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gmar96
Our budget means we are unable to buy a seat for him and are considering reserving a baby bassinet seat. Question is are these seats safe and comfortable?
Anyone out there experienced the same thing?
Thanks
G
Answer
What do you mean by "safe"?
Will it support the weight of your child? Most likely. Each airline uses different bassinets, which means there is no standard sizing. There are height and weight restrictions, but because every airlines bassinet is different, those vary from airline to airline. Also, some airline put an age limit on them (10months seems to be the norm for those who have it). You will need to check on that. Some airline even mandate that a child can only use the bassinet while sleeping. Once the child is awake s/he must be taken out of the bassinet.
If you are asking will the bassinet protect your child? No. In fact, bassinets must be taken down and stowed away for taxi, takeoff, turbulence, descent, and landing. Bassinets do not have any system for restraining the child.
Bassinets usually attach to a bulkhead, lavatory or galley wall right in front of the parent's seat (in the bulkhead rows).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliza/262744490/
http://www.erieaviation.com/images/Baby-bassinet.jpg
On some British Airways planes they rest on a table that folds down from the wall.
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9398/img0506hs3.jpg
http://daddytypes.com/archive/twin_airplane_bassinets.jpg
Airlines even use just over sized boxes that a parent can place on the floor. http://www.averyflight.co.uk/images/AmSafe-p9_02.gif
http://www.averyflight.co.uk/images/AmSafe-p9_01.gif
The very first time I traveled with my eldest I used an airline bassinet (I didn't know better). For the trip from Europe to the US I was given the cardboard box that goes on the floor to put her in. I didn't like it because it was too easy for other passengers to drop something on her.
For the flight back from the US to Europe I was given a bassinet that attaches the the bulkhead wall. While it was better then the box, it was still easy for people to push into when they were walking to/from the bathrooms, and this would cause the bassinet to sway (which of course worried me that it would fall).
If you do choose to use a bassinet make sure that you position your child so their feet are towards the aisles that way is anyone inadvertently bumps them, no real damage done.
If you haven't booked a separate seat for your child, be nice on check-in and see if they can "block" the seat next to you. They will then only use it if they absolutely need it. This way you can get a seat for your child free so you can have him/her secured in a car seat. (but only if it is available, and that won't be know until last minute).
I've been flying internationally and domestically with my children since they were 2 months (now 8, 6, & 3 months). At least three trips a year are the children and I traveling internationally (14+ hours each way) alone. In addition to that, we do another 8-10 international and domestic flights a year as a family. I have never had any problems with my children on any of the flights.
I wrote a small article about flying with children that goes more in-depth, gives security rules and regulations for the US, EU, UK, and Australia, offers tips and tricks for the travel, etc. http://www.angelfire.com/jamiehassen79/flying_children.html
If I can be of any more help or assistance, please feel free to contact me.
What do you mean by "safe"?
Will it support the weight of your child? Most likely. Each airline uses different bassinets, which means there is no standard sizing. There are height and weight restrictions, but because every airlines bassinet is different, those vary from airline to airline. Also, some airline put an age limit on them (10months seems to be the norm for those who have it). You will need to check on that. Some airline even mandate that a child can only use the bassinet while sleeping. Once the child is awake s/he must be taken out of the bassinet.
If you are asking will the bassinet protect your child? No. In fact, bassinets must be taken down and stowed away for taxi, takeoff, turbulence, descent, and landing. Bassinets do not have any system for restraining the child.
Bassinets usually attach to a bulkhead, lavatory or galley wall right in front of the parent's seat (in the bulkhead rows).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliza/262744490/
http://www.erieaviation.com/images/Baby-bassinet.jpg
On some British Airways planes they rest on a table that folds down from the wall.
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9398/img0506hs3.jpg
http://daddytypes.com/archive/twin_airplane_bassinets.jpg
Airlines even use just over sized boxes that a parent can place on the floor. http://www.averyflight.co.uk/images/AmSafe-p9_02.gif
http://www.averyflight.co.uk/images/AmSafe-p9_01.gif
The very first time I traveled with my eldest I used an airline bassinet (I didn't know better). For the trip from Europe to the US I was given the cardboard box that goes on the floor to put her in. I didn't like it because it was too easy for other passengers to drop something on her.
For the flight back from the US to Europe I was given a bassinet that attaches the the bulkhead wall. While it was better then the box, it was still easy for people to push into when they were walking to/from the bathrooms, and this would cause the bassinet to sway (which of course worried me that it would fall).
If you do choose to use a bassinet make sure that you position your child so their feet are towards the aisles that way is anyone inadvertently bumps them, no real damage done.
If you haven't booked a separate seat for your child, be nice on check-in and see if they can "block" the seat next to you. They will then only use it if they absolutely need it. This way you can get a seat for your child free so you can have him/her secured in a car seat. (but only if it is available, and that won't be know until last minute).
I've been flying internationally and domestically with my children since they were 2 months (now 8, 6, & 3 months). At least three trips a year are the children and I traveling internationally (14+ hours each way) alone. In addition to that, we do another 8-10 international and domestic flights a year as a family. I have never had any problems with my children on any of the flights.
I wrote a small article about flying with children that goes more in-depth, gives security rules and regulations for the US, EU, UK, and Australia, offers tips and tricks for the travel, etc. http://www.angelfire.com/jamiehassen79/flying_children.html
If I can be of any more help or assistance, please feel free to contact me.
Are pregnant Mainland Chinese allowed to come to Taiwan now to have their babies?
