Travelling with 18 Month Infant
 

We're looking at LHR JNB with an 18 month infant in Y. What is the best option to assist his sleeping? He should still fit into the carrycot provided. Or we could buy him a seat, but I'm not sure how well he would sleep if not lying down. Any suggestions?

My little one is the same age. She is currently fast asleep lying on me and that's the way she would most likely sleep in Y. If you get a bassinet seat you will get fixed armrests making this impossible. I made that mistake once on a 767 (different child).

I wouldn't bother buying an extra seat personally.

Second this approach, flown with all my kids at that age and armrest up asleep on my or mum's lap is the norm.

Depends if you're happy to have your kid sat on you for 11 hours.

Depends on the weight of the child. If your child is under 12.5kg, the bassinet position is the best option. If you get the child seat for the bassinet, your toddler will have a seat to themselves and one which reclines for sleeping and sits up for cabin viewing. Their legs will dangle off the end of the chair (like they do in a car seat) but our toddler slept comfortably in the seat until they turned two.

Based on my recent experience, if you fly on A350 or B777 in Y such that is in 3x3 seat configuration, I would just buy the extra seat at bassinet row. Because the seat just simply too narrow, you will find that you keep bump into the 3rd random passenger's arm, when try to take care of your kid

There is some kind of an inflatable thing called "Plane Pal". It's basically an inflatable pillow that plugs into the space between your seat and the one in front of you (it does not look like it interferes with recline of the seat in front).

https://www.planepal.co.uk/

I have never used it so I cannot comment on how well it works etc.

BA is not listed as one of the airlines that allow use of this item (https://www.planepal.co.uk/pages/airlines), so you are well advised to seek a prior approval from BA.

If you can get BA's approval, this may be a potential solution to consider (the child will need his/her own seat, and must be window or middle, not the aisle)?

I'm sure cabin crew have said on here that these are not permitted on BA flights.

Our 3 month old was tight in the cot provided and our 13 month old was just okay in the seat they provide. It all depends really on your child. Are they a good sleeper, a light sleeper? I ask because if the seat belt sign comes on you'll have to lift the child out of either for the duration it is on. BA 55 might be better than the later 57 for helping with sleep. I think 57 departs around 9pm which might be a little late for the little one.

I had travelled to/from SIN and KUL (13h) with my daughter at 7 months and 22 months before and both times she fits fine in the bassinet provided, best described as a bouncy chair, I had never seen a carrycot offered, not sure what is the cutoff age to get one. She is on the light and short side though, around 25% line on the growth chart. She slept fine both times but wife was breast feeding her on demand. Being an overnight flight at her bedtime helps too though. On one of our BA12 flights, we actually got compliments from other pax in the "mini" cabin at the back of the A380 for her being so quiet; there was another baby downstairs screaming almost throughout the entire flight and that can (just about) be heard by us upstairs.

I am travelling again this weekend with a 8 months old boy, hope he will be as good as my girl.

NOTE: Whatever you do, do NOT put your baby in to 39/43A/K on a 787, you will be told off by the crew on the plane and here. ;)

Thanks for all the responses. It sounds like the best option is to aim for the two bassinet seats in the upstairs mini cabin. Last year we had the 787 with only one bassinet in Y, but the A380 should be easier.
The Plane Pal looks like a convenient concept. On what grounds would BA not allow it for the cruise part of the flight?
Has anyone had experience with a CARES restraint system? Presumably it is more useful for a daytime flight. We're aiming for the ~1900 departures which should fit better into his sleep routine.

My son is on the bigger side, when he was 4 months he barely fit into the bassinet on an LX 77W, and he wouldn't go to sleep there. Also it was very high up compared to the seats, so he couldn't see us and got upset.

We use an ergobaby to carry him around and he slept in that. Not sure when we are next flying with him but he definitely won't fit in a bassinet any more. Also we are going to have to try and book mostly daytime flights.

I echo that most likely your little one would like to sleep on you. The question I would ask would it help you an extra seat? Would you or your partner could be more comfortable position if let say the seat next to you is empty, etc. Also imagine the flight is full and you have to sit completely upright. As others pointed out if you go with the bassinet one the armrest is fixed so I see no point to buy an another seat. However if you choose a normal row and if you can afford it then i would suggest to buy the 3 seats so at least I have more options.
If the flight is light loaded the cabin crew usually can offer you other seating options as their goal is to make everyone happy onboard.

The issue with booking an extra seat is that BA won't then allow to choose the bassinet positions. He's a fidgety sleeper, so we've never had success with him sleeping on us.
The joys of travelling with a child...

The Plane Pal is not allowed to be used on BA flights.