Help! Hand Luggage

[Arglebargle]

This is going to sound really stupid but...I am going on holiday in a few weeks with my partner and 18 month old. We are flying with easyjet and the flight is 3 hours long. Anyway what sort of stuff do we or should we take on as hand luggage? I haven't flown in years and it's the first flight i have ever done with a young child so any help or ideas is very much appreciated! also what bag is best to take? thanks mumsnetters 😃

a rucksack is best, because it means you have both hands free.

A small wheelie suitcase but check dimensions match the requirement. Or soft rucksack.

I would take the minimum amount that you can get away with (assuming you have a checked bag as well). I much prefer having my bag under the seat in front than in the overhead locker. much easier to access.

Ask yourself what you need for a three hour flight - something to keep you amused, a book, iPad etc. Something to keep your child amused, small toys (quiet), iPad with headphones (now is not the time to be precious about screen time, you need to survive being basically trapped in a seat for three hours +) etc. Some snacks in case the onboard service doesn't fit with hunger pangs, drinks (bought once you go through security). You pay for food on Easyjet so its just as easy to take on food that you actually like.

Then I would recommend a change of clothes for everyone, and more for the child, things get spilt, children throw up, there are nappy disasters while the seatbelt light is on. Also it is possible (though not likely) that your checked bag will go astray so you want to have a change of clothes. If you have more than one checked bag mix everyone's clothes up so that one bag being missing doesn't leave someone without anything to wear.

Remember liquids need to go in a 1 litre zip lock bag and each bottle needs to be smaller than 100 ml. There are different rules for baby bottles, but you can buy stuff airside and avoid this.

Check the easy jet site to see how much hand luggage you can take. You'll need enough stuff for the travelling including check in and out. Nappies or pull ups, wet wipes, nappy bags, baby food, baby cutlery, change of clothes, plenty of bibs and tissues, reading book, cuddly, fresh tee shirt for you and d.h. toddler hat, mits and boots, it gets chilly on flights. Take a soft bag, Tripp have a sale on at the moment.

A rucksac is best if you need to get stuff out during the flight.

A lot of luggage looks the same so tie some coloured ribbons around the handles on all suitcases, on-board bags or something easy to recognise.

I forgot nappies etc, we're a long way past that stage. Take more nappies than you can possibly imagine needing, in case of delays etc.

Will you also have hold luggage?

A rucksack is best. For that length flight I would take 8 nappies and wipes/nappy bags inside a clear ziplock bag so can only take that out for nappy changes (airplane loos are small) plus a few changes of clothes for ds again in a separate bag so can grab and go if needed.

I also take a little mini cooler bag type thing full of snacks. I don’t actually use ice packs but the little mini type you use for a small picnic. Snacks are a good distraction on flights as are iPads which are the main time ours come out. Maybe a few small toys.

So you can have a rucksack which then you can keep by your feet and your dh can have a food bag which can also be kept by feet. It’s a pain having to put stuff overhead with kids as you always end up needing something.

If he drinks milk, prob easier to take the formula cartons even if he’s on cows milk. You can take what you like through security. I often went through with 8 of them. They just put each one in a machine to test them, no opening or anything.

Don't put stuff you might need for the flight in a wheelie case - it's a nightmare to open one on the plane and you might need to several times!

If you have hold luggage, put as much as possible in there, and just take essentials as hand luggage. I agree with including a change of clothes for everyone as the changes in pressure make some babies explode. I use a rucksack with several pockets - one for spare clothes, one for toys and snacks, one for changing stuff. You might be able to take an additional changing bag on board (so each adult gets a hand luggage allowance and the changing bag is on top) - check the rules.

At the airport see if there is a family lane - they are usually helpful with getting pushchairs and baby food through smoothly.

We do a cabin max rucksack (dimensions just fit cabin size) with a smaller bag inside. Small one removed as soon as we get on board and stashed under seat in front, bigger one goes in over head locker with spare clothes and nappies etc. All back in big back for exit. (When kids were small we had the sling in the cabin max- carrying a wriggler to the luggage carousel is no fun!)