Flying from UK to Canada with a 4 month old baby - help!

[nomoreheels]

Hi everyone, I am expecting DD at start of June and this is our first DC, so I am completely new to this.

My sister back home in Canada is getting married at the end of September and is desperate for us to come. I really want to try, but it feels quite daunting at the moment (could be my P brain as well of course!)

These are the questions I'm trying to answer before I decide - any answers or thoughts at all would be much appreciated.

Also if you've travelled long(ish) haul (7-8 hours) with a newborn I'd love to hear any extra tips!

• Can I take a pushchair on board? I'll have the Babyjogger City Mini. I was hoping I could avoid checking it as luggage as I don't trust it to not get a bit mangled. It's very easy to collapse and the wheels can come off too.

• If I only take it with the MaxiCosi cabriofix car seat, can I use this car seat onboard for bubs, and then just get them to store the chassis?

• Is there any point in booking tickets now or do we have to wait until she's born? (I'm guessing yes, but sister is pushing to try and get cheaper seats now.)

• We'll be in economy - what are the best seat positions to try and book for a bit more room? Will they let us have the emergency exit seats?

• I have a Canadian passport and DP is british. What's the quickest way of sorting out travel documents? Can she be added to one or does she have to have her own?

• If I end up having a C-section (you never know) would I likely be fit to fly in that length of time?

Thanks :)

I haven't flown with a baby but my friends have. They flew about 6 hours with a 3mo and were dreading it - it was a breeze. She was small enough not to need anything other than nappies and clean clothes on the flight - she was breastfed and this also helped with her ears, she was fine as the cabin crew advised mum when to put her to the breast for her ears (what a clumsy sentence, but I hope you understand the meaning!).

They flew again, only 2 hours this time, when she was 15 months - it was a nightmare and they haven't flown with her since! (she's now nearly 4). OTOH my friend recently took her 14mo to NZ and they didn't find it too stressful.

Get in touch with the airline and find out when you can book baby on the flight and what you can take on - I'd be very surprised if you could take your car seat on as how would you secure it and where would it go? Baby won't have a seat unless you pay for an extra one for her and an economy airline seat isn't likely to accomodate a car seat - you won't be able to strap it down with an airline seatbelt.

WRT to the buggy it would be easier to use a sling on the journey and borrow a buggy off someone to use while you're in Canada, ditto the car seat.

I would have thought you can book your own seats and then just add baby to the booking once she's born/has a passport, but if you want an extra seat I don't know. TBH if you can afford an extra seat you'd probably be better off paying for one seat in club class for you to sit in with baby rather than an extra one in economy.

If you have a C-section you'd be very, very unlucky to not be absolutely fine after 4 months :)

Babies under 6m are VERY portable, I wish I'd realised how much so and I'd have made the most of it! I'm sure it'll be fine and your DD will get loads of fuss from the other passengers.

I am sure if you don't want an extra seat - and I think that would be waste of money - you can book now -although check with airline of course. I booked flights before my DS2 was born and just added him - 4 months is good age to travel with baby especailly if BF - traveled with both of mine at that age (not long haul but 4 hours of so)- and its lovely age for your family to experience as well
most airlines have bassients for babies -they are at front of ecomony normally - I wouldn't take the car seat either I would borrow one in Cananda - and you will have to check the buggy although you can do it that at the gate - if you are going with OH I would make do with a sling as well if you are worried about buggy being damaged - need to borrow of course
travel doc - baby will need own pasport - I am imagine UK one would be easier to get - it take about 2 weeks to come back although allow a month - most photo shops will take pictures of baby - and do the post office checking system as the passport office are super fussy these days

We flew to Australia with DD at 3 months and she was fine. We booked tickets before she was born and added her one once she was if that makes sense. You dont need an extra seat and they will usually allocate you the bulhead seats with a skycot - though be warned you do need to take baby out once the seatbelt sign comes on!

We took quinny buzz with car seat which they allowed us to keep until gate and we picked up at other end. We used a sling for the bits in transit.

Oh and I had section and was fine!

Yes, under 6mo is easy. You'll be fine, esp if bfing. I did NZ to UK with a 4 week old, and again since with a toddler and not had any real problems.

You can book now then add your DD on to the booking when she arrives and you have a passport for her. She won't have her own seat unless you book it but you really don't need one if it's only an 8 hr flight - you might get a bassinet if you ask and the rest of the time your DD can sit on your lap. She'll have to sit on you lap for take off and landing and it's great if you can feed her then anyway to help her deal with the pressure change.

