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Original poster

How to manage large amounts of luggage and children at the airport?

50 replies

ZingyLemon · 15/01/2022 15:07

Not sure that my title is clear and am bracing myself for snooty 'pack light' 'have less children' comments 😅

I only have two children actually but both under 10 and the youngest has additional needs. We are travelling at Easter for a weeks holiday (Covid allowing natch). We previously travelled regularly but it will have been more than two years and in that time the children have gotten physically bigger (bigger clothes) and youngest child now has a wheelchair. We always struggled a bit to manage and I'm wondering how we will do it this time given we will have:
Luggage - at least two decent sized suitcases. We have the one on wheels but they still need pulling!
Wheelchair
2 x car seats - we have a special travel bag for these which means one of us can carry them on our back. (We need a special car seat for youngest so no possibility of renting).
Hand luggage.

It's too much to fit on one luggage trolley and one person needs to be free to push DD!

Any good tips? I know the airport will help us but just getting from the car park is an issue (we usually pay for premium parking because managing a transfer bus is impossible)

OP posts:

alrightfella · 15/01/2022 16:33

For the 9yr old get a trunki booster rucksack. This can be his hand luggage and car seat in one. We had them for travelling they are fantastic.

Original poster

ZingyLemon · 15/01/2022 16:34

@Theyweretheworstoftimes

https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/accessibility-and-mobility-help/request-assistance

They are very good.

This is really useful thank you - it says they can meet us at the car which is basically the biggest issue

OP posts:

JustJam4Tea · 15/01/2022 16:36

There are services that send your stuff on ahead that aren’t that expensive…so you can travel with just hand luggage. Luggage free, send my luggage…

Original poster

ZingyLemon · 15/01/2022 16:38

Lots of comments along the same lines but in my experience it is too much to fit on one trolley; the ones at Heathrow and Luton certainly are pretty small. Balancing two big suitcases on this is tricky, anything else and you have a 'buckaroo' situation going on.

Also no chance will I put my skinny 9 year old on a trunki/bubblegum seat ever. I'd consider a 'proper' backless booster if I really had to but I'm a stickler for car seats and he will be in a proper HBB for all trips until he is at least 150cm (which is years away).

OP posts:

Original poster

ZingyLemon · 15/01/2022 16:39

@JustJam4Tea

There are services that send your stuff on ahead that aren’t that expensive…so you can travel with just hand luggage. Luggage free, send my luggage…

Well that would be amazing. I think I'd be scared stiff it wouldn't arrive and we'd be stranded with no luggage though 😅

OP posts:

LegallyBlende · 15/01/2022 16:42

Definitely book wheelchair assistance.

I use HBB at home but the Trunki car seat is actually very good. Important thing for that age is if it is holding the seat belt in the right place and this can be adjusted.

LegallyBlende · 15/01/2022 16:43

It's better than "proper" backless boosters

LaChanticleer · 15/01/2022 16:47

It's too much to fit on one luggage trolley

Really? I'd have thought most airport luggage trolleys would manage two suitcases + two car seats.

Is your DC in the wheel chair responsible/able enough to have something on his/her lap? Could make them feel very grown up & helpful, which children often enjoy.

Or do two trips. But really, try to play Tetris with the luggage trolley ...

DelphiniumBlue · 15/01/2022 16:55

Book airport assistance. Get yourself dropped off at the departures, and then you will be put on a cart and swished through the airport and helped onto and off the plane. It's free, you don't have to prove any disability, and it makes transit stress free. They see you through check in, passport control, past queues, it's just brilliant.

HappyAsASandboy · 15/01/2022 17:01

We have travelled with 3 kids under 7, and the associated baggage for two week holiday.

We split it. All luggage except small backpack hand luggage is managed by DH, so he has two large pull along holdalls plus a sizeable backpack for check in.

I had the hand luggage for all of us and the children and the buggy.

In your situation, I would assign two suitcases on wheels (plus a backpack if needed) to your DH. Then you put the hand luggage hanging on to the wheelchair, strap younger DS into the wheelchair, and have older DS walk next to the wheelchair. You only have to manage all of the hand luggage until DH has checked the main luggage in, and from baggage reclaim to the transfer coach, so not too far for older DS to have a backpack?

SeaToSki · 15/01/2022 17:02

Which airline are you flying with? If you go onto the manage my trip part of the website they is always a request special assistance part you can tick by each traveller. Look at the options and tick the one you want.

Its much better to do it with the airline as well/rather than the airport as the airline will send a person to push the wheelchair for you and that means you have an extra set of hands. They also can get you through security / immigration much faster as they are allowed to go through the fast track gates and know the set up. Then finally when you get to the gate they will take you down to the plane for preboarding and help the dc get situated in their seat. Do you know if you can take your wheelchair on the plane, or will you have to check it? Those are questions only the airline can help you with. They all also have a special assistance help line which you can call to ask questions.

I strongly suggest you lean heavily on the airline to make things easier for you. They will if you ask.

Also remember you wont have all that luggage as soon as you check in, so keep your carry on luggage as minimal as possible and see if you arrival airport has porters you can hire at baggage claim.

