An outraged mother to a five-month-old has expressed her disdain at being told to put her baby on the floor during an 8-hour flight. Kate Haussauer was due to fly with her baby and her husband on Saturday from London Heathrow to Toronto. Having booked the flights prior to the birth of her son, she had been well-prepared and booked a bassinet in premium economy for him.
She told Sun Online Travel: “They rang me yesterday as a ‘courtesy call’ to tell me there wont be bassinets on the [new] flight.
“The bulkhead pull down section is the part that is apparently unsafe so is not fitted.
“It was when I asked what I was supposed to do with my son that I was told to put blankets down.”
She added: “When I asked how much it would cost to change flight/upgrade, I was transferred to a department who didn’t know anything about the issue and said they are confused because I’m in a bassinet allocated seat.
“They have refused to let us cancel without penalty, won’t let us change route to a plane that has bassinets without paying even more, and because they have only just told us, everything would cost far more because of the late notice.
“I don’t mind carrying my baby but object to being promised something, paying extra to guarantee it and not getting it, and worst of all being told to put my baby on a dirty floor.”
British Airways have denied telling her to put her son on the floor, stating: “As a responsible airline, we would only ever advise that a baby can safely travel on an adult’s lap, in a bassinet or in a suitable car seat.”
