Flying with a 25mth old?

[boomba]

Ds will be 2 on the 3rd of November and we will be travelling to Cairns on the 27th December. He will just be sitting om my knee and wont need a seat...will I still have to pay for him? He will be just over the 24mth rule? I know they have never checked Ds1 birth certificate when we flew to Melbourne?
Will I really have to pay a full fare for a child who sits on my knee?

[Maruschke]

The last thing you want to happen is to get up there, but not be able to get back without buying him a last minute ticket. At that time of year it will cost you an arm and a leg.

[boomba]

Maybe I should go see Flight centre or something? I just think it is ridiculous pay $200 plus for a child to sit on your lap????

[feeb]

I would be booking a ticket as $$$ if they do ask to see birth cert and he is older.

We flew in June DS1 was 35 months and DS2 was 17 months, we were not asked for certs BUT if your child looks nearly 2 size and high wise they might.

[boomba]

Yeah I guess I better then! Maybe I will take their car seats and strap them in?

[Maruschke]

Car seat is a good idea. Who are you flying through?

[feeb]

Not sure if you can do that or not. You would need to check, before hand.

Enjoy trip!!

[boomba]

Not sure yet Maushke....cant see why we couldn't strap them in wouldn't it be safer?

[Heaven]

I wouldn't buy one. How can they ask for a birth certificate? It's not like it's something you just carry around. I don't even have one for DD2 yet, lol, oops!

[Taurean]

Maybe I should go see Flight centre or something? I just think it is ridiculous pay $200 plus for a child to sit on your lap????

He won't be sitting on your lap unless you or him want him to as once you pay for their flight, they get their own seat. They are are full paying traveller at 2 (domestic prices).

I certainly wouldn't risk it around Christmas as the fares will be horrendous at that time of year. There's every chance the flight would be fully booked and you wouldn't be able to buy him a seat anyway. You'd be well and truly stuck then.

We flew on DD's 2nd birthday this year and paid for her seat, it just wasn't worth the risk. That may seem a bit OTT as you would wonder how the airline would know but we've flown a lot with her so we figured there was a chance her 'real' DOB was registered with our Frequent Flyer details.

Having her own seat was awesome though! We've been lucky getting seats for her in the past as we are Qantas Club members but the times she's flown on my lap as a toddler has been....interesting

[Taurean]

AFAIK,a carseat ia a no go, it would be considered to be a risk in event of an emergency.

Actually that's not true, it's quite the opposite. Qantas allow car seats and capsules providing you've paid for your child's seat and the particular aircraft allows car seats. They are far safer than sitting on a parents lap or wearing just the lap sash belts.

We flew with DD in her car seat just 2 weeks ago on a Qantas flight from Sydney to Perth. The smaller planes can't accommodate for car seats so you need to phone and check plus also 'book' your carseat in if the flight allows it. It worked a treat and we had great seats as there are selected rows fitted with the anchor points. Highly recommend looking into it.

We had a Virgin flight on our recent trip too but they didn't allow car seats. The smaller Qantas flights we did on that same holiday didn't have the anchor points.

[Nai]

We flew Melb - Perth when DD1 was just over 2 and we paid for her own seat. It was well worth it! They do ask for id if you have an infant and I have also been told that I need id for both girls when we fly to Cairns on Sunday. Hmmm - I had better go find it.......

[YoYo]

Babe, my advice is pay for the seat. Your ds1 will be fine with the plane-seat belt, but for your ds2 ask them to give you the infant seat belt which loops through your belt, then around him (on your lap) for take off and landing. Then sit him on his own seat for the rest. You'll appreciate the space!!

For a short trip I wouldn't bother with the car seat. I've never used one in all of our travels, Singapore, London etc, and just see it as another thing to carry around!

My DS is so used to plane travel now, he gets complimented by other passengers coz he knows the 'drill'....

Have fun on your holiday.... Although you should be coming to jersey for a potential white Christmas lol xx

[boomba]

Have fun on your holiday.... Although you should be coming to jersey for a potential white Christmas lol xx

I know I should!
Thank you for all your help ladies! We will be getting him a seat! He better not want to sit on my lap! lol! We will need the car seats as we are hiring a car so if they can sit in them on the plane to be safer that would be awesome!