You won't get emergency exit seats (only given to the fit and healthy) but with a bassinet you will get bulkhead seats.

Not sure whether UK car seats are legal in Canada - you can probably google the answer but don't assume they are. A safer bet is to get your sister to borrow one for you for the holiday from a friend or family member (someone she trusts, of course).

Likewise, you can take a pushchair but it might be easier for you to borrow one at the other end, and just take a sling for the airport and journey.

Your DD will need her own passport. If she's eligible for both UK and Canadian, it's worth getting them both so you can avoid the immigration queues at each end (eg in Canada, waiting at the visitors channel because she is on a UK passport).

This is what I posted elsewhere:

Take as little as possible on board.

Carry baby in a baby carrier if you can (easier than trying to fold stroller at the gate and it is a hassle trying to carry baby through immigration as most strollers can only be collected from baggage carousel.).

And carry your things in a backpack.

Take a change of t-shirt for yourself in case your baby vomits on you.

A little blanket that you can put on the ground in a waiting area of airport for baby to bop around on.

One of those really large muslins to put over the bassinet on the plane to block out the light.

Moisteriser (eg: aqueous cream) as their skin gets really dry on the flight.

A water bottle for yourself if you are breastfeeding. The flight attendants don't come around enough with water to keep you hydrated.

It is a great age to travel with a baby especially if you are breastfeeding - no liquids to declare and you don't have to take a huge amount of toys.

Make sure you book a bulkhead seat. Don't take the carseat onboard - no point.

Hi,

They will allow you to take a pushchair up to the departure gate but will not store it on the aircraft for you. It will need to go into the hold. (Bear in mind as well that for example at Heathrow's T5 many pax get bussed out to their plane).

Would book a bassinet and do not take a car seat with you. You may not be able to use it in Canada and more to the point the car seat may not fit the dimensions of the aircraft seat. Your little one wil be on your lap (the crew will give you a lapbelt extender) for both take off and landing.

Which airline are you thinking of using?. Air Canada, BA?.
Would book now but speak to them initially before making the booking,

No to the emergency row seats; you should be able to have bulkhead seats however. These are situated at the front row of the economy section.

She will need her own passport, she cannot be added to yours or your partner's. Will she have dual nationality?.

You are all stars, thank you so much! I'm feeling much more reassured now.

I'll probably be flying cattle class economy with someone like Canadian Affair, so I'll check out their policies - but it's good to know that we could likely book now to try and get the best price and add her officially once she's born. I'll find out how they book bulkhead seats/bassinets etc. We'll probably just get her a UK passport for now, as we'll be travelling together so it won't make much difference in terms of whizzing through customs as he only has a UK passport anyhow.

I've emailed my mom to get on the case re: borrowing a car seat, pram and a bed for while we're there. They know a million people with kids so I'm sure it'll be ok.

I have a sling, and I intend to BF (fingers crossed) so we'll aim for that, and pack as little as possible for on board. I am pretty low maintenance and I hate being loaded down anyhow, so I don't mind taking just the essentials. Your tips are invaluable though!

However - it's just occurred to me - if we don't take the car seat how do we get bubs to the airport? We don't have a car, and a taxi won't take us without a car seat. And while I'd happily bus/train it to the airport for a weekend city break, trying to do that with a baby in a sling and big suitcases is probably a recipe for lots of stress. Hmmm. I don't really have anyone who could take us either, apart from possibly FIL - but we'd have to leave the car seat with him and also request a pick up. It would be a bit of a favour to ask but I suppose there's enough time to put the idea out there.

Thank goodness for all the great advice available here. Phew! :)

You have a couple of options re: the car seat.

Some taxi firms have car seats they will let you use - you want to check with them ahead of time, and possibily visit to check the seat - they are not always good at telling Stage 0 seats from Stage 1, ime.

I think riding in a car with a sling (with the seatbelt between the sling and you, iyswim) is pretty safe, although obviously much less safe than a car seat.

You could take the bus/train to the airport, with your baby, while your partner (if travelling?) takes a taxi with bags.

(Oh, and BA is a lot better for travelling with babies than Air Canada and (I suspect) Canadian Affair. Their basinets are just a lot bigger.)

Looks like most of your questions have been answered but just thought I would add about the passport. Getting a British passport would be quickest if she's born in UK, we had the same situation, DH British and me Australian.

It is really easy to get a passport, only takes about two weeks. Take the photo yourself from above the baby when they are lying on their back on a pale background and use passpic website, they come up really well.

