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Original poster

Some questions about taking a baby on holiday

57 replies

Eminybob · 04/09/2014 14:14

I may be mad but am thinking of going on holiday when my DS will be 4 months old.

Hopefully I'll still be ebf at that point so won't need to worry about food/milk for him. (But any advice in this department would be helpful in case he's on formula for some reason or if he's started weaning early)

Some specific questions I have:

Does the luggage allowance usually include a bag for baby?
Does the pram get checked in?
And if so does that mean I have to carry DS after check in or does it go on after security?
Does the pram count towards luggage allowance?
On the coach transfer does DS sit on my knee or do I need to take car seat?
When including DS on booking will hotel automatically put a cot in the room or do I have to request one?

I know that the holiday company should be able to answer these but I'm not booking just yet, just wanted to ask about other peoples experiences.

Any other advice also appreciated. I'm sure I'll have more questions...

Thanks.

OP posts:
Kurololi · 04/09/2014 14:21

Bumping as I'm thinking of taking my baby on holiday at 8 months and would love to know the answers too!

Stars66 · 04/09/2014 14:25

Luggage usually includes babies stuff. But you get another bag for hand luggage. We have always taken pram to the gate, but you don't get it back till luggage collection, so it's an idea to take a sling with you on both flights, places like heathrow have a massive walk.
Rooms usually put cot in straight away when you include baby on booking, but you can always email the hotel in advance to check.
I can't remember your other questions!!

But I generally think it's great to travel with kids. Remember there are children all over the world!! Wink

Original poster
Eminybob · 04/09/2014 14:27

Thanks stars that's very helpful.

I'm a proper stress head when it comes to holidays anyway so adding a baby to the mix is making my head explode!

OP posts:
Stars66 · 04/09/2014 14:28

Oh car seat. Now that a tricky one. We hired a car so hired a car seat, but otherwise coaches would not provide a seat, so either trust that they do that journey a lot, and have baby on your lap (we also did this) or wear baby in a sling and seatbelt?

Original poster
Eminybob · 04/09/2014 14:30

Oh and if it says that the luggage allowance is 15kg per person, does that mean baby gets his own 15kg?

OP posts:
Stars66 · 04/09/2014 14:31

It's just the packing! We took dd to Greece when she was 7 months. We took SO much stuff, toys, a million outfits and nappies... But we barely used any of it. She wanted to play with water bottles (!!) and climb over new stuff in the hotel room, or we were out or by the pool, so needed a rubber ring, ball and one toy. Again, remember you can always buy nappies, toys and travel wash is a god send!! Smile
Enjoy!!!

Stars66 · 04/09/2014 14:32

I don't think baby gets the same luggage allowance - check the small print. Our Greece trip was with a company and dd got 10kgs and we got 15kgs.

BertieBotts · 04/09/2014 14:32

Most of these will depend on the airline or hotel in question.

You can usually take a pram or car seat for free. I think you get a baggage allowance for a baby but it's smaller - 5kg rather than 10kg I think. In any case you can put baby stuff in yours. This will depend on airline.

Pram/car seat if it's checked doesn't count towards luggage allowance but will have a weight limit of its own, usually 10kg.

If you want to take the car seat on the plane you can usually do that (check the seat is plane approved) but you have to buy a seat for the baby. This is safer in the unlikely event of a crash.

Coach transfer (from where to where?), 99.99999% of situations you carry him on your lap.

Ask about cot. Totally depends on hotel policy.

TarkaTheOtter · 04/09/2014 14:35

Check with the airline about luggage as it can vary. Most allow you to take two of the following for free when you book infant ticket: travel cot/pushchair/car seat
They might also allow an extra (small) cabin bag.
The pushchair can be taken to the plane. Sometimes you get it back at the gate, sometimes at baggage reclaim. Depends on airline/airport.

I'd always phone hotel to confirm travel cot.

You could always look at private transfers and take a car seat if you are not happy about baby on lap on coach.

Sidge · 04/09/2014 14:35

Infants without a seat don't get any luggage allowance usually, but you can take an extra cabin bag for them.

Take a sling as buggies usually get taken off you at the gate as you board and then you don't get them back until baggage reclaim, and you may have a long walk from the gate. Buggies don't count in your baggage weight allowance but don't take anything pram-like, large, heavy or precious. They get slung around.

Babies usually go on your lap for any coach transfer but of course you could take a car seat. If hiring a car you can hire a car seat to go in it.

Hotels vary in their planning and provision IME - I would book and then email the hotel to confirm a cot with bedding will be provided!

LIZS · 04/09/2014 14:36

Baby's allowance depends on airline . Often they get no hold baggage allowance unless you pay for a seat but can have a pushchair/carseat and hand luggage. You should request a cot and he'd travel on your lap for transfer unless the coach/bus isn't full, but most aren't equipped to take baby carseats anyway.

