Live4today Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 So we booked our flights today, decided to just bite the bullet and purchase a seat for my 19 month old very very active toddler. Also have a 3 year old who will have a seat. We are flying with Malaysian airlines and have looked online but can't find answers to some questions. If you can answer all or any of these questions that would be great :smile: 1. Do I have to supply some sort of car seat for my toddler on Malaysian airlines or is he allowed to just sit in the seat as normal? From what I can gather I think that he will have to be on our lap during take off as he will be under 2?! 2.We half thought about requesting a bassinet but I suspect he will be too heavy or long for this? 3.Has as anyone got an opinion on what are the best seats to request with 2 children of this age when flying to oz? 4.we will be doing a 10pm flight so I HOPE they sleep for the majority of the first leg and we have a 4 hour stop over at kuala lumpa, is there anything to keep the kids entertained at the airport? 5.Can an anyone recommend any travelling gadgets, eg special pillows etc that have helped on flights with young children? 6.And finally, any entertainment ideas for the active toddler who's favourite hobbies including running, jumping, climbing and his all time favourite, throwing any item he can get hold of! Can't even begin to think. About the 3 year old, hoping the iPad/ own tv and games will suffice! TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjg Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 So we booked our flights today, decided to just bite the bullet and purchase a seat for my 19 month old very very active toddler. Also have a 3 year old who will have a seat. We are flying with Malaysian airlines and have looked online but can't find answers to some questions. If you can answer all or any of these questions that would be great :smile: 1. Do I have to supply some sort of car seat for my toddler on Malaysian airlines or is he allowed to just sit in the seat as normal? From what I can gather I think that he will have to be on our lap during take off as he will be under 2?! 2.We half thought about requesting a bassinet but I suspect he will be too heavy or long for this? 3.Has as anyone got an opinion on what are the best seats to request with 2 children of this age when flying to oz? 4.we will be doing a 10pm flight so I HOPE they sleep for the majority of the first leg and we have a 4 hour stop over at kuala lumpa, is there anything to keep the kids entertained at the airport? 5.Can an anyone recommend any travelling gadgets, eg special pillows etc that have helped on flights with young children? 6.And finally, any entertainment ideas for the active toddler who's favourite hobbies including running, jumping, climbing and his all time favourite, throwing any item he can get hold of! Can't even begin to think. About the 3 year old, hoping the iPad/ own tv and games will suffice! TIA My opinions, we also flew with ML when we immigrated in 2009. 1) We purchased a seat for our 18 month old because we wanted the full 25 kg this would give him. We put his uk (illegal to use over here because it doesn't have a back tether. but I put my own on after a few days) in the hold as that gave him more room to sleep on the seat. We also purchased a Cares airline baby seatbelt so he could sit on the seat during take off and landing without being on our seat. I carried a print out saying that ML agreed to use them. We needed it as one lot of cabin crew demanded we use their little loop. Giving them the documentation shut them up. http://kidsflysafe.com We had three seats against the window on one flight and four in the middle on the second. Both times we put him on the floor in a little bed made of blankets as he slept better that way. First crew wasn't happy and made us pick him up when the seatbelt sign came on. The woke him and he was awful for the next five hours. The terminal didn't have much and he took great delight running as far as he could. On the second flight we again put him on the floor and put all the tray tables up to hide him. When the seatbelt sign came on we left him there. We were so exhausted by then we just didn't care. The crew didn't see or remember him. Horrible parenting skills I know. 2) even our little one, on the 6th percentile wouldn't fit into a basinette. They are about 58cm by 30cm. With 20cm high sides. Draw one on the bench and try your kid in it. Then try to keep them in it for 24 hours. Not likely. 3) go four middle seats. Or two of three by the window in two rows. Then hopefully you will get all three, or you have someone you can dump the kid on when you are exhausted. And it gives you a respite by sitting next to the bigger one. I'd go the 4 middle ones. 4) not that I remember 5)I'd buy airplane headphone adaptor plugs and bring your own (kid sized) earphones. Then you don't have to worry about waiting too long for them at the end or start of the flight being handed out or taken in. Only $2 for two on eBay. Most things (toys) we took were not used. 6) ours smashed the tray table up and down for the first half hour, then smashed the window bling up and down for the second half hour, then tried to play the drums on the head of the poor bugger in front of us, then repeated this rythym for the next six hours until he was exhausted, screamed for an hour before falling asleep. The crew then made us wake him up when the seatbelt sign went on (see above) over the protests of us, and the poor bugger in front of us too :twitcy: Good luck, it's an adventure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 we flew malaysian last week, I was sort of hoping the flight would be empty after reports of people not trusting them... fortuantly for them, unfortuantly for us, it was an overbooked flight and the flight crew said the London to Melbourne routes are always full... compare that to my last flight on qantas i grabbed three seats to myself and slept for 10 hours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 And this is why I fly business class Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArrowsEng Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I have to admit, I always fly through Singapore for 2 reasons, the first is that the stop over is generally an hour or less and the shorter the trip the better when travelling with 2 kids (I've done it with a 2.5 year old and 3 month old and again with 8 and 6 year olds!) 2ndly if you have to stop over, Singapore has a swimming pool and other things you can take kids to to refresh them and yourself. Sorry this doesn't help your KL flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy43 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 And this is why I fly business class My daughter flies in the next few weeks with 3 small children, Ages 6,3,3 to Europe. She is flying business class, as her employer is paying. I did try to explain that she would probably receive some criticism from other passengers, as they pay for business class to get away from children, but she is hoping they will all sleep from Aus to Dubai. Business class passengers beware!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srh82 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Malaysia Airlines economy is pretty basic in my opinion. I would take entertainment for your children and plenty of it. I would also consider taking something to settle the children down if they can't settle - I'm sorry I will probably be criticised for saying that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live4today Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Looks like we are in for an eventful flight!