Flying with a 4 month old baby

[ALS17081982]

Hello,

We are looking to fly to New York from the U.K. (7 hour flight) with a 4 month old baby late this year, probably with British Airways.

Has anyone flown long distance with a baby this age?

It looks like with BA we can take the pushchair for free and 10kg luggage but we'd need to pay to take the carrycot and car seat (assuming we don't buy an extra seat).

What did you take for the baby in terms of pushchair/carrycot/car seat? Did you have extra charges to pay and did it all go in haul?

Thanks!

We flew from London to Sydney (and back), so a 24 hour flight, with a six month old. It wasn't too bad. We took the pushchair, which which went in the oversize luggage bit from memory (it was quite a few years ago now), but it was there ready and waiting when we got off the flight. We hired a car seat with the car hire, and we rented a house that had a cot available, which you might be able to do.

The flight itself wasn't too bad. She was breast fed, so I didn't have to worry about taking milk with us, although we did fly with our older non-breast fed child at a different time and just ordered the milk we needed for the flight from Boots in Gatwick, ready to collect after security. I took ready-packaged baby food which the flight crew heated for me, and I took plenty of nappies and changes of clothes. I organised a little change mat bag thing from Jojo Maman Bebe, which was a pouch that folded out into a change mat, with some pockets for supplies. I put a couple of nappies, wipes etc in that, and just left it in the seat pocket so I could easily grab it to take it to change the baby.

It was fine, to be honest. I did have access to a bassinet, but I found she slept best in my arms. I was knackered at the end of the flight, but the kids were fine.

Thanks! I guess I'm just not sure whether our baby will be in the pram or pushchair by this point. I think pram would be easier as I'd have to pay separate to take the pram carrycot and car seat.

Babies are excellent value on planes. BA allow you to take a car seat, buggy, one extra carry on bag and one extra hold bag. In addition, you get priority boarding and the comfy seats with lots of leg room.

See www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/family-travel/baggage?clickpage=resp-information--family-travel--index&kmtag=c&ban=||DHC|1x2|CTA1|||||||||L2|||||||

We didn't take anything other than a sling, but on the way back we used the baby's free baggage allowance to import a huge baby play thing.

You could take the car seat and pushchair frame only? So use the adapters so she travels in the car seat only? We did that when DD was about that age and it worked pretty well. As long the car seat can be fitted with a seatbelt and doesn’t require isofix though as American cars use a different system. At 4 months I’d imagine you’d be just out of the carry cot stage, mine certainly didn’t want to lie flat all the time at that age.

Actuallg ignore me, DH has pointed out that the US latch system and the European isofix are one of the same so reckons an isofix base should fit in a US car. Install might be fiddly though! So definitely easier if you have an infant seat you can use with a seatbelt though, especially if you are planning on taking taxis (which would be another reason why the car seat only gets my vote- much safer to have the seat)

@TroubledLichen The isofix base will not fit, it is a slightly different system! Just incase you ever thought about using jt. Research a lot before you go.

I flew to Montreal in Canada with my Ds twice, once at 4 months and again at 6 months. Flight time is the same.
We flew BA and I did use the bassinet both times and found it a godsend (mixed reviews from people)
Baby got the full lugagge allowance and I brought my pram but it is one that lies flat and folds all in one.
I gatechecked the pram but both times (at destination and on return to the UK) the pram was only available to collect with luggage after passport control so I would bring a sling/carrier.
I packed a grobag for ds to go in onboard the plane to keep warm and he travelled in sleepsuits both times.
I believe you can also check in a carseat for free. I borrowed one from my sister at my destination so I am not 100% sure sorry.

I did it solo as DH had no leave left and it was surprisingly fine. Have a positive mindset!

I take back what I said about the isofix not fitting. I was told in person at a carseat centre that it would not but from looking online it seems it will.

We flew BA to Toronto and a family had a very young baby. The poor little mite had to be strapped into the airline cot for take off and was bawling its eyes out. The mother was very distressed as she couldn't get out of her seat to pick up the baby. Obviously once we'd reached altitude and the seat sign went off she picked up the baby and the crying stopped, but either bear this in mind or check out the airline's policy on take off and landing.

How weird. When I flew with my baby on Emirates, I wasn't allowed to have him in the bassinet on take off, landing or during turbulence. He had to be held by me, and IIRC, was secured with a baby belt attached to my seatbelt.

Maybe different airlines different policies?

Different airplanes have different bassinets. I know on saa they don't have a harness in it so you hold the baby take off and landing.

Just did London to Durban by myself with my 5 month old.

It was fine. I've got the babyzen Yoyo which can be in overhead compartment (though I didn't bother with that). I put her in the sling to get on and of the planes and her pram was available just after the wheel chairs at the gate so check the airlines policy of where they drop it off.

I brought her blanket and a black out muslin and snooze shade as the flight was overnight and I put it over for her to sleep.

My advice was don't take a lot on the plane. I took her changing bag and a small backpack. But I was travelling by myself and needed to get my luggage and had a stopover ect so I needed to be practice!

Sorry, why would you need to car seat? For cabs? Or are you hiring a car (sorry if I missed that)

I also had to hold my baby during take off and landing and any turbulence!

The car seat would be for cabs