We left an
I see what has been happening in Hong Kong.
http://www.hkdigit.net/2011/10/hk-march-against-mainland-chinese-pregnant-mothers/
With the expansion of travel from Mainland China to Taiwan granted by the KMT, how long will it be before a lot of mothers-to-be start planting their PRC children in Taiwan?
http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2011/05/06/chinas-wealth-drain/#axzz1lfWNzC00
In the past decade the number of babies born to mainland women who are not married to Hong Kongers jumped from 620 in 2001 to 32,563 last year.
"Honey, I'm going into labor. Get me on a plane to Taipei, NOW!"
(We can talk about how "all Taiwanese became Chinese" at a later date... OK?)
Answer
I am no immigration law expert, but from what I know, the short answer is yes.
The situation in Hong Kong is that pregnant Chinese women are going to Hong Kong to have children, leading to locals to stage a protest, arguing that public health resources are directed toward non-local people. As a result, public hospitals are crowded out, forcing Hong Kong women to seek higher priced medical service at private hospitals. While the number of pregnant women in mainland China traveling to Hong Kong have increased, it is thought that most of them are wealthy enough to buy their way into Hong Kong, the financial barrier is still great for most mainland Chinese.
From the public health perspective, Taiwan is already facing this kind of pressure, because Taiwanese doctors have all but fled the more traditional roles (pediatrics, surgical units, internal medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology), more and more doctors are seeking to practice in cosmetic surgery, which is much more lucrative in terms of effort and income ratio. If pregnant mainland Chinese come to Taiwan to have their babies, it is bound to have some impact on Taiwan's medical resources.
I know you are concerned about the issue of immigration, more so than the problems with Taiwan's public health. So here is my opinion.
There's a gradual increase of Taiwanese marrying mainland Chinese, and vice versa, happening in recent years, the government have set up tight control over who gets to enter Taiwan from mainland China. However, it does not seem there are tight rules over pregnant women seeking to have their babies in Taiwan. The same issue with having babies elsewhere, in Hong Kong or Taiwan, is the financial barrier. Taiwan's universal health care does not cover foreign individuals, therefore patients are required to pay at the full cost, which is quite a heavy sum.
Now if the situation is that PRC parents coming to Taiwan to have children, the current rule is that you still have to apply for legal status, which may or may not be approved. If one of the parents is a Taiwanese national, then you have a greater chance of being approved, providing that you have proof of parental DNA relationship. Both situations above require many paperwork, and is not easily fulfilled. To be honest, I think most mainland Chinese prefer to immigrate to the US, given that they can afford it. By the way, Hong Kong people also have a greater chance of being accepted to Taiwan.
In my opinion, Taiwan can probably take advantage of mainland Chinese immigrating to Taiwan. First of all, communist China will probably hesitate to raise a war with Taiwan, because it will cause casualties on their side. This might ease the tension across the straits. Secondly, to a raise a child in Taiwan is no small feat, Taiwan can harvest a lot of taxes off those rich mainland Chinese parents. Lastly, immigrating to Taiwan is very complicated, though I cannot definitively tell you there are no loopholes, I will tell you that once a mainland Chinese baby go Taiwanese, there's no turning back, because our system plainly works better.
I am no immigration law expert, but from what I know, the short answer is yes.
The situation in Hong Kong is that pregnant Chinese women are going to Hong Kong to have children, leading to locals to stage a protest, arguing that public health resources are directed toward non-local people. As a result, public hospitals are crowded out, forcing Hong Kong women to seek higher priced medical service at private hospitals. While the number of pregnant women in mainland China traveling to Hong Kong have increased, it is thought that most of them are wealthy enough to buy their way into Hong Kong, the financial barrier is still great for most mainland Chinese.
From the public health perspective, Taiwan is already facing this kind of pressure, because Taiwanese doctors have all but fled the more traditional roles (pediatrics, surgical units, internal medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology), more and more doctors are seeking to practice in cosmetic surgery, which is much more lucrative in terms of effort and income ratio. If pregnant mainland Chinese come to Taiwan to have their babies, it is bound to have some impact on Taiwan's medical resources.
I know you are concerned about the issue of immigration, more so than the problems with Taiwan's public health. So here is my opinion.
There's a gradual increase of Taiwanese marrying mainland Chinese, and vice versa, happening in recent years, the government have set up tight control over who gets to enter Taiwan from mainland China. However, it does not seem there are tight rules over pregnant women seeking to have their babies in Taiwan. The same issue with having babies elsewhere, in Hong Kong or Taiwan, is the financial barrier. Taiwan's universal health care does not cover foreign individuals, therefore patients are required to pay at the full cost, which is quite a heavy sum.
Now if the situation is that PRC parents coming to Taiwan to have children, the current rule is that you still have to apply for legal status, which may or may not be approved. If one of the parents is a Taiwanese national, then you have a greater chance of being approved, providing that you have proof of parental DNA relationship. Both situations above require many paperwork, and is not easily fulfilled. To be honest, I think most mainland Chinese prefer to immigrate to the US, given that they can afford it. By the way, Hong Kong people also have a greater chance of being accepted to Taiwan.
In my opinion, Taiwan can probably take advantage of mainland Chinese immigrating to Taiwan. First of all, communist China will probably hesitate to raise a war with Taiwan, because it will cause casualties on their side. This might ease the tension across the straits. Secondly, to a raise a child in Taiwan is no small feat, Taiwan can harvest a lot of taxes off those rich mainland Chinese parents. Lastly, immigrating to Taiwan is very complicated, though I cannot definitively tell you there are no loopholes, I will tell you that once a mainland Chinese baby go Taiwanese, there's no turning back, because our system plainly works better.
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