I used an Ergo carrier when I flew Brisbane to Ho Chi Minh City in January. DD was nine weeks old then. I carried her on the plane in it, then held her on my lap with the baby lap seat belt on for take off. I had booked a bassinet but when I boarded the flight attendants told me the holes in the wall were missing so they couldn't give me one. I was moved back a few rows to where there was an empty seat and I put the seat halfway down (in business class) and buckled her up and she went to sleep. (I woke her up after five and a half hours because I was worried. She'd never slept that long before, was a clockwork three-hourly feeder.) Even though I was exhausted I was too scared to sleep in case something happened to her. I was worried we'd hit turbulance and her little body would be damaged because I had her buckled up. But of course she was fine. And the Ergo was a lifesaver when I had to deal with all the bags and fill out a missing luggage form at the other end. I was traveling alone that time.

Flying Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore earlier this month we did the same thing. No bassinet or spare seat, but it was only a two hour flight and she was happy enough to sit on our laps. I think the noise and motion of the plane was very relaxing for her both times. I didn't keep her in the carrier during the flights because I found a comfortable position for both of us with the lap belt on. She slept for about half an hour on that flight.

Good luck. I'm sure everything will be fine.

I know why you are worried about the baby being smothered in the carrier. I am still worried that DD will suddenly stop breathing. Although SIDS awareness is great, I think it's getting a bit overdone - it makes new Mums so paranoid. I know there was a news story a few months ago - maybe last year - about a Mum smothering her baby on a plane. But I think that kind of thing is incredibly rare, which is why it was reported so widely.