.

But if you want to tie your hands with one while carrying a kid across multiple airports it's obviously your call - just remember that you'll have to deal with it when you need to rush to change a diaper right before departure or when you need to carry some snacks or water or milk or when you navigate crowds, stairs and escalators.

I wouldn't spend money downgrading.

You can do it on the plane for free: Wait for boarding to complete, then find someone who has a spare seat next to them and swap with them.


How in practice do you propose going about it on an international flight?
take you kid and luggage and carseat and drag all of them along the aisle in economy soliciting volunteers in multiple languages? i am sure another person adjacent to that empty seat who does not move to C but ends up stuck next to a kid (without proper ticket for that seat) for 7-8 hrs is gonna be thrilled...
what about cabin pax count?

I wouldn't spend money downgrading.

You can do it on the plane for free: Wait for boarding to complete, then find someone who has a spare seat next to them and swap with them.

Cute idea but I don't think it's allowed.

Update:

My baby weighed in at 20.5 lbs a few days before the trip

UA - Bassinet was flimsy and too small. We could not use it. We had him sleep on one of our seats in the flat position while we sat at the end of the bed/seat reading and keeping him safe

LX - On one flight they proactively found an extra seat for him (which he didn't end up sleeping in). On the second flight we used the bassinet. It was a drop tight, but we put him in already sleeping and he slept for an hour.

LH - Pretty good bassinet. He slept in for a few hours and once even went to sleep in it (with a little encouraging on my part)

In general, I still think that two business class seats were a lot better than three coach ones would have been (except perhaps on the first flight).

United 777 international business class has no hanging bassinet seats. Phone agents will tell you otherwise and even tell you which business class seats are bassinet friendly. This is generally misinformation. No business class seats are able to be equipped with hanging bassinets. The CO configuration (2/2/2) planes have built-in bassinets in Row 8 window/aisle seats, but are extremely small, I would guess approx. 20"-22" long and maybe 10-12" wide at the widest point. Measurements are a guess based eyeballing the space. I strongly recommend against putting an infant of any size into the built-in area. Looks extremely uncomfortable and if you are sitting in your seat, it is out of sight.

Folding floor bassinets maybe available but these again are not quite fit for putting anything in them let alone a baby. The flaps that hold up the sides of the bassinets are flimsy and often slip causing side to fold back inwards. You will not be able to place these floor bassinets sideways on your lap.

3/4 flights had FAs that were generally very accommodating especially the former CO FAs on former CO planes. Expect some degree of impatience and indifference from FAs on certain flights. I had the most challenges dealing with FAs on the UA801 NRT-LAX.

It's almost better to fly economy and get an actual seat for the baby instead of flying biz+infant fare and sharing the space with the baby.

Cute idea but I don't think it's allowed.

Well, I've switched seats with my wife (without baby) and the crew didn't seem to mind. They just asked us to only change once, not switch backwards and forwards.

I remember hearing about other FTers doing it as well. Typically when one upgrade clears and a couple want to sit together.

It might be difficult if you're bringing a car seat though. Didn't think of that.

Well, I've switched seats with my wife (without baby) and the crew didn't seem to mind. They just asked us to only change once, not switch backwards and forwards.

I remember hearing about other FTers doing it as well. Typically when one upgrade clears and a couple want to sit together.

It might be difficult if you're bringing a car seat though. Didn't think of that.

That's not what was that poster was talking about. The idea was to swap with another passenger during boarding. That would be difficult to get by the crew because the names are on the manifest.

Technically, passengers can't switch cabins but we turned a blind eye to it as long as they did it discretely, and obviously with the same grouop. One woman hovered over her children in business so that time, yes, we trotted that old FAA reg out but other passengers were complaining about her blocking the movie screen (the good old days!)