tubulus

Has anyone flown the AA A321 business class (or similar) with a baby in lap? I am generally of the "baby in own seat with car seat" camp, but having trouble justifying shelling out $ for 3 coach tickets when I can book 2 business class seats using miles. She'll be 1 by then anyway, so I assume that, unless we take the redeye, she'll be out and about anyway for half the flight. Our first (and only) trip she slept the whole flight, but her naps are much shorter now. Anyone else go through this decision?

flsunshineflyer

Just my 2 cents. I would go for the seat for her. All the flights around the 1 year old mark were still fairly easy with her in her own seat. And mine is a go, go, goer. All the time. So holding her is never an option for us. Putting her in seat means she knows she has to stay put.

erik123

I would do business w/o question - much easier airport experience and AA gives you lounge access on trans cons (check to confirm) and the seats on the 321 are of international quality offering lots of space.

Eclipsepearl

Is the bassinet available? If not, remember, even with a bigger seat, if she conks out, one of you will be pinned under her, unable to visit the restroom, etc.

Can you get three Y seats with your miles? Might be smarter! So nice to have that freedom to get up...

tubulus

Unfortunately there are no bassinets in business class on any airline for transcon flights, as far as I can tell. If I am wrong, please let me know. That would certainly make this an easier choice!
All the new transcon planes (at least on AA and UA) have so few coach seats that award availability is MUCH better in business than coach.

rjque

It really depends on how mobile she is at 1. Our daughter didn't start walking until 15 months, so it would have worked for us (uncomfortably), but once she started walking, having her strapped into a car seat was critical to our sanity.

azepine00

No problem with flat bed - kid will be sleeping towards the "head" area of bed you'll be sitting and watching IFE in the middle.
As noted, a somewhat mobile kid who is not particularly sleepy may present challenges but i would still chose flat bed - mobile kid probably won't like being strapped to carseat for 6 hrs either.
In our hands children's benadryl proved to be quite useful but you may wanna try at home first..

Redhead

I flew AA transcons first with my daughter a couple of times as a lap child. This is the two class first, not even the lie flats. Go for it.

Eclipsepearl

mobile kid probably won't like being strapped to carseat for 6 hrs either.

No, mine didn't sit in their car seats for that long but once they're asleep, it's so much easier for the parents than being pinned down and not having to jiggle a sleeping child, trying not to wake him or her.

In our hands children's benadryl proved to be quite useful but you may wanna try at home first..

This can work great and it can be a disaster. Twice I saw totally wired children after being given this. I passed out at age 7 and had to go to the ER with no pulse. Remember, all meds are stronger at altitude. If your child has taken Benedyrl a lot, without ugly side effects, AND your child is in a car seat, do it. Don't give the drug for a lap baby. You'll be regretting it!

Bondo

We did lap with our two in Biz & First as long as we could. Definitely go that route.

daregale

I, too, preferred a lap infant in business to an extra seat in coach.

tubulus

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll go with the consensus and book the business class tickets. Any particular tips to improve the safety of this arrangement? I guess just keep her strapped in with us when possible. We are all pretty small folks so this shouldn't be hard!

LapLap

I don't believe there is a way to make a flight safe for a lap infant, my understanding is that you rely on the inherent safety of flying as compared to almost any other form of transport. It is a gamble, it's just the odds are well stacked in your favour... until that one time when they aren't

Personally, and I have no data to support this, I believe that I would have exposed my daughter to more risk giving her a drug like Benadryl to sedate her up in the air and far from a hospital than I did by booking her passage as a lap infant (now she is older we travel with a CARES restraint).

If you can get a bulkhead seat in J I think that would be the most comfortable (but not the safest) option for you. By "comfortable" I mean "enjoyable" and by "you" I mean the baby.
More info here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...all-j-lap.html

Eclipsepearl

No, there is no way to make a lap baby "safer". They are perched on your lap and you hope that nothing goes wrong on the flight. Commercial aviation is very safe.

This is both the less safe, less comfortable option, you realize!

Make sure that she's loose in your lap for take-off and landing. She's safer than being attached to you. Even if you're small, you're still bigger than your baby!

Some foreign airlines still have dangerous "belly belts" that attach a baby to your seat belt. While less safe for the baby, they are required and you do have to cooperate and use one. They're for the safety of other passengers.

Drugging a lap baby is not a good idea. Opting for coach is good because you can put the baby down in the car seat when asleep but in business, you'll have to lift, lift, lift her so be prepared for one or the other to be pinned down for periods of time.

Hokie Gator Flyer

When I flew with DD as a lap child I was told in no uncertain terms that she was not to be in a carrier during takeoff/landing and I should never attempt to buckle her in my seatbelt.

I did keep my baby bjorn on me (undoing sides). Since I was by myself with DD, having a carrier helped tremendously in boarding & using the bathroom.

I never flew with DD as a lap child after she was mobile, but I would probably opt for the business class option. With 2 adults you can trade off and it should be much easier to move around, access items, etc.