while i didn't like those couple last dumb guy comments re leave the kid at home...

i couldn't help but try to talk sense to Ani who believes it should be OK to take: "all of our carry on bags", a full size stroller, a car seat, a backpack carrier, AND a 17 month old child on a 9 hour BA flight and squeeze into a coach seat for one person.

and I do pity the person sitting next to her because there's no way humanly possible that this arrangement won't infringe on those seated around her.

suze, you are right on about all that carry on luggage. It is definitely irritating to other passengers!
I had a man lift up the armrest and wedge his laptop bag into the part of the seat I didn't take up once. It was only a domestic fight but I found it really annoying to keep getting jabbed by the pointy end of his bag. I'd think that more bulky baby equipment would be even worse.

Wow, TexasAggie, you are obviously a nicer person then I am!!! I wouldn't have put up with that guy and his laptop bag! Good grief! Some people don't get a clue do they?

It's bad enough when someone hogs the arm-rest the entire flight -LOL.

So bringing a backpack carrier, which will be stowed straight away for the duration of the flight (provided it is cleared for size for carry on) and one regular backpack for me and one for my husband is intrusive on others?

Once again-the stroller and the seat were to be GATE CHECKED. BA doesn't have the capacity to gate check, hense the frustration.

Hey Ani,
No if that is all the carry on luggage that you bring then I personally don't think you are intruding. It was the earlier talk of all the other equipment that got everyone wondering.
For your sake I really hope that they clear your backpack-holder-thing for carry on.

Also, has your daughter flown before? Does she have sensitive ears? I was one of those babies with major ear problems - many sets of tubes and the like. Small children can have major problems with the pressure in their ears on ascents and descents. The last thing you want is your daughter to be in pain and screaming the entire flight. You might see if you have have the pediatrician check out her ears before you fly. My parents always held cups with wet papertowels inside of them over my ears. Not sure how it worked, but it did

No Ani, honestly I meant the 1-1/2 year old child that will be sharing your lap and your seat space (and the space of some of the other people in your row, it simply can't be helped when a kid that age doesn't have a seat).

TexasAggie, Sorry if I wasn't clear. I was talking about two different subjects - carry on items which are regulated by the airline. Secondly and separately, the reality of having a child on your lap for an 9 hour flight and the obvious effects on the others seated around you on the plane.

I always bought seats when my three kids were babies and toddlers (I had three under 3 years of age at one time!). And I only flew 5 hours across the US. I can't imagine not buying a ticket for a 17-month-old for a NINE hour flight!

PS: Faina - LOL! but I think the airline personnel kind of frown on putting kids in the overhead!

I don't mean to sound like such a crank and I'm very kind to my fellow passengers in the air. But there are harsh realities of long plane rides in cramped cabins. It's not fun for anyone under the best of circumstances. Personally other people's carry-on luggage is no concern of mine.

Oh for heaven's sakes! I took my kids all over the world starting when they were 8 months old, and they and I survived it fine - in fact, I think it shows up in their characters as young adults and rather nicely. I hate it when these threads devolve to people berating others for taking young children on flights. I'd rather have babies on flights than many of the adults I've had to endure, frankly.

Anyway, Ani, your initial post was a bit shrill, and I think the responses you got were in reaction to that. It did seem as though you were planning to arrive at the BA check-in with a small household worth of carry-ons to check, which is definitely not cool. And not buying a seat for the child was probably not a great idea. I don't understand at ALL the friends who suggested you specifically wouldn't want a seat for the child on a long-haul trip; that logic totally escapes me. But as a veteran hauler of young children overseas I can definitely say that you want a seat for the little one - nine hours is an eternity, even without a baby!

We once flew to Rome when my daughter was 11 months, and being the wide-awake-all-night person that she still is at 18, we spent the entire flight walking her up and down the aisles of the aircraft so she didn't fidget or make noise to bother other passengers. I have photos of her upon arrival in Rome - she fell asleep two minutes before landing and had circles under her eyes worthy of a 60-year-old. We made sure other passengers weren't bothered by her on that flight, and we had paid for a seat for her, but still, 17 years later, I can remember how absolutely horrid that flight was for us. If there's any chance you can snag a seat for your baby, do it!

We bought a cheap umbrella stroller in Paris once, figuring it would be easier than hauling one with us - I suppose that might be an option for you if you don't want to check the stroller you already have.

Good luck and happy travels.

Ani- You need some new friends who give better advice. I don't understand why you wanted to gate check a stroller if you plan to carry the child through the airport in the backpack. Also, if you know that the plane is full, why bother with the carseat since you know a seat won't be available?

Having traveled with our kids since they were infants, I strongly suggest you take the backpack and buy a $20 umbrella stroller. Leave the big stroller at home. Why do you need the reclining seat? Do you plan to tour while the child is sleeping? If the child is tired enough, she will sleep in the umbrella stroller (which probably isn't much more uncomfortable than the reclining stroller for a 17 month old child.) Also, if you need a basket under the stroller, you are carrying around way too much stuff. Use a back pack as a diaper bag and you'll be have the use of your hands.

