Flights to India... direct or change. Help me decide!

[4gotoindia]

Hi there,
Need to book flights and I'm trying to decide which of these options is best. We'll be travelling with a 5yo and 18month old.

Option 1 - BA - leaves from H'row (not so good for us), direct to Chennai, leaves at lunchtime, gets in 4am local time. Return flights leaves at 5:30am (so hideous check-in time) and gets in at 11:40am.

Option 2 - Emirates - leaves from Gatwick (easier for us); change at Dubai (have about 2 and a half hours changeover). Flight times:
Gatwick 2:15pm - Dubai - midnight; Leave Dubai 2:30am; arr Chennai 8:05. On return leave 9:40am; arrive Dubai at 12:30. Leave at 14:45 and arrive Gatwick 18:25.

Can't decide if it is better to go from H'ow and direct (but horrible arrival and departure times at Chennai end)... or from Gatwick with a changeover.

Costs are comparable...

HELP!
thanks,
4gotoindia

[angy74]

Hi,
with children, i have always preferred direct flights...even though its a long flight.If the times and airport suit you better with Emirates,then changeover time of 2and a half hours is not much though at Dubai...it being quite a big airport.

Sometimes, Emirates doesnot allow strollers on the flight...so need to consider that with 2 children

[Vinegar]

I would definately go for the direct option. It doesn't matter so much about what time the plane arrives/leaves, as you can always get the children to sleep either on the plane or after you have landed. It's better to get one flight over and done with, rather than faffing around and changing planes in my opinion.