Best Seats on Virgin Business Class 737-800 for couple with Infant

[Water]

Just wondering if anyone can suggest what the best business class seats on a Virgin 737-800 for a couple with an infant (16 weeks) would be?

Thanks in advance

 

[VRC]

Not a huge choice either row 1 or row 2. I would go for row 2 at least you can have some bags at your feet if you need to quickly grab something. Row 1 everything has to go overhead during take-off and landing. Seats D and F you can catch the eye of the CS when they are seated if you need some assistance.

 

[docjames]

Havent done J on DJ yet, but on QF we always go row 1 - the aisle person jumps up and grabs stuff as required, the window person gets child on lap. It's ok to have bit and peices down, its only takeoff/landing that's an issue. We prefer not having a potential recliner into us with babe on lap.

Row 3 was good for the same reason.

I'd avoid the A side on DJ at the moment as if there's an equipment swap there's no bulkhead which is annoying at boarding etc when you just want to get settled.

So my preference on DJ would be 1D+F.

 

[benhadi]

I just booked a J Reward with DJ for myself, mrs and bubs. But was unable to select seats at booking. Can anyone advice how I can do that, or if it's at all possible prior to checkin?

THanks in advance.

 

[Major]

You can select seats 14 days prior to flight

 

[benhadi]

You can select seats 14 days prior to flight

thanks Major!

 

[airbridge]

I don't have children but when I see them scream on a plane I assume flying is traumatic for them. They seem so distressed. Have you flown with your child before? Do they cope?

 

[docjames]

I don't have children but when I see them scream on a plane I assume flying is traumatic for them. They seem so distressed. Have you flown with your child before? Do they cope?

Our son typically sleeps on aircraft. Go figure.

Be prepared - food / drink, book, toy, stuff to do and the kids are fine.

We usually just try and maintain the routine and pick flight times that match his sleep pattern (short haul). Long haul just try to maintain the routine as much as possible and have a range of "activities" available. Playing with the headset is always fun.....

 

[dk4]

I watched a couple travelling with a lap infant recently in domestic business coast to coast on an A330 1j&k, the child was "abducted" by the FAs shortly after take off, and not returned until about half way to Perth (well after the parents had finished dinner) once returned they then deployed the bassinet. Win,win,win (parents, kid, other passengers) for everyone in business on that flight.

The CS probably has less time up their sleeves on a 737, so probably less likely to perform an abduction.

 

[Water]

Thanks for the advice, this is our first trip with a baby so all help appreciated. We currently have seats 1D & 1F, not sure whether to stick to this or go to row 2, the beneit of row 1 is no one reclining, the downside you have to have your luggage up? what to do?
Also can anyone help as to what the procedure is with the pram? do they take this at check-in or do they take it at the gate? also how do you take the pram though security?

Thanks again, anyother tips most welcome

Cheers

 

[docjames]

Thanks for the advice, this is our first trip with a baby so all help appreciated. We currently have seats 1D & 1F, not sure whether to stick to this or go to row 2, the beneit of row 1 is no one reclining, the downside you have to have your luggage up? what to do?
Also can anyone help as to what the procedure is with the pram? do they take this at check-in or do they take it at the gate? also how do you take the pram though security?

Thanks again, anyother tips most welcome

Cheers

The pram depends on the airport.

MEL will let you gate check it (umbrella/collapsible type) and it comes out with the luggage. Massive ones (Bugaboo, Phil and Teds etc) are probably considered luggage but we've had the blind eye turned once before and approved as "extra".
BNE - QF make you check it in at checkin, Virgin lets you gate check.
SYD iirc virgin will gate check, QF wont.

FWIW, NAN (FJ) also lets you gate check!

At those you can gate check, the pram collapses and is usually run through the machine. You carry the child through the walk-through scanner.

As mentioned, we've contemplated row 2, but chosen row 1 mostly becuase there were two of us so 1D can get up and grab stuff as required.

mrsdoc has taken minidoc on her own and would choose row 2 (so she could grab stuff out herself without asking for help). I'd do the same, but together the space of row 1 suits our preferences better.

