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Original poster

please can you help sophable make a decsion about travelling on easyjet with one month old???

17 replies

Heathcliffscathy · 15/08/2010 16:08

we'd really like to go away for last week of hols and our favourite hotel in italy has a family suite...it is like a home from home the owners are like friends and we will be so well looked after, is really low key and perfect for a baby.

ds will be one month old. I have no reservations at all about the hotel, we will have a fab time there, even if i'm not getting any sleep!

however, i'm worried about the journey, specifically the flight.

the advice seems to be that travelling at 4 weeks is ok, subject to a check by gp.

but am scared it will hurt his ears....also easyjet are the best flight option and are they are nightmare to travel with with an infant? any experiences?

we would normally travel hand luggage only and were going to do that this time because ds is breastfed (and that is going fine so far). but they won't let us take a car seat unless we book him a separate seat...which would mean i couldn't breastfeed him. also it says on website i can breastfeed him any time except take off and landing (@!!!) but if he is on my lap, surely I can? or are the straps such that you can't???

any thoughts? the onward transfer is 3 1/2 hours, so will be a days worth of travelling, but we'd stop to feed him on the way and then not move again pretty much for a week.

are we mad? should we go for it? any advice on minimising stress, products that would make life easier, tips, warnings...anything...

xxxx

OP posts:
bluebump · 15/08/2010 16:17

We always fly easyjet as they are the only company who fly from our local airport to where we need to go. If you fly with them if you have a child under 5 you get to board the plane after those who have prepaid to get on early so you usually get to get on and find a seat and avoid a big scrum.

I can't remember how young our DS was when we first flew with him but we've never had to pay to bring his car seat - I think as long as they are a certain size they are free. We have taken ours onto the cabin and fitted it in the overhead lockers and also just shoved it in the hold with the rest of the bags.

The straps for babies are pretty useless, they are a belt to go around their waist which attaches to your belt, I can't see why you couldn't breastfeed him on take off and landing unless it is a safety thing but how they'd know i'm not sure.

I know our DS was 8 weeks when we travelled to Spain with him and he hated being away from home and familiar things but we drove down and it was easy driving around with him as he slept all the time apart from when we stopped to give him a break from his seat. I do remember thinking it was stressful at the time but maybe that's just our DS not loving it at the time!

Go for it!

Original poster
Heathcliffscathy · 15/08/2010 16:38

thanks bluebump...looking at ryanair also...

anyone else?

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 15/08/2010 16:44

if they are under 2 I think they have to be on your lap fpor takeoff and landing even if they have their own seat

and you can feed fine with the infant belt on - position them before buckling up.

we took dd to Morocco at 7wks and it was fab

take a sling
make sure there's something better than a travel cot for her to sleep in or you wll screw your back leaning over the side to pick her practucally off the floor for every feed

got his passport yet?

mousymouse · 15/08/2010 16:45

should be all right, we flew first time with dd when she was 6 weeks old. she did not seem to have any problems with the pressure at all and slept through most of the flight.
I would take a sling as at most airports you will only get the pushchair back with the luggage after immigration.
Easyjet are fine, they allow you to get settled into your seat before letting the rest of the passengers into the plane. also you can bundle luggage between passengers e.g. a large suitcase for you and your partner up to 30 kg. I would fly ryanair only with booking priority, also ryanair is rubbish concerning baggage allowance (expensive, 15kg each).

Lastyearsmodel · 15/08/2010 16:49

Took an older one to Italy - 11mo DD and feeding was v easy with the lap belt thing on. ANd with a 4wo, no one would even notice what you were doing, let alone the air stewards.

But passports at this time of year? Have you got one yet?

Earlybird · 15/08/2010 16:54

I flew with dd a great deal when she was tiny. I always booked a seat for her, and set her there in her car seat. Once the seatbelt sign is off, you can get the baby out and hold them/breastfeed.

Feed right before you board the plane in the lounge, and take a dummy for ds to use during take off and landing.

