that long walk to passport control with a toddler and no pushchair

[bettya]

Is it just me or is that walk from the plane to passport control with a toddler becoming more difficult. When she was tiny it was fine I could pick her up for the walk but now its getting almost impossible to pick her up and walk for more than a minute. Anybody else have the same problem and how do you cope? is there any way to get them to bring the pushchair to the plane door?

There is no way we could everything in a rucksack as dh always has his work bag with him so we are automatically onto two (and his work bag weighs a ton!)

Most of the time it isn't an issue but there are times when the kids are sleepy or you are miles from passport control etc where it is worth a whinge!!

what is sanctimonious is all the posters saying they cannot understand why the OP cannot just carry the child. Or why the child cannot hold hands and walk. Or why people need to carry so much stuff. Or that anyone might have different needs and experiences from their own and should just manage because they once did under probably different circumstances and are generally just a better person.

Not a non issue when 34 weeks pregnant though! Amazingly a golf buggy thing was waiting for me, and 2.5 year old ds, at Gatwick when we flew back. Didn't request it but perhaps the air crew took pity on me?

And I agree, trying to coax a tired toddler to walk is a frustrating hiding to nowhere! another reason I dislike flying from Gatwick.

Quangle - I was referring to the original poster - no mention of sickness or two children.

I have 2 children 13 months apart so I am well aware of how difficult it can be. I remember taking them to visit my mum by public transport - bus, then train then bus, they were age 2 and half and 3 and a half, with a single basic stroller and their stuff in a back pack. On the way home, both were sick and then fell asleep on the last bus - which then decided to re-route itself leaving me with at least a mile to walk with 2 sleeping heavy children covered in vomit - i'd rather not repeat that either.

So, on that basis, I think the OP is a non issue.

Toddler on shoulders, usually good until 3yo.

Agreed bonzo. For some it's a "nightmare" for others it's a non issue.

I fly a few times a year alone with a toddler and I've never found it that bad. Meh.

I used a sling and then got a quinny zapp - which was smaller than a carry on bag so always got it on!
Any time cabin crew looked at it o would look pointedly at the business man nearest and his wheely bag
(Didn't put it in its carry bag as looked bigger that way.)

Two toddlers, 12m apart. Usually long haul to the wrong side of the US. gatwick do not return pushchairs at the gate and it can be a very long walk. Never any pushchairs around, despite the promises.
Heathrow T5 is great though.

But your example is a series of bad things happening and you being left in the lurch by the bus. Bad stuff that happens to us all sometimes.

In an airport it's designed so that you have a mile long walk with sleeping children. No accident, no mistake or cancelled bus. Just a process that's been designed without the needs of users being taken into account. And these are not special needs. They are just not needs that an able-bodied business man travelling alone has. And that's the problem.

Also, it can depend what aircraft you are flying on. Some aircraft have a container loaded on with luggage and that's where buggies can up, and are difficult to find, hence why some end up in the carousel. So, it's hit and miss really.

Those golf buggies are great if you've a long walk, if there's room to hitch a lift.

Trunki?

You pay a fortune in Europe and the US for airport taxes, why shouldn't they provide wheelchairs/golf buggies for single traveller parents struggling along with babies, toddlers and luggage.

I never travelled abroad when mine were small but travel a lot for work now and see plenty of people using wheelchairs with one member of staff pushing them and another wheeling the luggage. Why is it not acceptable for a struggling parent to have an extra pair of hands to help? I would not like my DD to be in the OP's position. As well as it being difficult travelling through the terminals, getting to the loo can't be easy either.

U.S. airports are great. Newark wants your kid in a stroller and will go dig it out so you have it. Scandinavian airports need to be demolished. No strollers allowed at all plus stairs, lots of them. The Danes can stick their modern design where the sun don't shine. They add levels with stairs only for no good reason at some of the airports.

Checking in your stroller when on a European flight is somewhat doable but when I have flown from Newark to Copenhagen and then taking a puddle jump up to Jutland I need the stroller. Cph has strollers which DD got really sick from.

This sounds awful but best way forward was to kick up a fuss and demand either my stroller at the gate or assistance from arrival terminal to departing terminal. First time on my own I had dd on my shoulders and DS on my front with everything else in my hands. I was a human donkey.

It can be tough, especially if you've had a long flight and little sleep yourself. I have managed with a carrier for a back carry (ours is an "Onya Baby" which I love) and a wheeled case for our hand luggage. I put a fabric tote in the case with the stuff I want constant access to, and the case minus the tote goes overhead on the plane.

So the seemingly endless walk to the baggage and your stroller is done with toddler on your back and the weight of your hand luggage on the wheels on the floor.

If you have to carry everything including check in luggage, I've done it with a big case on wheels, hand luggage in a rucksack on my front, and child in a back carry.

Good luck!

You need this link...
Wow.rideoncarryon.com
Sorry, am on phone so can't do a clicky, but trust me, you need this invention.

