traveling w/14mo baby on CX from JFK/HKG: need seat advice
Aug 16, 2010, 10:31 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 2
traveling w/14mo baby on CX from JFK/HKG: need seat advice
this will be our first time traveling with our son on long haul since he's become an active baby. we took him at 8 weeks old, but he slept the entire time and could be in the bassinet. was wondering if anyone could offer any advice on where we should sit now (he'll be in my lap and my husband is also traveling with us). i am leaning towards the smaller business cabin behind first class which only has 8 seats. seatguru says there's more space because of the bulkhead and it's quiet. has anyone flown with an infant in the new business?
he'll be off of formula by the time we travel. do they provide milk for babies or should i bring my own? what do the baby meals consist of?
thank you! any advice would be greatly appreciated!
he'll be off of formula by the time we travel. do they provide milk for babies or should i bring my own? what do the baby meals consist of?
thank you! any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Aug 17, 2010, 6:20 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: BOS-TLV
Programs: Lots of them, no status
Posts: 1,318
I can't answer about the seat locations on this flight, but I don't think you will get a baby's meal without buying a seat. Someone else correct me if I am wrong on this.
They should have milk for you, but I personally would get a couple of the shelf-stable small drink boxes of milk to bring with me just in case.
They should have milk for you, but I personally would get a couple of the shelf-stable small drink boxes of milk to bring with me just in case.
Aug 18, 2010, 8:55 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: HKG/BNE
Programs: CX MPO Gold; QFClub
Posts: 336
Based on a goodly amount of travel with CX J class with 0 - 7 year olds over the past few years:
Yes, you get an infant meal with a lap child (of course!) if you order it. Infant meal is just jars of 0-6 month mush (usually Heinz brand) and also Heinz juice. Neither of my children were particularly keen on the savoury mush by that age, although the vanilla custard dessert kind they didn't mind!
Could be worth asking if you can book a child meal for your lap infant - the agent may let you. To do that, don't ring your travel agent, ring CX reservations in your country directly (agents usually put in the wrong codes, as all airlines are different).
I tended to take my own food anyway for children at that age. While usually mine eat home made, you can get great toddler meals vacu packed of good quality that can work well for long haul trips and holidays.
For milk, I never expect the airline to provide: after all, they have enough fresh milk for coffee/tea, not for my children. I have never been offered formula on a CX flight, I don't think they do it at all. I haven't had a problem travelling through airports in Asia and Australia with 200ml tetra packs of long life fresh milk (juice box style). I always have them out at security and say up front, "baby milk". Not sure how you would go ex US with that, but perhaps someone else can comment. Certainly leaving HK you shouldn't have any problem taking a few onboard with you in that fashion.
It is well worth considering asking for the bassinet position anyhow. The bassinet in new J is wedged into a traiangular corner at the front of the cabin (depends on your aircraft, if I recall correctly I think new 747 business doesn't have a bassinet at all). Again, ask CX res directly. They need to put the baby age and weight (in kg) into the comments field of the booking, otherwise the request doesn't process.
CX bassinets are some of the largest around, rated to 12 kg baby weight and 76 cm long. 12 kg is the average weight of a 2 year old (yes, that's using international charts) and 76cm is about the height of an average one year old. Both of my children have slept very soundly in CX bassinets up until around 20 months of age - if you're lucky enough to have a child who once asleep, stays happily asleep in a plane with that lovely ambient white noise for 5 or 6 hours (like mine), then the bassinet can still work well for you at that age. Obviously, the minute they wake up they're on your lap, they're just too mobile to stay in there by that age. But 6 hours out of my arms makes for a good flight!
