BostonMark

We're flying SFO-FRA this summer on the 380. We're booked in C w. a bassinet seat assignment. Apparently F does not have bassinets anymore, but there are 2 seats available for upgrade...

SO, the question is, on a flight of that length, are we better off in LH biz class with a bassinet for Jr. or is LH F so much better than the much maligned LH Biz Class that it's worth sharing the seat with our 14 month old for 14 hours?

oliver2002

Go for C, my wife never wants F with kids again, too stressful.

mapu

If you don't mind giving up the bed for 14 hours, then F should be fine. But beware of obnoxious snotty pax who used their precious vouchers to upgrade to F complaining about your kid even before it made a sound.

BostonMark

That was our thought exactly... we're just concerned with all the things I've read about horrible seats and service in C. All things being equal, having a place to keep the kid for the flight will be a blessing, particularly if we can coax him to sleep.

Mapu, I agree - some pax are very snotty about "their" F cabin and I have met some real charmers over time... I flew AC SFO-YYZ in F with the little guy at 6 months and he was crying shortly after take off and a pax who had obviously upgraded was going on and on to her husband about the child and why was it their bad luck to be on our flight and on and on... the FA, who was very attentive and kind, looked over at her at one point and said "you're complaining more than the baby, at least he's probably in pain from the take-off" - that lady shut up and didn't say another word the rest of the flight

DownUnderFlyer

Why? Mrs. DUF always liked LH F with micro DUF. Also, since when is there no F bassinet anymore?

seat 1a

Or just a F paying passenger who wants to sleep

Flying Lawyer

Not again the discussion about changing diapers in F/C, please

vroom

Chances are baby won't fit in the bassinet at 14 months — our 6-month-old just made it. So if you're going to end up sharing the seat anyway, go with F.

BostonMark

The new F doesn't have bassinets and the SFO-FRA (and FRA-SFO) flights we're on are on the 380. According to 3 different reps at Lufthansa they're no longer offering bassinets in F (though I guess if it's a plane that hasn't been retrofit there will be a place for it).

Vroom, the bassinets are SUPPOSED to be for kids up to 83 cm and 14 kg. By August we figure he'll be 10 or 11 kg and around 75 cm. It could be tight, but he curls when he sleeps anyway, so we figure he'll fit... at least it's a place for him to sit if nothing else

SK2751

Good quote . I have not much experience of flying F, but from my hotel stays with the family of three small ones, I learned that raising the bar too high actually just adds stress. I no longer choose fancy places for vacation with kids (unless I really know that they are a family kind of place).

oliver2002

In F the perceived level of luxury puts unnecessary strain on the parents to keep things down, the stress of which in turn creates stress with the infant who then becomes a self fullfilling prophecy. We decided to skip that nowadays and have fun in C, of course even there you get the occasional p!ssy fellow pax but life is tough. Mrs 2002 gets the occasional F award seat with me and the boys in C, which helps to get forgiveness for spending too much time on FT.

My younger son slept/napped in the bassinet at age 21 months and at a hefty 14 kg and above normal length. Plenty of room there and it was a day flight. On the way back he had a seat of his own besides me thanks to the SEN seat block and an empty C cabin (the night of July 4 ex IAD ) Since then he needs his own seat and both boys manage nicely on the slide of horror that some call LH C.

sunseeker

i can not recall it's ever been concluded properly...

oliver2002

Like the one on lap dogs in F its the ever returning topic... a few weeks ago I had an argument with my wife about changing diapers in (longhaul) C just because of FT... months ago I wouldn't have though twice about it. So I made the treck to the back of the bus with my son to find a changing table in the Y lavs

vroom

Supposed to be... But don't count on it. Honestly, we were wondering if the person who designed the bassinet had ever had a kid!

BostonMark

Thanks for the great advice! I really appreciate it... I don't anticipate any room on the plane by takeoff - it's summer to Europe and back... but Lufthansa told me to bring an umbrella stroller on board in case there's room to set it up for him to sit in if there's extra seats - I was shocked by that (and doubt that's true).

as for changing diapers, my wife would be too embarrassed to change a diaper anywhere but the lav... I have done it on the floor on a mat, but wouldn't do it on the seat (the seat would be too dirty to put him on, even with a mat but only when the cabinet and row were empty...) Not that I want to re-open an old debate