Here you'll find info about seats for children onboard, and how to bring pushchairs and car seats with you.
We only allow equipment that has been certified by international aviation regulators (the EASA and FAA) such as baby car seats, to be used onboard. Other types of comfort seating aids for children won't be allowed.
To choose your seats, just head over to My booking where you'll be able to view the seat map for your flight.
Babies up to the age of 2 are classed as infants, and children refers to those aged 2-11.
Please note: if an infant turns two during your journey, please contact us to book, as a seat will need to be arranged for them.
Planning your seating
We'll always seat children within arm's reach of an accompanying adult, whether that's next to, across the aisle, in front, or behind them. Each adult can accompany a maximum of two infants. You must be 12 or over to accompany a lap infant, and it's only one baby per lap please, or things get a bit too wriggly.
Where one adult wishes to travel with two infants, the following applies:
The first infant must occupy the adult’s lap
The second infant must have their own seat purchased at the applicable child fare, and utilise their own approved car seat
Car seats
Flying in Economy? If you've booked a seat for your baby (instead of travelling on your lap) they can sit in their car seat. They must be next to an accompanying adult or young adult age 12 or over. If you have two children in car seats, you’ll need to have them either side of you.
If you're travelling in Upper Class your baby won't be able to sit in their car seat because there are airbags fitted in the seatbelts.
The same applies for Premium seats on our A330 - 300 planes, apart from the front row.
For all of our other aircraft it's safe for your child to travel in their car seat in Premium.
Please make sure your car seat complies to the requirements below.
Booster seats
Booster seats are fine to use onboard, but they'll need to be stowed away in the overhead compartments for taxi, take-off and landing, and when the Fasten Seat Belt signs are on.
Pushchairs and car seats for the hold
You’re welcome to bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat in addition to your free checked baggage allowance.
Pushchairs and car seats can be checked in or used up until the boarding gate, when they'll be put in the hold. Once we land we’ll have it ready outside the aircraft doors wherever possible. At some destinations, you may have to pick it up at the baggage hall due to local customs restrictions.
Alternatively, pushchairs that are a maximum of 23 x 36 x 56cm (that’s around 9 x 14 x 22 inches) when folded are permitted in the cabin with you as your hand baggage.
Please note pushchairs carried onboard are part of your hand baggage allowance, not an additional item. If your buggy does not fit in the baggage sizer at check in or at the boarding gate, the pushchair will be tagged by ground staff and checked in either at check in or the boarding gate. You must be able to place your foldable pushchair in the overhead bins unaided.
If you are travelling to London Heathrow, please be advised that pushchairs and car seats (with the exception of special assistance pushchairs) won’t be delivered to the aircraft door when you arrive and will be available to collect from baggage reclaim.
The Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES)
The CARES harness fits around the back of the seat and attaches to the aircraft seatbelt to provide restraint for the upper part of a child's body. It is suitable for children (both able bodied and disabled) between 2 and 4 years old, weighing between 22lb - 44lb (10-20kg), whose height is 40” (100cm) or less and who can sit upright in their own aircraft seat.
The CARES harness can be used in the Economy and Premium cabins but must be fitted within the last row of a cabin zone. It also cannot be used in any seats fitted with an airbag-seatbelt, including our Upper Class suites.
An infant is a child less than two years old. (Children aged 2 and over are not permitted to use an Infant car seat onboard)
If you would like to use your own car seat, it must:
Be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap
Have a separate 5-point restraining harness
Not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat, and should fit into an area of 43cm x 43cm (17.ins x 17ins)
Must be secured to its host seat at all times of the flight
Must not require the use of a three-point harness to secure it to the aircraft seat.
Rear facing car seats are not allowed
If for any reason your car seat cannot be fully secured, it may have to be placed in the hold. In these circumstances, your infant will have to be secured to your lap whenever the seat belt sign comes on
The car seat must also display one of the following labels:
EU approved labelling
Approved for use in motor vehicles according to the UN standard ECE R 44, -03” or later
OR
‘Qualification Procedure for Child Restraint Systems for Use in Aircraft’ (TÜV Doc.: TÜV/958-01/2001)
FAA approved labelling
Approved for use in motor vehicles and aircraft according to US FMVSS No 213 and manufactured to these standards on or after February 26, 1985 ‘This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards.
This Restraint is Certified for Use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft.’
Australia/New Zealand approved labelling
Australian Standard AS1754
New Zealand Standard NZS1354
OR
Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS1754
Canadian approved labelling
Standard CMVSS 213/213.1
Please note:
1. You may be asked to show the approval labelling to our ground staff and cabin crew, so please make sure you know where to find it.
2. You’ll need to show our cabin crew that you’ve fitted the seat securely and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. The seat must fit securely using a normal aircraft seatbelt, as unlike cars, we don’t have ISOFIX systems or seatbelts that are worn over the shoulder.
Premium and Upper Class
If you have a car seat, you may be aware that you can’t use them where airbags are fitted. As all of our Upper Class suites and the Premium seats on many of our aircraft have airbags you will be unable to use your own car seats.
Comfort aids and harnesses
Comfort aids and harnesses permitted for use onboard
The below devices are permitted to use for children onboard all Virgin Atlantic planes. Any other devices that are not present on this list aren't permitted onboard at any time.
Child body support
Travel chair
Cares harness
Infant seat belts - these will be provided by the cabin crew onboard your flight
Car seats - these must meet certain requirements. Please read more information below.
CoziGo Canopy to be placed over infant's bassinet
Trunki is a kids ride on travel suitcase with a child seat built in, this can be carried onboard as part of your hand luggage allowance, however this cannot be used as a sleeping aid.
JetKids ™ Bed box ™by Stokke ® turns an economy or premium seat into a bed, these are permitted to be used in flight, provided the seatbelt is always fastened when in use.**
Plane Pal - inflatable cushion for children to sleep, please note that only the Plane Pal brand is permitted**
Flyaway Designs - inflatable childrens bed**
Small inflatable neck pillows
*Please advise our Special Assistance team ahead of travel to ensure you have a suitable seat booked to use with your seating support.
** Can't be used if the child is in an aisle seat (middle and window seats are fine). Must be stowed away for taxi, takeoff and landing, and during turbulence. Can be carried instead of a cabin bag.
Comfort aids not permitted for use onboard
With the exception of the devices permitted to use onboard (as above), any other devices aren't permitted onboard at any time.
Examples of devices not permitted on board at any time:
Leg hammock for passengers to place their legs inside
Inflatable foot rest that attaches to the seat in front
Large soft or inflatable head pillow
Privacy band that attaches to the headrest
knee defender
Cots / bassinets onboard
Cots / bassinets onboard
All cots/bassinets should be requested in advance. You will need to speak to our contact centre to request a cot/bassinet.
Our Preflight teams will endeavour to ensure that as many requests as possible can be accommodated, however each of our aircraft carry a limited number of cots/bassinets onboard. Available bassinets will be allocated in the order we receive the requests for each flight. Your seat number will be allocated ahead of Online Check In opening.
Please refer to the tables below for more information regarding our cots/bassinets onboard our aircraft:
Economy and Premium sky cots
Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330-300, A330-NEO and A350-1000
Dimensions
28.6cm wide x 72.7cm long (11.25” wide x 28.6” long)
Maximum weight of baby
11kg (24.25lb)
Maximum height of baby
760mm (30”)
Upper Class sky cots
Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330-300
Dimensions
35cm wide x 24cm deep x 76cm long (13.8” wide x 9.4” deep x 29.9” long)
