Originally Posted by
SFW13
I always prefer 1A/K (privacy, exclusive feel) but my wife prefers 4 E/F (togetherness, sense of space, cabin view).
We've got six F flights over the next few months, all with our new baby daughter. Not sure which seats will work best for us with her.
Cheers.
Thread Hijack
I much prefer 4E/F as it just gives the feeling of lots of space.
OK - We've just done LHR-CPT and CPT-LHR in F with our 18 month old son, we've got another two in March / April. Some tips:
1A and 1K are definitely the seats to go for. If you are BA Gold and your partner/wife isn't, put yourself in 1A and your wife in 1K with your daughter in the bassinet of 1K as her travelling companion*. You want to put your daughter in 1K as it is much darker than 1A (there is a strip light in the galley behind 5K that shines directly into the infants eyes when in the bassinet in 1A when anyone opens the curtain).
We were allowed to take the pushchair (stroller) on board and in the First wardrobe, along with all the other stuff on both sectors. We boarded as close to last on both sectors as we could. We just asked the First Pursar after explaining we were in 1A and 1K, at the door. The aisle isn't wide enough to roll it on board, so you'll have to fold it and carry it up. We also got off the plane last and would definitely recommend this (although it may depend on the point of entry and how busy it is...).
If your daughter is average size then <12 months it is the cot >12 months the car seat. I wouldn't bother with the car seat (personal opinion), you can just do top and tail in the First seat for sleeping - I managed this and I'm 6"2'. Not as comfortable as being in the seat on your own, but managed to get some sleep. For daytime, the buddy seat and floor work well, or putting the seat in bed position and both sitting on it....
Eat in the galley taking turns with your partner/wife, after everyone else has been served in the first pass for meal service (jumpseat behind 5A is best, with the meal on the service trolley). Also, let the cabin crew working in First know that you'll come back to them and ask for anything on a night sector. This saves them having to come up to 1AK at all and ensures that you can go back and get anything without disturbing your daughter. When I get to the galley and ask I always let them know it isn't urgent - next 15/20 minutes is fine and I'll often sit in the jumpseat and wait (I feel it is inconsiderate on other passengers when the crew are preparing other meals).
The spotlights to the First wardrobe can be dimmed and turned off independently of the other lights in the cabin, so ask for this to be done if they are keeping the cabin lights up duing the meal service on a night flight.
It wasn't as easy as our son sleeping straight away, but we did manage to keep him quiet for both sectors and it was really appreciated when the passengers in 2A and 2K thanked us for it on one sector, as they knew we'd eaten in the galley and kept disturbance to an absolute minimum.
*NOTE: You don't have to be Oneworld Emerald to get 1A or 1K, if you are travelling with an infant you get the seat