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Original poster

Italy/MaxiCosi/BA/Aptamil - too many questions!!

7 replies

BabyO1 · 15/04/2011 09:20

Hi Everyone,
OK, first holiday abroad with Grandparents and little O who is 5 months. Off to Italy with BA. Things I'm most puzzled about are as follows - help!!

  1. We have a Maxi Cosi Mura with Car Seat and want to take them both. WIll the Mura get damaged in the hold, and will they let us take the car seat on board?
  2. BA - as there are 4 adults and one little baby, will they do a bassinet for us?
  3. Aptamil. She's on Ready Made Cartons at the moment, and she's never had powdered. Should I take 70 cartons with me, or start her on powdered now and just take that.
  4. What on earth do you do with regards to feed and formula and security?!

Thanks so much

OP posts:
Bucharest · 15/04/2011 09:27

1/2, dunno, you'll have to ask BA, I only do the Italy run on Ryanair.....I do know you can take the pushchairs to the plane steps and then they are put in the hold, I presume the carseat will have to be checked in, I've never travelled with one though so don't know how boshed about they get. For such a short flight I wouldn't imagine they even use planes with the bassinet feature, (I have done BA once Italy-Heathrow and they are quite small planes, didn't notice any bassinets) I know with el cheapo you're just expected to hold such a small baby.

I have seen aptamil in Italy before, I'm fairly sure, but don't hold me to it....best thing would be to send them a quick email and ask? (sometimes stuff is marketed under different names) One thing to bear in mind is formula here is phenomenally expensive compared to the UK. I bf but did have one tub of something generic in the house just in case, and remember I paid 28 euro for 500g of powder. So, I guess a tub or two of powder would be your best bet.

Re the security thing. They'll let you take 100ml of liquid ready made up, as long as it's packaged in separate plastic bags. I've seen them insisting mothers try the contents of a bottle as a further security check. Basically the rules are if you can pour it, spread it or spoon it, you can only take it in 100ml packages.

Original poster
BabyO1 · 15/04/2011 09:33

Great, thanks very much for the info. Interesting re: formula, as yes I've heard they are very pro breast feeding in Italy so Formula is very expensive.

OP posts:
Original poster
BabyO1 · 15/04/2011 09:42

Someone also told me you can get a special bag to put a Bugaboo in for the plane, wondered if they did one for Maxi Cosi?

OP posts:
ZenNudist · 15/04/2011 09:53

We flew BA to Italy recently with our 6.5mo ds.

  1. We took our pushchair up to the gate then it went in the hold & came out with the luggage. It had a sticker on. We checked the car seat in addition to our cases. We put it in a bag from sunshine kids but you could just wrap it up.
  2. Don't know, ask BA? We just had an extension seat belt & ds sat on our laps (also travelled with gps). We booked him his own seat which was great for the space & of course his luggage allowance!
  3. Don't know, I bf
  4. I just put baby food in my luggage well wrapped up. Took 2 cartons on board in hand luggage. Showed it to the security guy at the same time as my liquids bag. I'm told you can take loads of food & formula on with you but it's only a 2 hour flight so didn't want to carry more than I needed to.
HTH
juneau · 15/04/2011 10:00
  1. You won't be able to take the car seat on board - it will need to be checked with your luggage. Besides, it won't be of any use to you on board, so you might as well check it.
  2. No, you only get bassinets on long-haul flights. Baby will have to sit on someone's lap. You get a special belt to attach baby to your seat belt.
  3. Don't know
  4. You can take powdered formula through, no problem. You may be asked to open and taste any liquid formula or baby food by security. It's horrible being asked to do it - I threw a fit once at security because I was taking an 8-hour flight with DS on my own and they made me open and taste every single jar of food I had for him (thereby contaminating it). I was nearly arrested for kicking up a fuss Sad
butterscotch · 15/04/2011 10:01

Not done Italy but when we went to canaries I took 4 bottles with water in and security made me taste the cooled boiled water from one bottle and were happy to take that as satisfied, I bought a carton of formula with me but ran out and had to buy more there was much more expensive!
I'd take at least one extra bottle than you think you need in hand luggage/nappy bag incase case goes missing etc...
We took a stroller for our dd at 4 months as she was able to hold her head and tis a damn sight lighter!
Car seat I'd personally not bother unless your going in a family/friends car when you get there as all car hire companies have them available to book but for me ots just another thing to lug!!!

LIZS · 15/04/2011 10:09

looks like you can get it there not sure about cartons certainly they used to be more readly available in UK. You may find it in a pharmacy rather than supermarket. Don't think you can get bassinettes on short haul, have you booked a seat for her because we used a baby seat on a "spare" regular seat one flight. You take the pushcair to the gate and fold it there - tbh you just have to chance it, make sure straps are tied away or have a big plastic sack to hand.

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