Best Airline/Route from Dublin to Melbourne with 3 year old Twins

Jodie001

So we have bitten the bullet and are spending 2 to 3 weeks with family in Melbourne in March. Twins will be 3 years and 3 months and will be their first flight. Any tips appreciated to make this as painless as possible. Was thinking Etihad direct, no stop over but would consider one also. Is Emirates a better option? Thanks guys as always.

Chocolate fiend

We have never done a stop over, I prefer to get it over with. We have done the flight with a 9 month old, a 3 year old and a 4 year old so I know how you feel. It will be okay though. Are there two adults? That will make all the difference.

Peregrinus

With toddlers, cabin service counts a lot. I'd consider Singapore, where traditionally there has been a pretty strong cabin service culture that focuses on identifying what passengers need or want to make the journey pleasant and providing it. You'll find they're a bit more supportive than some airlines when you need support with your toddlers.

As against that, Singapore involves two stopovers and a longer overall journey time, and the longer the journey the more tired, cranky and unmanageable toddlers tend to become. So there's a bit of a trade-off here.

frankston

Cathay , Singapore, BA , Emerates, Thai are all good in our experience, if you go through Hong Kong they have a hotel directly in the airport and we did a single night stopover once when our kids were small it worked very well as we didnt have to leave the airport so no taxi, train etc just showers baths and horizon leg streching sleep

Peregrinus

There is a similar hotel in Dubai, and it is very reasaonably priced. You can be in your room in bed 20 minutes after getting off the plane.

Jodie001

Chocolate fiend wrote: »

We have never done a stop over, I prefer to get it over with. We have done the flight with a 9 month old, a 3 year old and a 4 year old so I know how you feel. It will be okay though. Are there two adults? That will make all the difference.

Yes, there are 2 of us. Thinking maybe Etihad or Emirates and keep it as direct as possible. Thank you for reply.

Jodie001

Peregrinus wrote: »

There is a similar hotel in Dubai, and it is very reasaonably priced. You can be in your room in bed 20 minutes after getting off the plane.

Wow, that's really interesting. Thanks. Will try and suss that out

Jodie001

frankston wrote: »

Cathay , Singapore, BA , Emerates, Thai are all good in our experience, if you go through Hong Kong they have a hotel directly in the airport and we did a single night stopover once when our kids were small it worked very well as we didnt have to leave the airport so no taxi, train etc just showers baths and horizon leg streching sleep

Yes I've travelled with Cathay before we had kids and thought the seats were hard and uncomfortable, Singapore and BA were good. Thinking now with kids, maybe Etihad or Emirates. The stop off sounds great and easy to get to hotel. Will look into that. Thanks for reply.

Peregrinus

Here you go. It's airside, so you don't pass through customs/immigration or pick up your checked baggage (so pack everything you need in your hand baggage). If you book a room in advance a bloke meets you off the plane and takes you to the hotel.

Wherever possible I try to schedule an 8-10 hour overnight stopover in Dubai, and I take a room in the hotel and sleep. In a bed. Flat. In the dark. It adds about 175 euro to the cost of the trip, but it makes an amazing difference to how knackered you feel on arrival.

amtc

Yeah I did this, had a six hour stopover in Dubai and I needed to be somewhere to call my doctor for test results. I don't think it was that expensive.

Batgurl

Etihad used to advertise a dedicated nanny service on long haul flights. Not sure they still have it and it usually depends on how many kids are on board but worth investigating more?

hytrogen

BA, Emerates, Quantas & Abu do amazing transcontinental services throughout. Proof in the puddings. Steer clear of 'Merican or far eastern cattle shippers imao

Peregrinus

One other tip: one of the adults should order vegetarian meals, and the other not. That way your meals are served at different times, so there'll always be one of you to deal with the kids while the other is eating.

Talula_d

We are travelling dublin-sydney at the end of November with a 3 year old and with emirates, from what I have read they are pretty good with children on board, we opted for a 2hr stop both ways, just to get it over and done with, will update you after if you want!

Jodie001

Peregrinus wrote: »

One other tip: one of the adults should order vegetarian meals, and the other not. That way your meals are served at different times, so there'll always be one of you to deal with the kids while the other is eating.

That's a super tip. I will do this for sure.

circular flexing

Emirates are very good with kids in my experience.