In flight "car seat"?

[CAM-EVE]

Hi everyone, am flying Virgin nexy May and even though my daughter will be 22 months am booking her a child seat anyway. Was just wondering about the car type child seats on board and if they are optional? Has anyone had any experience with a 2 year old in one? my wife is thinking safety and im thinking comfort! Also am taking my 4 year old, heard that you can choose seats months before you fly, is this only direct with Virgin or can you do it through an agent as well? Does having young children stop you from sitting near the exit? Lots of questions i know, hope you can help!:confused:

[andr3wjillings2]

They don't let you use a car seat on the plane. You will have to either have the child on your lap with a lap belt, or on a seperate seat with a lap belt.

[LeonieM]

You have to understand that a plane is not a car, and the chances of the plane doing an emergency stop are pretty remote!

I can understand you buying a child seat; a 22-month-old while young enough not to have to pay, is rather big to spend 9 hours on one or other of your laps. People the other side of the aisle from us going out last time had an 18-month old and had booked the bulkhead to have the carrycot shelf. Unfortunatey, they were told that she was too heavy to be allowed to sleep on the shelf, and they had to split her between them several hours each as she slept for almost the entire flight. Not fun for them, either, as they had to be fed separately and it also meant they couldn't move about the plane easily.

You will be able to pull the lap belt tight enough to hold your daughter safely during take-off, landing and any turbulence during the flight. Having the belt on may stop her fidgeting around too much, as well.

[loobylou]

Hi Cam-Eve, We flew with Virgin in Feb along with our friends and their 18month old. My friend also bought a seat for her daughter, then she rang virgin and requested a bassenett. It's like a car seat that virgin provide for the plane, it does look like one! It fastens the child in more securely than just the lapbelt. So ring virgin and request a bassenett and it will be waiting for you when you get on the plane :happy-thumb
I would also advise you to take your own carseat for whenyou get there!

[Tiggers Friend]

Hi everyone, am flying Virgin nexy May heard that you can choose seats months before you fly, is this only direct with Virgin or can you do it through an agent as well? Does having young children stop you from sitting near the exit? Lots of questions i know, hope you can help!:confused:

Is your booking with Virgin Holidays ie holiday or Virgin Atlantic ie flight? It makes a difference on how you go about getting seats.

As I understand it you cannot sit next to the exit with young children.

[CAM-EVE]

Sorry for the misunderstanding, i used the word car seat loosely, i meant bassinet which Virgin offer for children. Just wondered if seat belt would be ok. Regarding choosing seats not booking with virgin holidays, using Virgin atlantic.

[Tiggers Friend]

Regarding choosing seats not booking with virgin holidays, using Virgin atlantic.

In that case can go on the Virgin Atlantic website and use your booking reference or e-ticket number and select the seats you want (a diagram of the plabe pops up). However, please note these are seat requests not seat bookings. You can get bumped up to boarding.

[loobylou]

Even if you book through VH you still go to VA to choose seats. You also ring VA to request bassinets. See my earlier post!! (Before tiggersfriends!)

[Tiggers Friend]

Even if you book through VH you still go to VA to choose seats.

LL I wasn't suggesting you couldn't request seats if you booked with VH, but my understanding is you need a different number to do so?

[loobylou]

We used the same booking ref that VH gave us.
I think it's if you book through a travel agents that you have a different number and have to wait ages for it!