Note that depending on your status, you will have to check at T-80 and of course you're not guaranteed to get row 1. The times we've not done seat selection, we've scored row 1 anyway (normally as gold I can only see row 3 seats until T-80). On Virgin it's T-14days to seat select.

Domestic 737s dont have bassinets, so you can always look for a 767 flight if SYD-MEL or SYD-BNE routes etc (or the occasional other route) as they have bassinet.

QF will allow free carriage also of up to three infant items - eg. collapsable stroller + car seat/capsule + potra-a-cot.
DJ allow 10kg + stroller.

Happy to answer anything else, go to the relevant pages on the QF/DJ websites and they do cover "travelling with children" pretty well.

Happy travels!

 

[Water]

Thanks for the detailed reply, much appreciated.

Just a couple of question the Virgin site states the following for infant baggage: Items of specific infant equipment include, but are not restricted to:

• Pram/stroller
• Portable cot
• Car seat
• Baby capsule

Aslo re the pram, it is a fold up type (one piece) not stroller/umbrella type and dont think it would fit thorough the security bag scanner? so does this mean we need to check it in? Flying Melbourne - Hobart Return. If we need to check it in do Virgin provide a stroller?.

Think we will stick with row one given there are the two of us.

Thanks again

 

[Noob]

I watched a couple travelling with a lap infant recently in domestic business coast to coast on an A330 1j&k, the child was "abducted" by the FAs shortly after take off, and not returned until about half way to Perth (well after the parents had finished dinner) once returned they then deployed the bassinet. Win,win,win (parents, kid, other passengers) for everyone in business on that flight.

The CS probably has less time up their sleeves on a 737, so probably less likely to perform an abduction.

What a great CS! I am condone this child abducting

 

[docjames]

Thanks for the detailed reply, much appreciated.

Just a couple of question the Virgin site states the following for infant baggage: Items of specific infant equipment include, but are not restricted to:

• Pram/stroller
• Portable cot
• Car seat
• Baby capsule

Aslo re the pram, it is a fold up type (one piece) not stroller/umbrella type and dont think it would fit thorough the security bag scanner? so does this mean we need to check it in? Flying Melbourne - Hobart Return. If we need to check it in do Virgin provide a stroller?.

Think we will stick with row one given there are the two of us.

Thanks again

Does it collapse down? It doesnt have to go in the box, just to a size where it is flat enough to sit on the conveyor belt. Length isnt an issue.

I dont believe Virgin will provide a stroller as you use your own.

What brand is the stroller? Ours is a Maclaren and collapses sufficiently not to be an issue.

Also, it's worth getting there for the start of boarding as they'll board you first, and they appreciate not getting the stoller at the last second (as we did at Sydney one night and caused a bit of a stir - not our fault, the lounge hadnt announced boarding of a 1.5hr delayed flight until I happened to look at the board and it said final call !).

We've taken to bringing a (on front) carrier for our son when we fly Qantas, but havent needed it on Virgin. Virgin has got a bit of our business recently due to their more child friendly nature (specifically, the stroller non-gate check by QF at BNE). On board, the cabin crew will do what they can to help you but it pays to be prepared. Seriously we've had no issues. We first flew to MEL from BNE when our son was 8 weeks old. He's now done about 17 flights (he's 11 months old). Pity he cant get FF points (but of course, he's not actually paying an airfare!).

Oh, one other thing - everything takes longer so allow plenty of time for carting luggage around the airport, checkin etc - dont be in a hurry at the last minute. I usually like to arrive 1hr before my flight when alone, but would not leave less than 90mins with family in tow. It helps for one of you to be "responsible" for baby and baby's bits and pieces (nappy bag, stroller etc), and the other to deal with "everything else". As much as I hate paying for stuff like trolleys etc, it's (just) worth the rip off prices when travelling with family as it makes it so much easier to get around etc.