Finally, when our kids were 17 months old, they weren't interested in spending hours in the backpack or the stroller. Your tour plans need to consider that your child will want to be practicing her walking, and even running, skills.

Good luck!

Ani: Look on the bright side - you could be the poor woman who was on my BMI flight from EDI to LHR.

She and her mother were traveling w/ 18 mo old QUADRUPLETs! Their itinerary was Edinburgh > London > Hong Kong > Sydney w/ no layovers!

So things could be worse.

Now for your problems - I know you bought a new stroller - but I really think you will be happier w/ a light umbrella one instead. You see folks all the time taking their kids in these types of strollers around the castles and gardens in the UK.

I'd leave the big one home - w/ a backpack and room to store things in the car boot, you shouldn't need shelves on the stroller too.

You poor guys are going to be basket cases w/ you arrive since your daughter doesn't have a seat - so definitely take it easy the first day . . . . .

You are all veteran travelers on this board and had plenty of chances to think about how a flight should work. A lot of people are naive.

I have kids and took my oldest at 3 months to a wedding (domestic flight). I decided to buy a ticket for him although that wasn't common at the time. It was just my own gut. I got some teasing from people I knew for spending the money.

When I got on the second flight and strapped him in the flight attendant came and tried to take his seat because the plane was full. I gave her his boarding pass, and announced loudly that I'd paid $300 for that seat and no one else could sit there. A passenger who had been overbooked out of his seat is standing right behind her and he's furious with me, like I'm going to back down.... The flight attendant was surprised I had the ticket and looked at it for a while before agreeing and handing it back.

So I guess my point is, there's definitely a set of people out there who don't see the need, and that mentality has not died out.

You can laugh, but I think we can thank Oprah Winfrey, for a feature she did on the dangers of turbulance for infants on laps. I didn't see the show itself but after it came out I saw more articles on the topic.

Hi Ani -

I have flown 3.5 transatlantic flights with BA with my daughter when she was under two (on the last flight she turned two while we were in the States so that is the other 0.5).

What you do, is you ask BA to book you a bulkhead seat. They have a little flip down table where they can put their own baby seats that strap down and can recline to almost flat. We have been lucky enough to get those seats on almost all of our flights. On a return flight to the UK, we didn't and had to have the squirming toddler on our lap in a full economy class for the return flight from California to London, but she eventually went to sleep as did I (sort of). My hubby and I just flipped up the seat arms and let her stretch out across our laps.

One other thing about BA, is that they give baby seatbelts that connect to the parents seatbelt, and if you have a lap child, you have to have the baby on your lap strapped into their seatbelt for take-off, landing and turbulence. I have never seen those on flights in the US.

BA cabin crew are usually very friendly and nice and I for one am usually very happy to get back on board a BA flight after dealing with surly US cabin crew (I usually have to fly United when in the US due to a Colorado connection).

In terms of our stroller, ours does fold up, but it is not a small umbrella stroller (it's a Peg Perego). Sometimes we have been lucky enough for there to be room for the cabin crew to store it in the suit/jacket compartment in business class, sometimes we have had to check it at the gate. I don't know how big your stroller is, but if it does collapse, you should be able to get a ticket for it when you check in (but don't check it through at that point) and then check it at the gate. It may be that the person on the phone did not understand what you were saying.

Re the car seat. It is very uncommon for people to take car seats on board unless they have purchased a seat. Most people just check them, and I have often seen them come onto the luggage carousel, or to the same place where you would reclaim your stroller.

Most important, check in early so you can get a bulkhead seat and/or pray there are not too many other families so that you can get one.

Good luck and have a nice flight.

When travelling with my own infant I usually have a car seat to bring (for the other end) and check it on. With a little tiny infant you cannot use and umbrella stroller so maybe a carrier? They are great for hands free! If your wee one is sitting up already a $10 - 20 umbrella stroller (wal-mart) would be perfect and cheaper than buying a seat if you really do not want to. Sorry about your predicament!

For the poster right above, the wee-one is 17 months old (we found out earlier up the thread).

For Ani, I'm happy you've gotten so much solid information here. Hopefully you feel better about things today? Even when it's not the news you hope to hear I think it is helpful to know ahead of time what to expect at the airport rather than having to figure it out on the fly, so to speak.

Chicco has an umbrella stroller that has some reclining capabilities, a smallish basket under the seat, and a strap so you can hang it over your shoulder when it's folded up. It is very lightweight and rugged. We just took it to Spain and Boston for our 2.5 year old and it held up great. No problem gate checking it. You might want to check this brand out as it will fulfill some of your requirements and the airlines as well

Check your wonderful new reclining stroller as luggage. Carry the child.