Make sure your carry on luggage is easy to get through security, no loquids more than 3oz, put those in a see thru bag, have that easily to hand. Laptops and ipads usually have to be scanned separately and shoes and coats often have to come off. I always have a handbag with an outside zipped pocket that is large and empty. Then as I get close to the conveyor belt I can put all our passports and boarding passes and phones in it and zip it shut. Oh and wear clothes without lots of metal (like belt buckles) so you dont trigger metal detectors and have to wait for a pat down.

SeaToSki · 15/01/2022 17:05

And if you have medical equipment in your carryon, just tell the security person at the conveyor belt. They then tell the scan checker so when your stuff goes thru the scanner they dont do a wtf and pull it for a hand search (well as much!). Some times they ask me to pull out my equipment, so i do pack it in its own smaller bag within my carryon, it makes it easy to pull out for scanning if needed but also more convenient to have all the bits together once I am on the plane

Itsnotdeep · 15/01/2022 17:15

I assume you can get assistance at the airport. But I've travelled alone with my children and been fine with a trolley. You have 2 adults, so you should be able to manage between you.

Also maybe you could consider hiring a car seat for your 9 year old. They do have safe ones in other countries too.

whereonthestair · 15/01/2022 17:30

Another vote for book special assistance. My son now wheels himself around airports but before he did. Get dropped outside the door. One person stay with one child and stuff, other person goes with wheelchair to special assistance. Child in wheelchair waits, go back for other parent/child and stuff. (We had a waking frame, and stick as well as luggage) All get checked in with member of staff dealing with wheelchair. Then one person one case, hand luggage on back, child with wheelchair has their hand luggage on the chair. Other child carries what they can. Then staff help you check in cases.

The difficulty is what happens at other end, again get special assistance but how it works is airport dependant.

We have never missed a flight so long as we are at assistance on time, once you have it you can get past the queues.

Original poster

ZingyLemon · 15/01/2022 17:43

Ok lots of votes for special assistance - that's good to know thank you. I was reluctant because of previous experience which wasn't bad but just irritating. But our situation has changed since then so worth another go.

It was about 4 years when we used special assistance previously; the airline (EasyJet) told us we needed to book SA because we wanted to take a specific piece of medical equipment on the plane. So we did but we found it meant we were directed to a much longer 'SA' queue at check in and then because we didn't actually require assistance (just needed to let them know about this equipment) there was no actual benefit to us, just a longer queue!

We are flying with BA for this next flight so I am expected a better experience anyway!

OP posts:

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 15/01/2022 17:50

Can the child in the wheelchair hold two suitcases on either side of her/him and pull them along as you push the chair?

Original poster

ZingyLemon · 15/01/2022 17:53

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut

Can the child in the wheelchair hold two suitcases on either side of her/him and pull them along as you push the chair?

No definitely not she is too physically small but this would be amazing - future goals 😂

OP posts:

Sirzy · 15/01/2022 17:59

If you need any specialist medical supplies (feeds etc) they can often be sent by the company direct to your location.

I have been known to hook a backpack onto the back of DS wheelchair and then push it stood more to the side.

If push comes to shove can one adult, two children and some luggage be dropped off at entrance while other adults parks car and meets you with rest of luggage?

ImInStealthMode · 15/01/2022 18:02

Clothes wise, if there's a service laundry near where you're staying can you pack just a few days worth for each of you into one case and have everything laundered mid-week? Bit of a pain to drop and collect but if it reduces the airport stress then may be worth it.

Otherwise a suitcase with 4 wheels should mean elder DC is able to push/pull it along and help out (assuming by under 10 you mean 8/9 not 3).

Svara · 15/01/2022 18:05

@ZingyLemon

Oh and it's Heathrow this time but we fly from various (mainly southern) airports regularly plus of course the return leg from a foreign airport so general tips appreciated.

DS flew unaccompanied at 9 and managed his own suitcase and backpack. If you take those out if the equation will it all fit on the trolley?

boymum88 · 15/01/2022 18:12

We used special assist for my 3yr old. We were lucky this last time as could get both dc in a double buggy so one push them the other pushed the trolly ( 2 large suitcases plus one car seat) both adults had one backpack. Sa was great at stansted as we got a lanyard so didn't have to wait in security ( son can't go through the scanners ) once we got to the gate made our selfs know and was allowed on first as we had to carry our son on, also no waiting at passport control. All I had to do was call the airline and tell them what we needed, loads of options to chose from. Think you can even do it online but I prefer to it via phone. Also we got refund some of the money we had paid to sit together. Just have a plan of action ask for all the help you need/ want

Original poster

ZingyLemon · 15/01/2022 18:23

I guess I'm probably underestimating DS; last time we flew he was only just 7! So he can probably help a lot more than I am imagining.

OP posts:

Deisogn · 16/01/2022 11:01

A year 5 can definitely be a lot help pushing suitcases etc. If it's long haul and you have the money you could always book VIP and skip all the hassle.

ItsRainingTacos · 16/01/2022 11:18

Check the height and weight of your 9 year old as he may no longer need to use a child car seat if he is above the threshold. I think you have to be over 35kilo and not sure what the height is.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 16/01/2022 19:28

"Meet and greet parking" so someone will take your car away and return it to you on your return. They park off site so the handover point is usually on the doorstep of departures but check given Heathrow and security is always a concern these days.
You can book "porter services" at some locations. Someone will meet you with an enormous trolley.

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