Is ds exclusively breastfed? If not, you could carry bottles/formula which could be used during takeoff and landing if needed (though you'd have to check on liquid restrictions as I'm not familiar with current regulations).

Original poster
Heathcliffscathy · 15/08/2010 17:46

dh getting ds passport fasttrack on tues. we should get it tues week, flying on the sat.

we are flying BA now, anyone know what they are like with infant??

OP posts:
mousymouse · 15/08/2010 17:49

they are fab! nothing to worry about!

cathers · 16/08/2010 14:57

You should be fine with BA. Word of warning, I just got back from flying with Easyjet with a baby and 4year old. There was NO priority boarding in either direction and it was a really unpleasant experience being scrummed by a hundred grown adults to get a seat.
Needless to say the stewardesses then had to move people to abide with aviation rules for seating children with a guardian. Was total farce - you made the right choice!

FickleFairy · 16/08/2010 15:04

I travel with easyjet every month with my 3yr old and have done since he was 1yr old and they are brilliant!!

Have always had priority boarding and they have never failed us once.

Cant recommend them enough.

Don't get me started on RyanAir though................ Angry

muchadoaboutnothing · 17/08/2010 09:46

We traveled to Australia when my dd was tiny and my ds was 2 years baby was fine I breast fed her every take off and landing to help her ears adjust to the pressure changes but you could use a dummy. I think babys are easy on flights toddlers aren't you should go for it! : )

BollockBrain · 17/08/2010 09:50

A note about speedy boarding.

When i booked our flights in jan for next week there was no priority boarding available. I checked back on the site a couple of weeks ago and they had put it on, so i booked it. So for whoever couldn't get it, it is always worth trying a bit nearer to the flight date.

mumoverseas · 17/08/2010 16:52

I've flown loads of time with infants and other posters are right, regardless of whether you pay for a seat for them they must be on your lap for take off and landing. Lapbelts will not prevent you b/f and I have always fed mine on take off and landing as it helps ease the pressure on their ears.

We flew last month with BA and they were pretty good, coming round offering baby amenity packs/fluffy toys/jars of food. They also let you take a car seat and buggy free of charge but be careful as they managed to break our car seat and we have a claim in through them at the moment which seems to be taking a rather long time.

Good luck

FindingMyMojo · 17/08/2010 17:29

I flew to NZ with DD aged 8 weeks - 26 hours, on my own. She was also BF which is a great help - I fed her take off & landings.

Check re the carseat - they will carry the carseat for free as CHECKED LUGGAGE! This is what I would do. Some people take the carseat on the plane but I don't know why - for 4 week only baby I would used front pack or sling.

I would not book a seat for young baby. On longer flights you get the cots, but as this is a short flight perhaps they don't do them?

I think hand luggage only is asking alot when travelling with a baby. treat yourself and check in a suitcase and the carseat - you'll need it in Italy won't you?

LoveBabyLoveTravel · 24/08/2010 20:33

Hi,

Sounds like it's going to be a great holiday, I love Italy!

I've just started a website with travel tips for parents and you might find this post useful:

www.lovebabylovetravel.com/top-tips-for-flying-with-a-baby/

Please feel free to ask questions or add comments about your experience when you get back. I'd love to hear from all of you fellow mum travellers!

All the best,

Anna

nicm · 24/08/2010 22:34

i flew with ds on easyjet when he was 6 months. was fine as they let us on the plane both times before anyone else. the lap belt thing is so loose that i could spin him round and feed him for take off/landing.

hope you have a great holiday. ds discovered how to crawl on ours and was a nightmare watching him in the hotel room! he would have been much easier when he was smaller!

:)

theidsalright · 26/08/2010 21:05

on most airlines they recommend that you feed on take off and landing (for ears), so I am Confused at the easyjet advice. BF is fantastic for flights and for holidays-even less to carry around and no water issues to consider.

Enjoy your trip-it sounds fantastic!

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