OMG! i think i'm crazy! (flight advice please!)

carang

carang

Registered User
ok... my grandma's not doing too well, so i've decided to take my kids back to canada to visit her while we have the chance...

it will be just the newborn, the 2 year old and me!!!

our itinerary will be (this is the crazy part)...

hk(depart 8:25AM)-tokyo-portland-vancouver-calgary-regina

YIKES!!!

we are flying northwest and we have three seats paid for (will they still give me a bassinet if i request it?)

does anyone have any tips/advice? the last time i flew it was with a 6 month old and that was tiring, but pretty easy...i'm terrified what it's going to be like this time!

ANY AND ALL ADVICE/TIPS ARE WELCOME!:thanks
 
Don't do it!!!!

Seriously.

You WILL kill yourself. We did an around the world flight two adults looking after a 1 year old while I was in my first trimestre and that was tough. Sydney-Singapore- London-France-London-New York-Washington-New York-LA-Sydney. We took 3 weeks and some legs of the journey were so tough. Our little one had just gotten mobile so was not happy about sitting down for 12 hr flights. Not that I blame him. And you can't reason with a 1 year old or explain to him what is going on.

The newborn will be fine. They are easy peasy so it will really come down to how well behaved your two year old is. You didn't really need to buy three seats if it's just you and your two children. They will avoid at all costs putting people next to you. Not for your sake of course but for the sake of the other passengers!

We've done loads of flying so if you want any more tips let me know.
 
thanks... i haven't actually paid for the tickets yet. i'll do that on monday.

i only bought 3 ticket because the cost wasn't that much different compared to 2 tickets + infant. (only $1200 hkd more)...i thought that having 3 seats on a full flight would be a good idea as it would mean that my 2 year old would be able to stretch out and sleep.

as for his behaviour. i think that he should be ok, but bored. he's generally a very well behaved child (only 1 temper tantrum in his life!) i think that the problem will be that we leave HK at 8:25AM.... that means that i'm going to have to entertain him for 12 hours before i can get some down time.

what i'm hoping is... fly to tokyo... he can have a run around as we need to change planes and it's a 2 hour stop. then when we depart tokyo it will be around his nap time... so hopefully 2 hours sleep there. then about 5 hours of awake time... then bedtime. he should still be sleeping when we get to portland. we have a 2 hour wait in portland, but we'll have to go through immig etc. so that should be fun!

then off to vancouver...very fast flight (only one hour) so that should be easy...

then about 3 hours in vancouver, changing planes etc. but i know the airport very well, so should be able to occupy our time.

then to calgary. my best friend lives there, so hoping that we can meet for dinner, or will it be breakfast (for me)....then last leg to regina...

at least that's what i'm telling myself.

i think i need to make a trip to toys r us to stock up on some new goodies!

my baby should be easy peasy... it's what i can do to occupy the toddler that has me a little worried...
 
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Carang, is there a more direct flight to your destination, maybe CX flies directly to Vancouver or calgary without the Tokyo stopover and going through US immigration. Also I would think night flight should be easier so hopefully they would be too exhausted and would sleep through most of it. I think with two kids, you are going to have your hands quite full and flying NWA is too many stops that you have to board/deplane, deal with ear/height pressures too.
 
If you have not paid for the flights yet, I'd definitely try to get a more direct flight. If you just get 2 seats and a bassinet (the baby is so tiny, she'll easily fit into the bassinet). The theory of having a run about in Tokyo is fine, but it will mean that your son will have no reasonable amount of continuous sleep for the entire journey, and even the best child in the world would be ready to be strung up at the end of those flights without enough rest.

If you use what you are saving of buying the 3rd seat to pay the difference in a more direct routing, you're also likely to fly with CX rather than NW. I admit that my last experience with NW was a long time ago, but they were truly awful. CX staff are generally much more helpful with children and CX has a better entertainment system to keep your son amused with cartoons etc.

The 3rd seat is handy for storing toys etc, giving you a bit of space, but I have found in the past that it backfired on me and meant that I did not get a bassinet seat. No matter which flight you choose, you realy MUST call the airline in advance and BEG for them to guarantee you a bassinet. At least that gives you a chance of having at least one child sleep at a time, and leaving you to get some breathing space.

I don't want to make it sound totally unbearable. Your daughter is at the perfect age, and you are going to have a much easier time with the new travel restrictions given that you are breastfeeding. Your son should be fine once he gets as much sleep as possible and you have enough snacks, toys, cartoons, sticker books or whatever to keep him busy. My 2 year old loves dragging his wheelie bag through the airport, with his own cars etc in it, so that will free up one of your hands. Also, I have found that it hekps to try to replicate bedtime routine as much as possible (PJs, story, tooth brushing etc.) at the appropriate time.

If you can arrange a porter to bring your stuff to check in (assuming that you do not have your husband at departure) and book the airport porter and shuttle service on your return, that should simplify things for you (they are worth every penny). If you can borrow car seats at the other end, that saves a whole trolley worth of luggage.

Will post if I think of anything else. Good luck. It's do-able, just takes some planning.
 
I haven't flown Northwest with children, but even in my pre-children days their service was just awful. Actually, I have found all US airlines the same.

Go Cathay if you can. Sooo worth the extra money to go direct and you will need the extra help they can offer you.

We have always found Cathay good with children, but our recent SYD-HKG flight they excelled themselves. Reminds me that I must write their customer service centre a thank you letter.

Good luck with your trip !
 
I agree,get a more direct flight and you should be fine.Depending on your childs personality I would consider drugging thr 2 year old.My eldest is a dream traveller,always has been but number two will not sleep anywhere but in her own bed,hence the drugs.Works well for me.
 
thanks guys, i appreciate the advice on a direct flight. however, financially it just is not possible. i've spent hours on the phone with the travel agents (about 3 or 4 of them)...

as for the run around in tokyo, it should work as it is in late morning/eraly afternoon. we depart HK at 8:25am.

ideally and initially i thought... direct flight at night. then i seriously considered bringing my helper with me. problem is $$$$... we just don't have it right now as i've not worked since christmas. as it is, i've had to borrow the money to go. i can't spend it all on flights and have nothing left for when i'm there...


i guess i'm just going to have to make the best of it and pray for my boy to be having a good day( he usually is very well behaved, so it would be very out of character for him to have a tantrum on the plane.)


thanks again guys! this forum is always so helpful and supportive!
 
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