Flying with an infant

[Booboostwo]

This is more by way of information rather than a proper AIBU where I would be frothing at the mouth at how we had been treated.

We flew short-haul with TAP Portugal two adults, one child and one infant (19mo).

We were not given an infant life jacket on either flight - now I know that if the plane goes down, the infant life jacket is unlikely to save anyone but isn't that weird? I also think that the infant seat belt on the way back was defective because it would loosen all by itself as DS wiggled around in it.

There was no meal allocated for DS on either flights and the portion given out to the rest of us was minuscule so not much to share.

We were pre-allocated seats which we could not change and DH in another row couldn't hold DS at all, just me. We were told this was because there were no oxygen masks for infants in other rows. Does that sound right?

I never came across any of this when traveling with DD as an infant so was just curious to know if all this is standard.

Ah so children who are almost 2 but not quite, but don't bother catering for younger than almost 2.

Ok then

Moggle, which airline?

It's quite straightforward curren

I always take my own food. Wouldn't risk kids not liking what's on offer.

And I've taken a lot of flights with kids. Not been given an infant life jacket in years (actually had forgotten that was a thing, I think I got one once when oldest was tiny).

Moggle - don't bring food that needs to kept in a fridge?

Never had a life vest. Always take snacks on board and buy other stuff from the trolley if we need it. Sandwiches, a banana, fruit pot, crisps, biscuits ....don't need a fridge for any of them

KP Air Canada
arethereanyleftatall that means no dairy, no cooked meat,... Ok fruit and some limp veg sticks might make it but what protein can I take for her dinner that will last ten hours out of a fridge? I mean I usually play fast and loose with food safety but that is pushing it! in theory I'd like her to have milk too before we land but I guess that'll be impossible, guess I could buy some UHT if they sell it airside.

Moggle - you can shop airside for food to take on board such as Ella's pouches is you DC eats them. Make up sandwiches at home and freeze them put them in a cool bag and feed then to you DC when they have defrosted. Also put other snacks in the bag. Milk can be bought airside.

Their website says no food for infants outside of North American flights :( How ridiculous.

I would probably pack sandwiches and lots of snack foods. It won't kill your DC to not have 'real' food for 10 hours. They can also share your meal (and if you pack extra biscuits/sandwiches you can have those too) so you can both have enough.

You will be able to buy individual premade formula bottles airside, last time I flew I had to throw out the 1L bottle of UHT milk and my freezer packs and buy Cow and Gate from the airport pharmacy, even though DS is well beyond formula age. I was beyond pissed off since I had travelled in the other direction without any issues only 2 months earlier. The airline (Emirates) did also have formula on board which they pushed on me at every opportunity (very helpful and kind flight attendants!).

Generally speaking, only passengers who have their own seat get a meal, so infants on knees don't. Most airlines (certainly on long haul) will have a jar or two of baby food in the galley, but most parents bring their own food for infants.

It's a fairly new European rule that crew have to hand out infant life jackets at the start of the flight. A few months ago it was normal that they would only be given out in an emergency. Most seat rows have extra oxygen masks, especially those where cots can be put.

I'm genuinely surprised by no food for infants. Having flown long haul several times with DS he has always been offered food free of charge. This was on Singapore and Emirates.

I've flown a lot with my dds. Some flights we have been given a life vest, others not. What's interesting is that on North American flights you're not given a belly belt. Apparently it's not for the safety of the baby (who would be crushed by the adult in a crash) but to stop the baby hurting other passengers in a crash!!!

Even the times when we've booked a seat for a toddler, we always bring our own food, plane food can be awful

I'm fairly sure a child will survive with no protein for one meal.

A lot of short-haul flights don't carry life-jackets anyway; they are only required on multi-engined aircraft operating under EU rules if the plane is going to be more than 50nm (92.6km) from the shore. So many planes operating from the UK to Europe don't carry life-jackets (saves weight, saves maintenance). Many flights to Spain and Portugal stay over the Bay of Biscay less than 50nm out, so it's not just flights to northern Europe. A lot of short-haul Lufthansa planes, and a lot of the CityJet stuff wet-leased to Air France and others, have seats with no facility to carry any sort of life-jacket.

Yeah thanks for the sarcasm are... My fussy DD's meals are mainly cheese and ham based at the moment, she won't eat carbs at all at the moment unless it's cake or biscuits. Ive not flown long haul with her before and am not looking forward to it, I just want it to go as smoothly as possible and having familiar food would help I'm sure. But yeah, thanks for the useful suggestions.

I'm surprised that others have not been given an infant life vests. My DS (15 mo) has been on more than 10 flights so far and we have been given an infant life vest on every single flight (at least 4 different airlines, all different destinations).