BertieBotts · 04/09/2014 14:36

Never ever put a seatbelt over you and the baby. Death trap in the case of an accident, you would crush them. If you must, put baby in sling and thread the seatbelt around you but not the baby, but it's not really any more protection than in your arms.

cathpip · 04/09/2014 14:36

Some flight companies allow a baggage allowance of 10kg for baby, it's worth checking. They took our buggy at the aircraft, but take a sling as it will be on the luggage carousel for collection, they do not count buggys as part of allowance. We also took our car seat and handed it in at checkin but this was because we were hiring a car and friends had told us to take our own rather than hiring a seat. We also collected this from the luggage carousel, this was also not included in luggage allowance.

Thumbwitch · 04/09/2014 14:38

Depends on how far you're travelling too - DS2 has had a full luggage allowance both trips Australia-UK and back that I've done with him, despite him not having a seat - but that's longhaul with BA. Other airlines will be different, and may be different between longhaul and shorthaul.

Only1scoop · 04/09/2014 14:38

If baby doesn't have own seat then will not get luggage allowance. Your buggy can usually be checked in at no extra charge and won't count toward your allowance.

If its a good star quality hotel then request a cot....if in any doubt take one with you. We used to take a really light pop up samsonite one.

I remember taking dd only to Ireland 50 mins on the aircraft....we took all but the kitchen sink!!

We love walking so took dd in rucksack to aircraft and just stowed it in overhead locker....

Happy hols Smile

Only1scoop · 04/09/2014 14:39

That would be 'baby carrier rucksack'

Not just a normal one Blush

OneLittleToddleTerror · 04/09/2014 14:43

Depends on airline. Check with them. I have flown quite a bit with DD as an infant but only with the non budget. Infants get their own luggage allowance but might not be the same as you. They also get a pram and a car seat thrown in for free (again depends on airline). Only smaller type stroller are allowed to be pushed to gate and that again depends on airline what is small enough. One airline said umbrella type but then they did give a plastic bag at gate to put pushchairs into, which is very very nice. Depedent on airport terminal, you may or may not get back the stroller immediately on landing. I don't know if it's true, the flight attendant told me one of the heathrow terminals is the only one in the world that you aren't given the stroller back until luggage reclaim. But certainly in my experience I always have been able to wait near the plane and get my pushchair back overseas, before proceeding to normal luggage and passport.

OneLittleToddleTerror · 04/09/2014 14:44

And no I never bought my DD a seat until 2! Airline does very a lot with luggage allowance. MIL is flying Malaysian airline this month from NZ and she was given 30kg for economy tickets.

Thumbwitch · 04/09/2014 14:47

Oo - important point! Our last trip back to the UK (BA into H'row), we weren't expecting the umbrella-fold stroller to be anywhere near the plane, so didn't look for it but by the merest chance, as we came off the plane, DS1 turned the wrong way - and saw it on the floor there! I'd have missed it if he hadn't turned the wrong way and would have then been in a position of "where the fuck is it?" at baggage reclaim. I was very happy to see it there, I have to say - but it's not usually been available prior to baggage reclaim.

But you DEFINITELY don't get it back until baggage reclaim at Sydney Kingsford Smith - it's usually not even on the same carousel! bastards

endoflevelbaddy · 04/09/2014 14:49

We just flew with Thomas Cook to the canaries and our infant with no seat of her own got a 10kg hold luggage allowance but no hand luggage allowance. Those with a seat i.e. DH, older DD and I had 20kg hold luggage and 5kg hand luggage each. I know Thomson's offered the same as we were comparing between the 2.
We also took a buggy that was an extra, so not included in any of those weights, and had the option of leaving with baggage drop or taking to the gate.
Would echo a sling / carrier for baby in between as getting off the plane and through security with hand luggage and carrying baby is easier said than done.

OneLittleToddleTerror · 04/09/2014 14:51

thumbwitch the flight attendant was talking bs then. I'm sure heathrow can't be the only one that throws pushchairs on the carousel. Yes those bastards damaged my maclaren last time!

I think heathrow t5 also returns at gate near the bridge but I'm not 100% sure.

OneLittleToddleTerror · 04/09/2014 14:53

Misread your post! Heathrow is hit and miss. I have had it back mostly with the fragiles ie not the carousel. Once I found it damaged on the caurosel. The hood clip was sheared off and one of the wheels was banged so badly it didn't turn properly. The airline accepted responsibility and paid for repair. But it took a month.

Original poster
Eminybob · 04/09/2014 14:57

So would I need to get a small pushchair? I have a mamas and papas zoom travel system which is quite bulky but the chair attachment lies flat so would want to take it if possible.

OP posts:
OneLittleToddleTerror · 04/09/2014 15:00

eminybob which airline is it? Google for airline name and infant luggage allowance. That would give you the answer.

BertieBotts · 04/09/2014 15:00

How small does it fold? I would check with the airline. Some umbrella folds lie flat (or close to flat) too, though.

How they treat it on the plane depends on the airline - we checked in a high backed booster seat when we moved to Germany and it was fine and not damaged, they stuck a "fragile" sticker on it. This was Ryanair so not known for their care but it was a good experience.

But others are right, it depends on the airport as to where you get it back. Most have a separate "bulky and delicate items" drop off point.