Are you hiring a car in HBA - we've tended to hire with baby seat/capsule rather than cart ours (just so there was one less thing to cart around). Not sure if that's an option for you.

 

[Water]

Thanks, as to the stroller we are taking it is a Mothers Choice Contempo Dimensions of product folded: 62(W) x 45(H) x 82(D) cm Weight of product: 10kg, as we dont want to take the good one as its near a $1,000 and dont wanna risk the damage.
so do you think this is to large go through the security scanner and should we check it in at check in as we will be going to the lounge so will be going through security latter and dont want to rush back to have to check it in.

We are hiring a car with Avis and have selected the car seat option, I guess we need to phone them and advise to have the seat rear facing? is that correct?

Cheers

 

[docjames]

You should be able to choose the correct seat on the Avis booking but if you're not sure it's correct it pays to ring and double check (PITA to fix on pickup - total time waste when one phone call will sort it).

Re: Pram - that looks ok. As always with all things travel, someone can come along and for no reason not follow the rules, but IMO it looks fine.

If you cant get it through the machine, at least you can go back and drop off to oversize luggage as they put the tag on when you check your bags.

 

[Water]

Hi docjames

I really appreciate your help, just a couple of things as have found conflicting info, are you able to feed the little one during take-off and landing? as have been told this helps with there ears but didnt think would be able to this.

Also we have selected 1D & 1F on Virgin 737-800 would this be the best side or 1A & 1C?

Cheers

 

[GCC]

Hi

I came to this thread late, but to help add to the reassurances, our daughter took her first flight at 5 weeks and since then has done more than I can keep track of, including 2 return long hauls to Europe, 1 to South Africa and 1 to Fiji. There's been a couple of minor horror stories, but mostly we've been fine and our daughter loves to fly in planes. Better to start them young.

Yes you can definitely feed (either breast or bottle) on take off and landing, and yes the sucking helps them to equalise and so not hurt their ears.

Despite what you read here on AFF, I find people in J are generally more tolerant than those in the big cabin behind them - and you will get much more help and understanding from the FA's. I think row one is a great choice because you have the space between seat and bulkhead, no one reclining into you, and no one in front who can be kicked throughout the flight and annoyed.

When baby G was little (I think < 6 months) we bought one of these "cocoons" http://philandteds.com/products/sleep/cocoon and it was great for travel. We'd check the pram and carry her around in this, whihc alos held her bedding and toys and went and into the overhead on board. We don't have that brand of pram, but found this product was really useful on its own.

 

[docjames]

Hi docjames

I really appreciate your help, just a couple of things as have found conflicting info, are you able to feed the little one during take-off and landing? as have been told this helps with there ears but didnt think would be able to this.

Also we have selected 1D & 1F on Virgin 737-800 would this be the best side or 1A & 1C?

Cheers

I'd personally go for D/F as the old fitout has no bulkhead on the A/C side and i'd find it irritating on boarding with everyone traipsing by your feet when you just want to get yourselves and the little one settled.

As already answered, feeding is no problem - you get a separate seatbelt extension for baby and it's long enough that it's easy to position the child for breat/bottle feeding on take off. Another advantage of the bulkhead - a bit more discreet for that sort of thing (not that id' think the FAs would care about breast feeding but your wife may be more comfortable sitting in 1F than 1A/C).

Another tip - not sure if available on Virgin (we've not asked) but on QF we always ask for a couple of pillows - to put under your arm so you can rest it comfortably on the armrest while the child is asleep in your arms, otherwise the tension of holding gets pretty wearing.

Also, dont over-dress the child to allow for the airconditioning of the aircraft - the child will be nice and warm on your lap. We tended to do single long sleeve/long leg suit (+ sleep sack for night flights) or just normal daytime clothes.

Glad I could help!

 

[markis10]

Some DJ 738s cannot have infants in Row 1, it may be worth a call to check with the airline.