I would have preferred more space, myself. Flights were extremely packed.
As to the layover idea, I'd be concerned about my child's ears. (With their teensy eustacian tubes, they sometimes have a very tough, painful time with lift-off and descent -- can't get the pressure equalized. If you go the layover route, they'd have to deal with that 4 times rather than twice). Just a thought. And they might go ballistic on you if you get them off the plane, only to later have to herd them back onto one. (We had to board a second flight at Kennedy, and that's when poor little DD finally just completely lost it, falling in floor and wailing uncontrollably the entire flight. Everybody was desperate to help us help her, but nothing worked).
