Any advise for travelling with a toddler????

[Hi flier]

G'day AFF community

I'm about to take a trip to the UK and Germany to take my bub to see my family. My hubby, bub and I will have 8 flights in total for the return journey. Both for this trip and for the trip I did last year when my bub was just 6-months old - I was and will be traveling again as a mere Bronze Q status member as I lost my Q silver status by not flying when I was pregnant (Qantas gives no 'freezing/holding' of status when you cant fly for medical reasons)...and now with a toddler I'm not traveling much at all (neither for work or play). On the plus side I did manage to book these latest tix to Europe when qantas had their double status credits bonus time, so I'm hoping to get up to Silver again by the end of this trip!

I wondered if anyone had any advice for travelling with a toddler?

We'll be flying from Canberra-Melb-Dubai-London HRW. Then stop in the UK for a couple of weeks, then take a return flight with British Airways to Munich. Then do the whole thing in reverse (except coming back via Sydney). Any advice for good things to keep toddlers occupied and happy for the long haul whilst in transit, or if there are any kiddie play areas that you know of in those airports listed above...any info will all be handy and very much appreciated.

For this trip I'm not sure if we will get a bassinet as my bub is 20 months old, and whilst petite for her age, my understanding is that we'll be last on list to get one as she's over 18 months. We also don't have lounge access :-( So I'll be keeping my eye out for any freebie passes that may come up on the AFF forum before we fly out at the end of August [though as a busy working mum I think I won't get on to looking at the forum regularily enough and they'll all have been scooped up!] Oh well...any advice for transiting and flying with a toddler will be great. Thank you AFF community.

 

[kermatu]

Welcome to AFF Hi flier.

I can't help with some of your specific queries, unfortunately. To be honest I wouldn't expect many answers from this post alone as not many people look at the Introductions thread and it's rare to use this as a Q&A thread.

There have been some fairly recent threads on travelling with children ad I'm sure plenty of threads discussing bassinets and the like. Have a bit of a search and if you can't find your answers ask a question in a relevant section (such as Your questions - or maybe the threads for the airline(s) you are flying).

Cheers.

 

[JessicaTam]

Welcome to AFF, Hi flyer.

QF have introduced a status hold facility, should you need it in the future:

Qantas brings more flexibility to Frequent Flyers | QFlyer

As to flying with a toddler - that might be one of those things that are known as "character building".

 

[Simo]

Welcome to the forum and my advice is don't travel with a child!!! In all honesty expect the unexpected and you will be all good... My daughter has done many trips and was Silver in QF land. Sometimes the smallest thing can push them over the line.

 

[Mattg]

If you're flying in the next 3 months, you might want to consider getting a 30 day Admirals Club lounge membership. (The last day to buy this is 24 July so be quick! But you can set a start date anytime in the next 3 months.)

It costs US$99 for 30 days. You won't get lounge access for all flights, but you will have access to the Qantas lounges in CBR, MEL and SYD. I believe you may get access to the Admirals Club in London Heathrow when flying out on Qantas. Just one pass entitles you to bring in yourself and up to 2 guests.

 

[Buzzard]

Hi and welcome Hi flier,

My daughter and her husband have done several trips with toddlers (2) as young as 6 months. Long haul to London and Par well as shorter trips like Fiji.

I'm told the best thing they did on the long haul was to have a few days stop over each way as well as contact the airline and secure a bulkhead seat(s).

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF Hi flier.

There have been a number of recent threads on travelling with toddlers and children. Some really good advice.

 

[Gaurav Kher]

I have done a long journey in 2014 January with two young kids 4.5 yr old and 3 year old. we took emirates from Sydney to Dubai and Dubai to Delhi. its was a very long flight about 18 hours but A380 made it very easy. The plane was brand new with lots of kids activity and emirates keep giving toys and colouring book, puzzles during flight to keep kids busy and active, not only this they had the best movie collection and 14 inch Screen so kids never feel bored. Best part was the kids meal was the best even better then adults and lots of drinks variety.
In Dubai airport you get free strollers for kids to move around uas the airport is largest of its kind specially terminal d which is near new. also they have play area. Just keep in mind the floor is very slippery as high gloss tiles been used on Dubai airport
I have lived in London for few years till 2007 as far as I know they have kids area in main terminal but its been recently renovated so not sure current position.

have a safe trip.

 

[JohnK]

And also a welcome to AFF Gaurav Kher!

 

[BettyB]

Welcome

Don't have kids is my advice