Flying with twins on separate rows (and why you might want to)

On May 25, 2010 · 1 Comment

I remember the first time an airline tried to split our family on a flight. Even though I had taken my own advice and called ahead to reconfirm our reservation and remind them we’d be flying with a lap child on our return home from the Big Island, the helpful people at check-in had a different design.

They were giving away requested window and aisle seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone flying with a car seat or a lap child—or either one while pregnant, as I was—could get pretty annoyed by this. (I’m telling you, do not get petty with a pregnant lady at an airport.)

But while flying on separate rows might sound like a ghastly sentence for most families flying with babies and toddlers, there are times this might actually be a good option: particularly when flying with twins.

1) When flying with twins on laps – Generally only one lap child is allowed per row, due to the number of extra oxygen masks on board (and sanity of fellow passengers). You may simply have to sit on separate rows if both will be lap-held babies, so arrange for the seats you want ahead of time.

2) When flying with twins in car seats – Except in the case of wide-body aircraft, where there is an extra row of seats down the center and two aisles, car seats must be installed in the window seat. Many families with twins prefer to sit on consecutive rows on the same side of the aircraft rather than spread out with the possibility of strangers between them at the aisle, so they are still close enough to share toys, and snacks, and communicate easily.

3) When breastfeeding twins – Tandem nursing can be challenging enough as it is—let alone in airplane seats and with the company of your esteemed neighbors in coach! With separate seating areas, it may be easier to trade places with your partner, swapping babies, and settling in to nurse one without frustrating the other.

Have you flown with twins or multiples? Have a great tip or suggestions—or important lesson learned? I’d love to hear from you!

You’ll find more tips for travel with twins and multiples by plane and by train in Travels with Baby.

Safe journey,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning guidebook Travels with Baby
The Ultimate Guide for Planning Trips with Babies, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children
Visit www.travelswithbaby.com

One Response to Flying with twins on separate rows (and why you might want to)

Moses Basket Stand says:

February 22, 2011 at 9:47 pm

I actually was on a flight recently where the parents sat in separate rows, each with 1 child. I didn't realize why they were doing it until reading this article. It seemed to work really well for them. I remember seeing them handing bottles back and forth over the seats.

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