I'm guessing Canada would be the same as Oz in that you have to first apply for Citizenship and then passport afterwards so unless you are really organised you might struggle to get it all done before you go.

We flew back to Australia when dd was 6 months old and it was so easy, she was just happy to be held and I agree that bfing makes it easier, the thought of the flight helped me through those difficult early days on bfing tbh.

Not Canadian Affair. Cheap yes but not alwasy cheerful. I'd certainly be looking at cost comparing them with say BA or AC, personally with children I would rather use BA.

Taxi firms will provide a baby car seat to take your family to the airport in question so that should not be a problem.

Thanks NotQuite. I had no idea re: taxis - I'll look into that. Our local firm has a huge fleet and does airport runs, so maybe they will have a decent car seat option.

I could also get a taxi to Piccadilly station and a train to the airport from there - that might not be too bad and would save a lot of cash. However getting back is trickier - as black cabs won't have car seats on the spot. Can you ride in a black cab with a baby in a sling?

Canadian Affair fits our v. limited budget - and we'd want to fly direct from Manchester - Toronto too. I don't think BA flies direct, and I'd rather avoid a change at Heathrow. Air Canada does, but has always been shockingly expensive when I've checked out fares in the past. I had good flights with KLM last year, but you have to change in Amsterdam or Paris and I want to avoid stopovers. So Canadian Affair it is I think...

Yes you're right re BA not flying direct to Toronto from Manchester and you're wise too to avoid stopovers.

Would still cost compare and have a close look at what is offered on AC as well as TC; cheap is not always cheerful (many people who have used Thomas Cook have complained about lack of legroom on their aircraft so if you're very tall that needs consideration).

Thank you so much for the further advice - Annie, it's especially good to know you've done the exact flight I'm thinking of and are in a very similar position to me immigration wise too! I have ILR, and we're not married yet. I intend to get her dual nationality but for the wedding, a UK passport will do. I know how awkward the Home Office can be so that's a good tip re: not messing up her UK application.

I've had a quick look and Air Canada would involve a change via London, so that's probably out.

My DP is very tall (6'6") so we'd have to ensure bulkhead or premium economy seats for him anyhow. I have sat squashed in normal Can Affair economy seats many a time myself and it was pretty cramped - I wouldn't want to do it with a baby anyhow, but he could never manage.

Funny how I have of course observed people flying with babies and young children many time over the years, but never really paid attention... :)

Thanks Annie! I will definitely PM you if I need to chat about things, and thanks for the offer. We're in Manchester and I've been here for 12 years. (!)

I've also flown Canadian Affair from Manc and back and would second that they're great :) Didn't have a baby then but the cabin crew were the nicest I have ever encountered and the (veggie) food was actually quite nice!

Whichever airline you book with, once you've booked your tickets call them up and make sure they know you'll be travelling with a baby. You have to do this because items such as sky cots MUST be pre-booked. If you don't pre-book don't assume they'll have one on board for you and by the time you board it's too late to ask! Also, not all airlines provide sky cots - BA and Virgin do - but I don't know about others.

And you'll be fine. I was living in NYC when my DS was born and we flew over to the UK (just me and him), when he was 4 months old. He was good as gold and the staff and my fellow passengers were all very kind when they saw me travelling alone with a baby. Definitely take a sling or baby carrier on board with you as it's useful for soothing them to sleep and saving your aching arms. Take twice as many nappies as you think you'll need (some babies get diarrhea on planes), some spare clothes for baby, a clean top for you, and a blanket or two - it can get cold - particularly on overnight flights.

I'm working on teaching my mom how to use Skype... we'll see if we get there. ;) She's also planning to visit for 2 weeks in late June once baby is here.

Yep, 12 years... I came here in my early 20s on an ancestry visa and then settled. Haven't got my UK passport yet as it's too expensive and I don't really need it, apart from the convenience when travelling. I would really struggle to go back to Canada now in terms of virtually having to start over again, but we have thought about it now that we'll have a child's upbringing to consider. Last time I was back in Toronto I felt like I could go back, it was lovely!

Juneau, will definitely make sure I have a chat with Canadian Affair to get the full low down on booking sky cots if they have them. I agree that it's never worth leaving these things to chance!

Don't worry about using Canadian Affair - I've used them between the UK and Canada (to Calgary - a longer flight) a minimum of once a year...often twice...for 6 years now and had no problems whatsoever :) Oh, other than once when the flight was a Monarch flight (don't think they use them any more?) and the crew were awfully grumpy and the pilot was crap too - it was the worst landing I've ever experienced! Their Thomas Cook and Air Transat flights have always been fine.