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How does lapchild in UA lie flat seats work out?

How does lapchild in UA lie flat seats work out?

Old Mar 24, 2015, 1:15 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NJ
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 115
Originally Posted by blort
Your first plane trip with your kid is about survival, not enjoyment. Get the third seat in E+ and bring the car seat.
I couldn't agree more.

When we traveled with our children, we always put them in their carseats in a paying seat. They are used to being in their carseat. It's comforting for them. It's familiar. It's MUCH easier for you and your wife.
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Old Mar 24, 2015, 2:31 pm
  #32  
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My brother's first plane trip was as a lap baby when he was 1.5. After that not so fun experience for my parents, my brother and then I always had our own seat when we flew.

PVDProf, I smiled at those versions of Angry Birds and Minecraft that only work on planes.
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Old Mar 24, 2015, 4:22 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,731
Originally Posted by tluehr1
I really appreciate everyone's opinions and experience. It looks like the general consensus is to just buy (3) Y+ seats and save the money and miles for the future.

Its probably more important to get the timing of the trip right, rather than the aircraft type. It seems like most of the folks are recommending to bring the car seat and install on the seat. Does anyone have any experience with the CARES harness system? I'm assuming I still need to bring the car seat for the rental car at destination too. Just thinking of ways to keep baby as calm as possible.
At 18month old, CARES will be far too small.

Bring the car seat and use it on board. You'll appreciate the ability to restrain the child.
The time frame between 1 and 2 was a horrible time for my kid to fly. The car seat was a life saver.
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Old Mar 24, 2015, 7:15 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: 2015 kettle
Posts: 653
Originally Posted by blort
Your first plane trip with your kid is about survival, not enjoyment. Get the third seat in E+ and bring the car seat.
Survival indeed. We travel with our 1.5 and 3 year old often. You can't enjoy good service and it's all about the kids. They may be throwing up all over you, or crying all the way with sore ears, who knows. Forget first class until they are much older.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 24, 2015 at 9:29 pm Reason: repaired quote
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Old Mar 25, 2015, 12:12 am
  #35  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: UA 1K, AA PLT, SPG PLT
Posts: 1,612
I'll be the seemingly lone dissenting voice from this all, but my wife and I did 2 seats (with our lap infant) as she was growing up and had good experiences where - as others mentioned - was all about 'survival'.

On the lie-flats, we did:
IAD-BRU
BRU-IAD
FRA-IAD
EWR-NRT
HKG-EWR

with our daughter ranging from ~9 months to ~19 months

And in addition we did 2 F seats on domestic planes (ORD-ANC and SJU-ORD for instance) on many routes from when our daughter was 3 months to 23 months...

All was good and turned out okay and I'd rather do that and save money/miles than buy three seats - but then again, i'm a cheapskate and got all those upgrades with instruments and never paid for F nor used miles.

Service on UA is and has been awful, so expect the worst and you'll be satisfied. Not many offers for staggered meals, crummy food, lack of empathy from the crew and a general apathy toward safety and the parents make it about the same in Y and F. The only difference for us was the seats and especially the amount of people sitting next to us, so if you opted for 3 Y seats, on most planes, you'd be in the same boat - a full set of seats to yourselves.

My recommendation is that if you are choosing an airline based on price and/or service expectations to steer far FAR away from United, but if you have upgrades to burn and/or you really like torture - feel free and chose United Airlines.

-jeremy
kmfdm91 is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2015, 12:22 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,388
We're doing EWR-PEK with a 3 year old and while we really wanted to do the J thing, we are convinced that 3 J seats would be a total waste, so we're opting for Y+ as well. We're saving our miles for a real family vacation years int he future.

A friend of mine who travels with toddlers also used the word "Survival" to describe it.

That said, this thread was very useful to me as well, as it confirmed we made the right decision.
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Old Mar 26, 2015, 6:04 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Gold, National Exec Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,419
I wouldn't recommend sharing a UA C seat with an infant.

There are exceptions.
- 747 upstairs works great, since there is enough room to put a baby down next to the window.
- 747 first class is fantastic if you can get the front two seats. There is enough space to put a baby travel crib on the floor between the seats.

Or fly an airline that doesn't upgrade as happily as UA. Our baby got his own business class seat on LX both NYC-ZRH and ZRH-SIN.
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Old Mar 26, 2015, 8:57 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K 2.7MM, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Spire
Posts: 3,316
I did it a few years ago

With my 15 month-old daughter (big for her age) and my husband. We used two GPUs and upgraded to lie-flat on the overnight EWR-Lisbon.

He slept well. She slept well. I did not since I had to scrunch into the remaining space at the end of my seat (she stretched out at the top). I am 5'6" and 120 so I could do it, but I was tired.

So it's doable if someone wants to take one for the team. :-)
JNelson113 is offline  

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