Flights advice!!!

[scottishcelts]

Hi all, just after some advice from you expats that have already done the long flights (with kids); whether they done an overnight stay on the route to Oz or went for the straight 24 hour haul! (the very thought is a total killer for us with 3 kids) and what are the pros or cons to this?

[kaz101]

Hi Scottishcelts,

This is a good question.

I don't have kids but I have been sitting next to some kids who have done the longhaul and they were unbearable. They were kicking me (on purpose), crying, screaming etc. Now I don't know what they would have been like normally but the mother then explained that they had been on the go for about 30 hours since they had flown from Manchester to Heathrow, had to change planes, then Heathrow the Dubai, had to change planes, then Singapore to Australia where I had the luck to sit next to them! That's when I started to feel sorry for them...

From that experience I would say have a stop over. I know some airlines will keep your luggage in transit and you can just take hand luggage (although I'm not sure that would work with 3 kids).

Regards,
Karen

[scottishcelts]

Hi Karen, i know, this is my worry, that the kids will be unbearable not just for us but for everyone else on the plane! My 9 and 5 year old - who will be almost 6 when we fly will be no probs but it's my 1 year old i'm getting nervous about, she will be nearly 2 when we make the flights but ANY 2 year old no matter how well behaved they are are going to be a nightmare! I am so dreading it as i know how stressful it's going to be.

Funnily enough we will be flying from Glasgow to Dubai then straight to Brisbane Airport, that's why i'm trying to find out the best way to do it with kids. It's not going to be easy any way but i think you are right about the stop over. Me and hubby had came to that conclusion but just want some info from people who have already done it. I also don't fancy staying over in Dubai but it's the best route for us to take, as it's about 7 odd hours from Glasgow to Dubai, the kids will be pulling their hair out by then, so i think a stop over is necessary really. No kids is easy, i would just do the whole flight then and there but kids are a different scenario altogether!!!

[Baby75]

Originally Posted by scottishcelts

Hi Karen, i know, this is my worry, that the kids will be unbearable not just for us but for everyone else on the plane! My 9 and 5 year old - who will be almost 6 when we fly will be no probs but it's my 1 year old i'm getting nervous about, she will be nearly 2 when we make the flights but ANY 2 year old no matter how well behaved they are are going to be a nightmare! I am so dreading it as i know how stressful it's going to be.

Funnily enough we will be flying from Glasgow to Dubai then straight to Brisbane Airport, that's why i'm trying to find out the best way to do it with kids. It's not going to be easy any way but i think you are right about the stop over. Me and hubby had came to that conclusion but just want some info from people who have already done it. I also don't fancy staying over in Dubai but it's the best route for us to take, as it's about 7 odd hours from Glasgow to Dubai, the kids will be pulling their hair out by then, so i think a stop over is necessary really. No kids is easy, i would just do the whole flight then and there but kids are a different scenario altogether!!!

Hello chicken

I think planning is the key we have been looking at airlines and are going with the one thats best for the kids as you know in the same boat as you so Singapore airline seem to be the best they have the tv screens in the seats and give out coloring and that to the little ones. I think it probably be a good idea to make sure you get good seats one good thing is you wont have to worry about any one sitting beside you as like us the 5 of us will take up a whole row. im making sure the Nintendo ds are fully charged with the emergency chargers in the bag and i think you said this to me before about getting little presents and surprising them when they are getting bored which i think is a great idea ill be doing that also we are looking at the times and hoping the lads will sleep plus me as well we aren't going for a stop over at the moment but will see how we go. hope fully they will be ok and people will be understanding if the little one makes a bit of noise but il hate it if my little lad got really up set and wanted to run around the plane i hope the seat belts are good !
I know some people get some thing to help the children sleep i dont know how i feel about that i guess it depends on how desperate you are but may be there is some alternative that would help relax them i must look in to that !

[ralfcam]

Hi,

We have made the return flight twice with two kids (12 months and three years).

The first time we didn't have a stopover and this was a nightmare for everyone when we got to Oz for about a week.
The second time we had a three day stopover in Malaysia. Although there was still some restlessness on the flight everyone had adjusted a little to the time difference and we were all well rested.
So I'd definately recommend a stopover.
Hope this helps.

[scottishcelts]

Hi ralfcam, thanks for your reply. Yes we will definately be going down that route, it makes more sense to stop over doesn't it!

