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@ speaking of bad flight times (LONG)
I'm ready to book for our US trip, but I am NOT liking the timing of the flights....
the flight I want (because its a nice Virgin plane) leaves at 2 pm and gets into MN at 6:30 pm, with just 1 stop in LA
she usually naps at noon, so could have a little sleep in her stroller or in the car or whatever on the way to the airport
but I don't like that we'd get into MN just before her bedtime (7pm)
how am I supposed to keep her up for a few hours when its already 7pm?
and we can't exactly take a nap that late!
do I just suck it up and do that and have her go to bed late that night & wake her in the morning & try to get back onto schedule right away the next day (with maybe a long early nap?)
OR
I can fly Qantas and get in at 5:30pm to MN - which at this stage I'm thinking is the best option..... at least gets us in a LITTLE bit earlier than the other one.... but less flight time on the second flight (which she slept on last time we did this route..) - although that means a longer first flight - so once she eventually passes out she can sleep a bit longer...
I can fly Delta which gets me in at 2 pm -MUCH better timing wise, but I SO SO don't want to fly them internationally again... they were SO awful to us last time I flew alone with dd 
i really don't even feel like that's an option
seems like the only other option is to fly from Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane in the morning (8am), then take another flight to LA and then to Mpls. And I REALLY don't want to do 3 flights (especially cause I'm on my own....)
I guess at the end of the day I need to remember last time (when she was 11 months - she's now 20 months). She didn't sleep for like 9-10 hours once we boarded because she was SO wound up. Eventually passed out towards the end of the flight, then slept on our LA to MN flight.
so maybe just pick Qantas, have her nap before the flight, and then just have her go to bed later than usual once we get there?
Also - second thought (question).... WDYT
I have the CARES harness, but will still need a stroller in the airports so I can handle our bags, and I'd rather have a carseat with for my parent's house too
I'm THINKING I will bring the sit-n-stroll to use at the airport, I can always gate check it if I want to (like if we get bulkhead seats). Are they really bad for toddlers & being able to kick the seat in front?? she just looks SO awkward in her CARES harness & trying to sleep for that long of a flight.... maybe I just use it on the international flight?
I'm SO back and forth. I'd like to have our own stroller for MN cause its easier to get around in and she sleeps better in it, but I also need a carseat for MN - so really the sit-n-stroll works the best, even if I don't use it on the plane I guess.... hmmm
thoughts?
Re: @ speaking of bad flight times (LONG)
I guess the other thing to consider is the Qantas first flight is longer - cause it goes to Dallas
15 hour flight to Dallas
2 hour layover
2 hour flight from Dallas to MN
so maybe she'll get a good chunk of sleep towards the end of the first long flight??
where Virgin is
13.5 hour flight to LA
2 hour layover in LA
3 1/2 hours LA to MN
I think writing it out like that - I will just go with Qantas.....,
sorry - sometimes you have to just write it all out to figure out what you want to do
There's an eight hour difference between Minneapolis and Sydney. You'll be getting in at what she sees as 11am in the morning, not bedtime for the night. Although she'll have been woken up at what her body things is around 2am for the LA stop, so she might be tired enough for a nap.
I think I'll just go Qantas and deal with it - I guess to matter what you do the flight times are never great when you're dealing with jet lag & time zones
Two things - didn't you hate Delta because they didn't give you the bulkhead? If that was the only issue I wouldn't rule them out if they are a better flight time. The chances of you getting the bulkhead this time are slim because she is too big for the bassinet, and honestly the bulkhead is a PITA because you have to put everything up above for take off and landing and with a little one and toys that is not good, I would not request it.
As for the CARES ds has slept in it on 3 flights to the UK and been fine, he just finds a way to get comfortable. We were on a flight back from London when he was 20 months and he was in his car seat and kicked the seat in front of him every chance he got, so I had to sit with my hand on his legs til he fell asleep. That was the last time we flew with the car seat.
plus at the end of the day they fly through LA which is a mess to travel through - especially with a stroller
argh I SO don't want to fly Delta..... Virgin & Qantas just have SUCH better planes and staff (IMO) and it'd be SUCH a nicer flight I think.,.....
yea I think you're right - maybe just use the sit-n-stroll in the airport, gate check it & use the CARES on the plane - best of both worlds then- cause then I can use it as a carseat and/or stroller in the US
Would she use this to sleep?
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=537342&parentCategoryId=85184&categoryId=86220
ANYHOW
I'm looking at dates and prices and routes and honestly I think I'll just have to do the Virgin/Delta thing cause its thousands less (for just 1 stopover). Interstingly you can book the seats thorugh the Delta website, but choose to take the Virgin flight for the int'l portion and its cheaper than the Virgin website!!! I think thats a good compromise.
Thanks for that link obcession!!! interesting - I may pick that up.....