Two worst occasions, both with no buggy:

1. Infant DS, flight on my own bringing him home (both DCs adopted and born overseas). Had car seat and sling and various luggage. No carts or any offer of assistance and all crew and ground staff had vanished by the time I got off the plane. Kind passenger in wheelchair carried car seat on their lap with DS in sling. Got to passport control and followed kind passenger through. Told off for going through disabled queue. Hello, I'm sleep deprived and carrying a baby here. You don't expect me to read too?

(Intervening occasions on which we either had a buggy or one DC and a sling, and went to the UK passport queue only to be told off because one DC didn't have their UK passport yet).

2. Buggy hadn't turned up at plane door, "Oh we never take them to the plane door" (yes, some places they do, we are not psychic...). DS 3y was running riot, managed to walk to passport control but he kept running under barriers. Baby DD in sling but we do need the buggy to control DS! Arrived at non-UK section to find... vvvvvvv long queue of passengers from a non-English-speaking non-European (obviously) country filling up the entire queue in front of us and all failing to understand the translations of different relevant but slightly distinct phrases like "where do you live permanently and where will you stay in the UK".

I love the 'aren't you shit' brigade. I fly a LOT with DD (like 30 flights before she was 4) and I remember with horror the walk through Gatwick with a jet-lagged, screaming DD, all off-the-charts weight of her. One hand luggage for her, nappy bag and one for me. She can't use a Trunki, couldn't be trusted to walk (and didn't want to because she was tired and out of her routine). I ended up trying to hand her to an employee, who THEN decided to help me with passport control. This is a kid who could walk 6km at 2 yo on a good day, cheerful as anything.

Ergo sling, next to no hand luggage, ask for help early if you need some. I breeze through now.

There is a small stroller by mountain buggy that is $150 new. It folds up into nothing. It's like magic. Perfect for airports.

You pay a fortune in Europe and the US for airport taxes, why shouldn't they provide wheelchairs/golf buggies for single traveller parents struggling along with babies, toddlers and luggage

Because the airport taxes cover:
•R255 VAT on the ticket ( 14% of R1820 fare which the government takes)
•R172 passenger service charge (which the airport takes)
•R22 passenger safety charge (goes to the Civil Aviation Authority to pay for “safety promotion activities” like pilot training exams/programs)

plus a fuel surcharge which goes to the airline.

So most of the taxes don't go to the airport.

see plenty of people using wheelchairs with one member of staff pushing them and another wheeling the luggage

Presumably these people that you have seen are disabled, which is why they need disabled amenities.

Why is it not acceptable for a struggling parent to have an extra pair of hands to help

I travel a lot alone with a small child. I generally find both the other passengers and airline and airport staff to be incredibly helpful. I don't expect, though, to be wheeled past everyone by some minion like the Queen of Sheba :)

getting to the loo can't be easy either

It's very straightforward. DS comes with me.

I am looking at the small fold up strollers at the moment but it seems a bit hit and miss as to whether they allow them on the plane as hand luggage.

I do not mind spending the money but only if I can be certain they will let it on.

The babyzen yoyo can def go on. But will count as the handluggage, so if an under two without seat you will only be allowed the babyzen and no bag. Handbag allowed on some airlines as well. If over 2 can use the babyzen as child's hand luggage

Ass- on my own with 2 under 2 I consider myself disabled. I can't go to the bathroom without assistance and having done it, it wasn't safe for me to carry them both on my own. I was a danger to myself, my children and other passengers. I am not the only one who struggles either. There was a couple with a toddler at Copenhagen airport where they have a no stroller rule. Said toddler was an inch away from losing their hand in the carousel. If that child had been in their stroller there wouldn't have been a near miss. As it was their hand got stuck and only needed about 30 stitches.

With your attitude I can only assume you work for an airline/airport.

But you're not disabled Want2b are you? You're inconvenienced, which is different.

Would you park in a disabled space if you had three toddlers and was struggling to get them in and out of the car and across the carpark? Because it's annoying, it's hard and it's inconvenient, but it doesn't make you entitled to use something that isn't meant for you.

A toddler sticking its hand in the carousel and injuring itself is the result of poor parental supervision, not a failure on the part of the airport.

Want2 - why not? We have 15 month gap, can't say it's ever been a problem taking them to toilet or flying alone with them.

How have you managed not being able to go to the toilet outside alone? When tiny just had newborn in sling, and sat eldest on travel mat at feet. Then eldest stood and baby sat on mat. Then both stood once able.

The child being able to get fingers on carasol is just stupid. The parents shouldn't have been near it, especially if x2 adults! It only takes one to collect case. If only one adult sit child away from it whilst you collect or hold and ask someone to pull it off for you. You wouldn't strap child in pram away from cooker, you just teach them to not touch or stay away

Ive taken a micro scooter before... take the handle bar off ( little red tab underneath) and put the two sections together in bag or just loose. Worked very well.