If you're in the "new" CX business (ie. herringbone layout) you might want to consider a pair of seats A/D for yourself and your husband. That way if you both sit forward a little, you can see each other across the aisle and communicate. Side by side (say 23A + 24A) you absolutely cannot see each other to communicate unless one of you stands up - not exactly practical for take-off/landing. In fact, the easiest line of view is from a pair of seats e.g. 20A to 21D - then 20A can see back to 21D fully, without 21D needing to move at all. I know, it sounds strange, but it's true. When I travel now with my 2 year old and 6 year old, I actually put the 2 year old in the row behind me in these herringbone configurations, as I can see everything she is doing without her needing to cooperate! The 6 year old sits opposite me, he knows to lean forward in his seat to get my attention. Just a thought for the future is you're flying CX and they keep this weird style (hope not!)
Yes, you get an infant meal with a lap child (of course!) if you order it. Infant meal is just jars of 0-6 month mush (usually Heinz brand) and also Heinz juice. Neither of my children were particularly keen on the savoury mush by that age, although the vanilla custard dessert kind they didn't mind!
Could be worth asking if you can book a child meal for your lap infant - the agent may let you. To do that, don't ring your travel agent, ring CX reservations in your country directly (agents usually put in the wrong codes, as all airlines are different).
I tended to take my own food anyway for children at that age. While usually mine eat home made, you can get great toddler meals vacu packed of good quality that can work well for long haul trips and holidays.
For milk, I never expect the airline to provide: after all, they have enough fresh milk for coffee/tea, not for my children. I have never been offered formula on a CX flight, I don't think they do it at all. I haven't had a problem travelling through airports in Asia and Australia with 200ml tetra packs of long life fresh milk (juice box style). I always have them out at security and say up front, "baby milk". Not sure how you would go ex US with that, but perhaps someone else can comment. Certainly leaving HK you shouldn't have any problem taking a few onboard with you in that fashion.
It is well worth considering asking for the bassinet position anyhow. The bassinet in new J is wedged into a traiangular corner at the front of the cabin (depends on your aircraft, if I recall correctly I think new 747 business doesn't have a bassinet at all). Again, ask CX res directly. They need to put the baby age and weight (in kg) into the comments field of the booking, otherwise the request doesn't process.
CX bassinets are some of the largest around, rated to 12 kg baby weight and 76 cm long. 12 kg is the average weight of a 2 year old (yes, that's using international charts) and 76cm is about the height of an average one year old. Both of my children have slept very soundly in CX bassinets up until around 20 months of age - if you're lucky enough to have a child who once asleep, stays happily asleep in a plane with that lovely ambient white noise for 5 or 6 hours (like mine), then the bassinet can still work well for you at that age. Obviously, the minute they wake up they're on your lap, they're just too mobile to stay in there by that age. But 6 hours out of my arms makes for a good flight!
If you're in the "new" CX business (ie. herringbone layout) you might want to consider a pair of seats A/D for yourself and your husband. That way if you both sit forward a little, you can see each other across the aisle and communicate. Side by side (say 23A + 24A) you absolutely cannot see each other to communicate unless one of you stands up - not exactly practical for take-off/landing. In fact, the easiest line of view is from a pair of seats e.g. 20A to 21D - then 20A can see back to 21D fully, without 21D needing to move at all. I know, it sounds strange, but it's true. When I travel now with my 2 year old and 6 year old, I actually put the 2 year old in the row behind me in these herringbone configurations, as I can see everything she is doing without her needing to cooperate! The 6 year old sits opposite me, he knows to lean forward in his seat to get my attention. Just a thought for the future is you're flying CX and they keep this weird style (hope not!)
Aug 18, 2010, 11:01 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 2
thank you all so much for you advice. i will definitely be bringing some vacu packs of food and boxed milk.
mrsdrd - is the galley noise and foot traffic a problem since the bassinet seats are right there? thank you so much for your insight. i have not flown cx since the new herringbone layout. it really seems like it's not at all conducive to traveling with children or just others in general.
mrsdrd - is the galley noise and foot traffic a problem since the bassinet seats are right there? thank you so much for your insight. i have not flown cx since the new herringbone layout. it really seems like it's not at all conducive to traveling with children or just others in general.