I do have something similar actually - but its just a blow up thing (not as nice & soft as that one looks). I may get it out & see if I could get it to work for her actually - although the one I have I think you have to wear like you would a guitar strap....
I think our LOs are about the same age...and we've been flying with K from India to Hawaii (with a layover in London and then SF or LA) because the flight timings, service on BA and the flat beds pretty much save our sanity while traveling with such an active toddler.
We tried flying through Asia on (with only 1 stop in Korea), but that wasn't a great option for us (his sleep schedule was all messed up and the flight attendants were so concerned about him making noises or crying that they made it impossible for us to put him to sleep).
We've thought about flying via Dubai to LA (15 hours) but thought that was too long for 1 flight (as opposed to the 10 hours it takes us from India to London). How does your LO do on such long flights?
We had a very bad experience with Delta (from Japan to HI) last year and vowed to never fly them internationally again. They were super rude and very unhelpful to parents and just had bad attitudes in general.
I hope your flight goes smoothly, though. You're brave to do the journey alone with LO!
a girl from Hawaii, living the expat experience in India.
I think you made you your mind already, but I throw my two cents in away. I really wouldn't worry too much about the arrival time because there's no telling how she'll sleep on the flights so you really won't have a chance to get her onto a schedule until the day after you arrive. If you arrive around her bedtime I would assume she would most likely fall asleep during the car ride from the aiport so maybe get her into bed clothes and clean nappy at the aiport before getting in the car?
Regarding the sit and stroll the other advantage to think about is that you would be able to use it as a stroller during your connection. Even if you gate check a stroller more often than not you don't get it back to baggage reclaim; granted your DD would be able to walk, but if she's tired and groggy you don't want to have to hold her all the way through immigration, etc. This sucks after a long flight.
However if you want to bring your normal stroller and car seat Quantas may let you check both- BA does at no extra cost (so you could check-in the car seat with you baggage and gate check the stroller- or if you're lucky and explain you are on your own they might store the stroller on the plane- this happened to me with BA they put it in the 1st class coat closet). Or if you go with Virgin find out how much extra it would be to check the car seat.
I probably have now only confused the situation! Good Luck!
I think you made you your mind already, but I throw my two cents in away. I really wouldn't worry too much about the arrival time because there's no telling how she'll sleep on the flights so you really won't have a chance to get her onto a schedule until the day after you arrive. If you arrive around her bedtime I would assume she would most likely fall asleep during the car ride from the aiport so maybe get her into bed clothes and clean nappy at the aiport before getting in the car?
Regarding the sit and stroll the other advantage to think about is that you would be able to use it as a stroller during your connection. Even if you gate check a stroller more often than not you don't get it back to baggage reclaim; granted your DD would be able to walk, but if she's tired and groggy you don't want to have to hold her all the way through immigration, etc. This sucks after a long flight.
However if you want to bring your normal stroller and car seat Quantas may let you check both- BA does at no extra cost (so you could check-in the car seat with you baggage and gate check the stroller- or if you're lucky and explain you are on your own they might store the stroller on the plane- this happened to me with BA they put it in the 1st class coat closet). Or if you go with Virgin find out how much extra it would be to check the car seat.
I probably have now only confused the situation! Good Luck!
So funny, we fly delta often between the US and UK and they are always super helpful to us. But we prefer BA because it is just nicer.
I agree with the poster who said the arrival time likely may not matter because she may not sleep a normal 'nights' sleep for her. So you may get there at 7 and she may be exhausted and sleep all night!
thanks for the replies ladies
I guess you're right that the time we land doesn't really matter so much
the (good?) thing about flying through LA is that we do have to pick up our bags and recheck them before going to our internal flight - done it many times! And you can't have the stroller from the gate cause there are a lot of stairs - such a nighmare. Last time I nearly died carrying her and my bags by myself. Hmmmm something to think about actually I guess this time. Will just have to hope she can walk a bit I guess - gosh I hate LA.
But she does ok with the long flight - I'd rather do that then do 2 stopovers, as I have limited time off and just want to get to MN. And to me, flying a better airline is worth the hassle of different times - definitely going to go with Virgin - especially since its EXACTLY the same price as Delta now!!! I never had any problems with Delta when we flew from the UK to the US, but now from Oz, I've had nothing but gripes with them - they were just SO SO unhelpful and rude. So - on to virgin - I hope they are better!!!
thanks again
so nice to be able to bounce this stuff off of people!!
This has nothing to do with your post- I just saw that you'll be flying "home" to MN and you're living in Australia. Same here, I'm from Minnesota but I'm now in Perth.
Thought it was cool! Wishing you luck with your travels!
2 hours in Dallas to clear immigration and customs seems SUPER tight. I've always been delayed there, especially if there's a couple of international flights coming in at the same time.
Just another consideration. (probably too late - sorry!)