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 The joys of travelling with young children! I took my son back to Scotland to visit rellies when he was two. I told him it was going to be a long boring trip and I couldn't believe how good he was. He slept most of the way and listened to stories through headphones I taped for him (this was nearly 30 years ago). A couple of people with young screeching children asked me if I had drugged him :wink: We had a stop in Tokyo and Alaska so he had a good run around in the passenger lounge in those places. Travelling on long flights with young children can be a nightmare though. Good luck with your two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axle Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I have flow to Oz three times with little people and have some knowledge of the regulations , It is against flight safety rules for a child to sleep on the floor . If discovered the parent will be asked to wake the child and put them in their seat or on your lap , if you hit proper turbulence you will soon see why . If using a Childs car seat it must carry the FAA approval sticker and have approval from the air line . 18 months ago their were no approved seats for sale in the UK . Now people will have anecdotal evidence to the contrary but these are the rules at present . Ask for the basinet if you can ,it is too small and your kid won't fit in but you will get a bulkhead seat at least. I used to fly business as well but I have kids now and will never be able to afford again , did fly business once at the beginning with a 15 month old , what a monumental waste of money that was didn't watch a film , didn't get time to eat the food and didn't even recline the seat:cry: And finally if you are relying on your child/children sleeping during the flight ; good luck with that ;-) :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 In the dark ages with my kids I let them sleep on the floor but knowing what I do now I most certainly wouldn't do it now which is why it's against regulations. We had a bassinette for my granddaughter at 18 months (too miserly to buy her a seat) but she was petite and the BA recliner seat they put on the bulkhead shelf was perfect. On the return trip she curled up happily in the Qantas bassinette but at 12 months her sister wouldn't have a bar of the bassinette and her daddy wore her across Asia (thank goodness for Ergobaby slings! And some karma as I walked across Asia with him in a sling once!). The disadvantage of bulkhead seats is that you can't raise the armrests and make a bench (with 4 of you I'd be going for the 4 Middle seats unless the configuration has pairs of seats at the back on the sides in which case I would probably pay for two pairs). Ive never yet seen a kid travelling in a car seat and being very much a minimalist traveller I can't imagine why anyone would want to be wrangling a car seat as well as a kid! My kids and grandkids were all more reassured sitting on Mum/Dad's knee being cuddled for take off and landing. Chances are it will be just fine, most kids are, most of the time especially when the lights are dim and the engines are humming. Just be prepared if you know your kids get motion sickness - test any meds you may want to use before you fly as some can have a paradoxical effect and you do not want a toddler bouncing off the walls at 35000ft! Give them something to drink as soon as you begin to go up or down (equalises the ear pressure) and trust your usual calm parenting skills. I used to travel with the rule that if the baby sleeps we all sleep but I must say that it's a whole lot easier with two parents rather than doing it solo like I used to do. Youll be fine, but knackered, they'll be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live4today Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Thanks for all the replies folk, has helped make some decisions for us. From what you guys have said we don't HAVE to bring a car seat for our 19month old even though he will have his own seat which is fine by us, I'm like you Quoll, the less stuff to carry the better! Just wasn't sure if you had to have seat if your child is under 2, Quite happy for him to be on our knee during take off etc. Although originally we thought about requesting a bassinet as it would mean having the bulkhead seats, I didn't realise the arm rests won't go up which i think would end up being more of a pain than having chairs in front of us, with the arm rests up, you can make some sort of make shift bed for the little ones to lie down on. In terms of the whole motion sickness thing, do all children/toddlers seem to suffer with this on a plane or is it the kids that suffer car sickness etc that are more prone? Also how long does the pain/uncomfortableness on their ears tend to last in young children during the the take off/descent? I can always live in hope that they will sleep, miracles might happen!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 My kids all suffered motion sickness travelling in the car but were never sick on a plane. Their ears never bothered them either. They were lucky I guess. I always took little bits of nibbley food with me as they didn't like plane food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I think we were lucky, none of my three children suffered car or plane sickness. Once my daughter had an undiagnosed bout of croup ( it reared its ugly head a couple of days into our holiday ) and was sick four times whilst sat on my lap, ( red silk shirt ruined haha) if all else fails just think the majority of us have been there done that and those that tut aren't worth a second thought. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciaranmacgiolla Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Wrap up small presents (cheap toys) and give them to them during the flight at different times on good behaviour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 ^^^ Yes, that works! Little things like small transformers kept my ones happy for hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 One of mine had motion sickness but it might have been whooping cough (despite vaccinations and not diagnosed until much later!) - one of my granddaughters (pale skin and red hair apparently highly correlates according to an anaesthetist I once spoke to) had it in spades and her mother mistakenly thought a homeopathic lolly would solve the problem (ended up being her problem!) but, no, I suspect very few of them but if they do get sick in cars and buses be aware and prepared. I reckon little sips as soon as you start ascending/descending but your own ear pops might give you a clue. I came back from Aus this last time with the worst screamer ive heard in 40 years but (different culture) her parents seemed more intent on stimulating to calm her down (huh?!) and only thought of giving her something to drink when it was too late, her ears were probably killing her and she was too distressed to drink. The best "little gift" we got was one of those magic doodlers from the dollar shop - lasted for hours. Others have taken a blow up ball and you can usually find some spare space for little ones to scamper about chasing the ball. I always walked the legs off them from one end of the airport to the other (didn't think of the beach ball LOL). Airlines usually have a kid pack with sundry little activities in it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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