Flying from the UK to NZ with children in tow?

[Bernadette]

Can you tell me which airlines you used and what route you took. My family (husband, two kids who will be 20 months and 5) are looking to fly out in Jan 2008. And I pondering whether its is best to just get on a plane for the whole journey or have a stop over.

Thanks Berni

[martin&maria]

hi there we have just arrived in nz from scotland with our 3yr old (at the time) and 9yr old we flew out with singapore airlines which was excellent and had a stopover for 5 nights you don't have to stay that long but i would say at least a day or two that way you/kids don't feel so out of sorts!

[dharder]

Can you tell me which airlines you used and what route you took [...] And am I pondering whether its is best to just get on a plane for the whole journey or have a stop over.

We went from London to Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur to Auckland with four children, then 2 and 6. This was with KLM/Malaysian Airlines. I came back with the two year olds by myself, my partner with the six year olds a couple of weeks later. Both KLM and Malaysian Airlines were fine, though KLM didn't have screens in the back of the seats which made it a bit difficult for the kids to see anything.

I was rather desperate to get it all over and done with, and I would have seen a stopover of a night or two simply as an extension of the torture the whole trip was anyway (the older ones were fine, the little ones not so much).

We had six hours in Kuala Lumpur, and that wasn't too bad to give them a bit of a run around. Not too many playareas, unfortunately, but it was okay.

I would have loved to only have two legs of the journey, on the way back, I could have done without the last bit from Amsterdam to London.

Really depends what your preference is, but I kept thinking that all we have to do is get there somehow, and then we can relax. And I didn't want to pack another extra bag with overnight stuff, drag them all somewhere that again they are not familiar with.

Daniela

[nippa&pippa]

We flew with emirates from birmingham to dubai for 2 hour before took off to syndey for 2 hour before took off to christchurch. We just want to get there without stop-over as much easier when we got a baby and a toddler on tow with shorter stops.

[jackie m]

We flew singapore airlines had a 1 night stop over which gave us almost 2 days there caught up with sleep & some sight seeing as its a lovely place. We had 20 month son and 4 year at the time they were quite happy when they were not asleep. Singapore Airlines were great which helped alot provided milk for the children whenever they wanted it which was usefull as they are big milk drinkers . But it is personal choice if we didn't have the children think we may have gone with no stop overs but I'm glad we did with the children as the R & R we got chilled us out for the next leg of the flight. Plus we had never seen pink dolphins before on Sentossa Island definately worth a visit.
Jackie

[pinkpiggy]

We flew out from Heathrow via Singapore onto Auckland at the beginning of May - 2 adults, 2 children (9 and 10). We decided to go straight through with just a 2 hour stop in Singapore to change aircraft.

We came to NZ last year (2006) for a holiday and had a 2 night stopover both ways.

We much preferred coming straight through. It somehow seemed easier to adjust to local time all in one go rather than putting your clock forward say, 9 hours in Singapore and then another 2 or 4 depending on whether you have to change again in Sydney.

We flew with Singapore Airlines who were brilliant with the boys and I can't recommend them enough. Plenty of choice of films/tv programmes etc. and plenty of snacks/drinks etc. in between meals.

Also if you tell Singapore Airlines you are emigrating (and can show your visa) you'll get extra luggage allowance.

[Andy-Dee]

Go Singapore Airlines - fab, fab, fab - great with children, my daughter aged 6 thought it was equivilent to Disneyland as she got to see all her favourite movies and some she hadn't seen. Played video games and had all her favourite foods fish fingers, chips, yoghurt, squash, fruit, biscuits, sweets. When her new best friend - that airline steward - came round with ice cream I thought she might just decide to live on the plane.

If you can stop over in Singapore - do but if you can't son't want to - we used their internal hotel and got our heads down for a few hours. The room is equiped with everything you need and I highly recommend it.

Good Luck

[thepiesleys]

yes, as others have said we flew straight through and it wasn't that bad with our 3 .13, 8, and 2 at the time from Birmingham with a 2 hr stop in HK and then to Auckland. Although can i just remind you that small children get really dehydrated quickly on long hauls, i did not take this seriously enough and my 2 yr old got really quite ill 48 hrs after getting here we were at an emergency Doc. with a very poorly little boy. He was taking sips but not drinking enough because he slept a lot of the time. I should have kept waking him to make him drink, but did not realise - and - was upset that nobody actually prompted me that this was an issue with small children on long hauls.

Next time i am going to take an empty bottle on board to fill up on board and keep, the no liqiud on board ban and the fact he was servrd in paper cups ( which he sipped and then someone ekse drank because of the incon. of keeping a cup from spilling) added to the scenario.

i hope this makes sense! i am not feeling too coherent this morning, too cold!!

[andrewandjane]

we flew via LA with a 3 yr old and a 5 yr old on air nz , had 2 hrs in transit lounge, was fine, kids enjoyed films and was just good to get here,

[Sam B]

Same as Andrew and Jane above, the kids were fine, but I was not, really ill and sleep deprived. I would never do the flight again without a day stopover to sleep, so I will go via Singapore in future.