If anything for your own sanity!

[cmallon]

Originally Posted by scottishcelts

Hi Karen, i know, this is my worry, that the kids will be unbearable not just for us but for everyone else on the plane! My 9 and 5 year old - who will be almost 6 when we fly will be no probs but it's my 1 year old i'm getting nervous about, she will be nearly 2 when we make the flights but ANY 2 year old no matter how well behaved they are are going to be a nightmare! I am so dreading it as i know how stressful it's going to be.

Funnily enough we will be flying from Glasgow to Dubai then straight to Brisbane Airport, that's why i'm trying to find out the best way to do it with kids. It's not going to be easy any way but i think you are right about the stop over. Me and hubby had came to that conclusion but just want some info from people who have already done it. I also don't fancy staying over in Dubai but it's the best route for us to take, as it's about 7 odd hours from Glasgow to Dubai, the kids will be pulling their hair out by then, so i think a stop over is necessary really. No kids is easy, i would just do the whole flight then and there but kids are a different scenario altogether!!!

Hi,

We went to Melbourne in February, our wee boy was 1 year and 9 months at the time. We flew with Emirates and they couldn't have been more helpful, they moved us up the back to give us extra seats and actually went all the way bck down the front if I wanted anything from the hand luggage that I had left at our original seats. He was on my lap some of the time but people actually moved to let us have extra seats! Look at the very back of the plane, at first glance I thought the plane was full but all the empty seats were right at the back. We did the Glasgow - Dubai -Melbourne (refuelling at Singapore) route. I was worried sick but I needn't have bothered. As the flight ends up being split into 3 7 hour stints he had what would have been his bedtime on one of them and slept though take off and landing, it was only when we go up to get off the plane that he woke!! We just made sure he had plenty toys and went with the flow, if he wanted to sleep we let him and if he didn't we left him! It did take him a few nights to get over the jet lag but at least we were there and that was it over with (at least for 3 weeks). We were going to visit family so we just wanted to get there as quick as possible to spend as much time as we could with them but it's obviously different when your are emigrating. My biggest tip would be to try not stress to much about as you will end up making things worse for yourself.
Good luck,

[lkrichard]

We have not done the long haul with our little one yet, but will be doing it in about 2 weeks. I will post my experience once we arrive.

We are planning on doing a direct flight from Los Angeles to Brisbane. I think the flight time is about 14 hours.

We had some friends from Mexico that just got back from a 6 month business trip to Sydney. THey went down with a 1 1/2 year old. They said bring tons of stuff to distract and that because their little one didn't get candy often they brought it as treat. They found that lollipops worked wonders when she was getting frustrated. They figured for a day they would just do anything they could to make the trip as smooth as possible.

[scottishcelts]

Hey ikrichard, thanks for your post and i would be grateful if you could update us on your flight experience.

I think your friends had the right idea - got similar ideas myself, so will take them all on board.

Thank-you

[scottishcelts]

Originally Posted by cmallon

Hi,

We went to Melbourne in February, our wee boy was 1 year and 9 months at the time. We flew with Emirates and they couldn't have been more helpful, they moved us up the back to give us extra seats and actually went all the way bck down the front if I wanted anything from the hand luggage that I had left at our original seats. He was on my lap some of the time but people actually moved to let us have extra seats! Look at the very back of the plane, at first glance I thought the plane was full but all the empty seats were right at the back. We did the Glasgow - Dubai -Melbourne (refuelling at Singapore) route. I was worried sick but I needn't have bothered. As the flight ends up being split into 3 7 hour stints he had what would have been his bedtime on one of them and slept though take off and landing, it was only when we go up to get off the plane that he woke!! We just made sure he had plenty toys and went with the flow, if he wanted to sleep we let him and if he didn't we left him! It did take him a few nights to get over the jet lag but at least we were there and that was it over with (at least for 3 weeks). We were going to visit family so we just wanted to get there as quick as possible to spend as much time as we could with them but it's obviously different when your are emigrating. My biggest tip would be to try not stress to much about as you will end up making things worse for yourself.
Good luck,

Hey cmallon, thanks for the advice - just what we wanted to hear really. We too are worried sick about the flights - well more to do with my sanity at the end of them!!! That's where vodka comes in handy right enough!!! lol

Yeah not much can be done about the flights and it's only one day out of our lives i suppose, although the stop over is a must.

Cheers again