long haul with an 18 month old quantas

[potas]

Have tried phoning the airline - quantas - to get advice but can't get through so hoping someone will have experience of this

My son still has bottles of milk ( cows milk) at bedtime and breakfast. Can we take milk on board - how much?
Will the stewardesses be able to put it in the fridge for us?
Or will they have fresh milk on board that we can use?

With the stroller does that get taken away at check in or can we use it up to departure

Do I have to request a meal for my son? I can't do it under his name online so would have to do it under mine - would I still get a normal meal?

No answer to any of my emails and can't get them on the phone and just want to make things go as smoothly as possible
Thanks

You can take milk on board but you won't be able to take it through airport security so you will have to rely on buying it at the airport. Not sure about using the fridge. In my experience long haul flights do have fresh or UHT milk on board, but it is a good idea to check. If they don't answer the phone you might do better with an email or contact form on the website, or try twitter or Facebook?

I've done a lot of long haul flights with babies and small children, and I have always taken food with me rather than rely on airline food - it never arrives at the time they are hungry, and it's usually stuff they won't eat anyway. I take a packed lunch plus lots of extra fruit, snacks, bread rolls etc. You just have to be careful to avoid anything like yoghurt or fromage frais that counts as liquid and so causes problems with airline security.

You can usually take the buggy as far as the gate and they will put it in the hold for you then. If you are lucky it will get handed back to you as you disembark the other end, but sometimes they get put in with the other luggage so you have to manage without a buggy as far as the carousel.

If you are travelling solo with a toddler and think you are going to have trouble managing him plus everything you have to carry, you could try requesting airline assistance - it may mean waiting until everyone else is off the plane, but they will then allocate someone to help you with everything as far as the baggage reclaim.

Buy toddler milk in sealed bottles for the flight. This will ensure you can carry it on.

Usually you can take your striker right up to the gate and they will out it on the flight for you and have it at the gate when you get off.

If he is registered as traveling on the flight they will provide food. But remember how rank aeroplane foodnia and take lots of snacks. Take some sandwiches

You can take milk through security if it's for an infant. When I flew with my dd, I took nine avent bottles of cows milk as she wouldn't drink formula. I had to taste every one. And again when I changed.

They did put them in the fridge for me but you can't rely on it. I would take it in insulated packed lunch type bags with an ice brick.

Usually you don't get a meal if they don't have a seat. I have to take food when I fly anyway as my dd has allergies. Sometimes they count the food as a part of your luggage allowance.

Sorry my keyboard updated during that post!!

I traveled with DD at a similar age. I took powdered baby milk and asked the hostesses for warm water to make it up with when on the flight.

Because she did not have a seat she didn't get a meal but that didn't stop her finding the galley and spending a large part of the flight being fed apples and kit kats by the hostesses during quiet times. She also managed to make a break for it while I was dozing and was found in the Business section begging cheese from the passengers. She does love a bit of cheese my child, and had seen the cheese board being taken out during dinner service and followed the scent with grim determination.

Great - thanks.
Ive tried emailing but no reply.
Think I will just pack him lots of food and take some optimal cartons to be on the safe side.
cheers

I would use milk other than cows milk for the flights because they may well not want to put it in their fridge. They should have some fresh milk but again do not rely on them fully to provide this.

Stroller can be taken up to the aircraft gate.

Do not rely on the airline to fully provide re food; take what he likes and plenty of it.

Has he a seat?.

Hello, I've travelled Qantas several times, long haul with both of my girls who are currently aged 3 and 16 months.

Phone them up. Seriously. It is easy and the staff are extremely helpful. The onboard staff generally fall over themselves to help you out. The UK number is: 0845 7 747 767 or +44 208 600 4300.

An 18mth old without a seat will, I'm afraid to say, probably be given a baby meal which is generally jars of baby food. (By BLW DD2 was unimpressed and basically just ate off my plate or from the enormous stack of food I brought with me.) You can order 24 hrs in advance. Mention that on the phone. And take LOTS of food. Lots.

I'm not much help on the milk front as I breastfed them and the most recent trip the big one doesn't have milk anymore. However, my SIL brought her DD to Oz this Dec just gone and they bought toddler milk in those pre-prepared packs. The airline (they flew Qatar) said it was safer in terms of availability and sterilisation, and the best way to guarantee their DD got what she needed.

Stroller: can be taken up to the gate, however you will NOT get it back enroute e.g. if you have a stop in Dubai, you will not get your own stroller back. Next time you see your stroller will be at baggage collection. Dubai airport have awesome and multiple strollers obviously situated. They are tops - as are Dubai airport staff. We have always travelled with a sling. Invaluable. Highly recommended.

I hope this helps. Try to have a wonderful time!!

Quantas has great customer service. I'd be shocked if they weren't extremely helpful.

How annoying/ridiculous is it that you can't get through security with liquids? Time for a revolt.

I bought toddler food, snacks/nappies wipes/toddler milk etc for the journey from boots online and collected it at the airside branch once through security so i wasn't having to lug it all round the airport for too long. My twins weren't actually on formula at that stage (drank cows milk) but didn't want to risk not having enough or it not keeping for the flight and they were fine with cow and gate ready mix toddler milk.
People we were travelling with did not bring milk for their DD and relied on their being plenty on the plane- which there was not (virgin atlantic), stewardesses really reluctant to fill up bottles with it so i would definitely take your own.

Second the idea of pre ordering the milk you need from Boots and then picking it up airside as the experience with security may differ depending on who is on security, you may have to break the seal on some or all of the bottles you bring. You can take the stroller to the plane, but won't get it in Australia until the baggage carousel, not matter what they tell you at check in in the UK. In my experience babies booked on your seat don't get a meal and as others have said, the meals may not come at appropriate times, so it is easiest to bring food too. Again, you can pre order pouches etc from Boots if you use those. Have fun!