Air travel as pregnant with small kids

[Dantis]

This was my experience in Feb 2022:

As omicron hospitalizations started declining and I got tripple jabbed, I decided to visit my family after 3 years so my kids can finally meet face-to-face with my parents (and wider family). Older one has no recollection of previous visit (was too small), younger one was born during first wave of pandemic so never met grandparents in person, they were just pictures on screen. Older one is joining school in September so any longer visits will be only during school holidays when everything is expensive and packed with people. My 3rd baby (currently 5 months pregnant) is due in beginning of June 2022. She might be too small to travel abroad in summer holidays as I would wait for at least the 2nd round of immunisation (at 2 months old) + 2 weeks to develop some immunity before boarding any plane. So I decided to book 10 days trip just before I reach 3rd trimester of pregnancy when any movements become too difficult and tiring. The plan was to go before half term holidays and return back in the middle of it when I hoped it won’t be busy. My husband (teacher) would join me as soon as the half term starts and we will fly back together so he can help me.

A) London to Prague

1. I wanted 3 seats. I'm 5 months pregnant and travel with almost 2 and almost 4 year old children. The little one cannot sit on my pregnant belly for 2 hours! It was not possible during booking but read on BA website to call customer service to buy extra seat for the 22 month-old. I made around 20 calls, even tried executive club tel.number, called in different times of day but was never connected to a person. We are busy, call another time. Shocker: at 9.30am, call us in business hours! Why don't you allow telephone queue?!

I tried webchat 3 times, last time i waited 1h40min (from 35th to 3rd in line), taking screenshots every few minutes, just to be disconnected. Grrr.

I tried webform, asking for extra seat and telling about my difficulties to contact BA customer service. Email reply came that I can add it myself via Manage booking and that carry cots are in bulkhead seats. I spent hours in Manage booking and on BA website, looking at aircraft maps but no descriptions where bulkhead seats are or how to add extra seat for infant. I exchanged 2 more emails but they always told me to call BA customer service as they cannot help me. Even though I told them the call centre is unreachable. I would expect one branch of customer service to contact another branch to get in touch with me and sort out my request (esp. if i wanted to spend more money!).

After 2 weeks, too stressful, gave up.

2. Airport at gate: BA staff asked me to sit next to the tunnel to get me on board first. Later, staff appeared to take away my pram to another area. I asked how long is the tunnel but didn’t get answer. As we spoke, my younger one spilled juice over himself. Staff said I can sort myself out and he will come later. I took our coats, jumpers, 2 bags and 2 children out of pram and as I was finishing putting dry trousers on the little one, the door to tunnel opened and people rushed in. No warning, no priority. What to do with the pram? While stuck with the kids and stuff... I called loudly several times over the long waiting area but nobody came. Another passenger (father of another family with buggy) saw my distress and offered to drag my folded pram to wherever it needed to go. Grateful.

3. But now I needed to collect all the stuff in one hand and half-bent hold hand of the younger one, straining my belly. I miscarried many times, this baby is precious and any 5 months pregnant woman shouldn't be left stranded like this! At that point I was really upset and worried if this ordeal will have future consequences for my baby. I started swearing by now as I attempted to move with the queue. Elderly woman noticed me and helped to carry the heaviest bag till my seat for me. Bless her.

4. As we were entering the plane, my older one panicked due to the mechanical noises around and pressed himself against my bottom. As I was trying to reassure him that he is safe, stewardess asked me twice to put on my mask. I snapped I will when I have a free hand! and moved into the cabin. It's impossible to breathe with mask when doing all the hard work and get enough oxygen for me and the baby.

5. Since then, the flight went ok, Fortunately, the passenger next to me changed seat so I did get the third seat I needed and the stewardess who took care of me was very helpful. In Prague, staff helped me to carry my bags from seat after I called for help as my younger one fell asleep and I needed to carry him. The pram was waiting at the exit of the plane and staff helped me to open it. I loaded the pram and we could wheel ourselves away.

B) Prague to London

My husband fell ill just before his departure so couldn’t fly out of UK (was too poorly to travel). I was going to return to UK on my own again.

Got up at 2am, left my parents' home at 3am, luckily kids slept the whole 2 hours to airport (as per plan). Half hour delay as closest petrol station was closed and I had to fill up petrol before returning the rented car. My mum helped me with all the luggage till check-in desk.

At airport check-in desk:

1. We rushed in (was almost 6am for 7.10 flight). My mum started offloading the luggage while I talked to the BA staff. I talked in English and gave our UK passports to her. ‘But you can speak Czech, can’t you?’ she asked me in Czech impatiently. I was taken back as I didn’t expect such question. I was a customer with British passports, on British airways flight to UK. I believe she did speak English. Why to force me to switch? I used to work in travel industry and we always responded in the language in which the customer approached us if we knew that language or differed to English as international communication channel. I’m aware of a portion of Czech society’s dislike to Czech expats talking in English in Czechia. There is a feel that the expats present themselves as something better, above their peers. But in my case, I've lived in multinational marriage in UK for more than 11 years, we speak English at home (kids can’t speak Czech), my older son is a constant chatterbox, keeping me in English all the time, and even my inner talk to myself is in English now. I actually need more effort and focus to talk fluently in Czech without stopping to search for various words that's gone missing. I got up at 2am to get here and addressed her in my default language. Am I sensitive to her request for Czech language because I’m an immigrant in UK, wishing to be treated the same as my British peers? Would she ask the same question if I was Mrs. Smith and my Czech-speaking mum wasn’t there? Does it matter after all? I haven’t shared my thoughts with the stewardess and obediently switched to Czech.

2. As the stewardess was attaching the tags on the luggage, my older son (almost 4yo) started crossing his legs, telling me he needs wee and quick. Toilet? Too far and we are already under time pressure to catch the flight (I can’t run as pregnant and security check will take ages with kids, pram and other stuff...). So I took the designated wee bottle with funnel he is used to, pulled down his trousers where he stood and let him relieve himself. Stewardess, my mum and my son all talking to me at the same time. For a second I looked up to face them when a bit of wee splashed on my hand and jumper. Classic. It’s ok. What surprised me was stewardess’s reaction as she came to tag the pram. ‘Is this wee on the floor?’ with disgust, judgment. ‘No.’ Welcome to mother-of-small-children-world young lady, I thought. By the way, he needed another one while waiting to disembark, plane's corridor packed with people. What a timing! Wee bottle again ;-) Small kids strip you of the embarrassment an adult might feel. Got used to it. Is BA staff used to small kids too?

3. Punchline: No pram in London. You can take it to plane in Prague but it’s too big and will be returned to you on baggage belt in London. I’m screwed, I thought. Fear. I dared to travel because I relied on wheeling kids, food and changing bag around airport. How will I do it WITHOUT pram? Heathrow airport is big! “I’m 5 months pregnant and with two small kids (my younger one is under 2 so still classed as infant) and bags.... Can you make an exception?” “How many weeks pregnant are you?” “25 weeks" “OK, then I don’t need any certificate proving that you are pregnant. But no, there is no exception. We accept only small buggies” “Why nobody told me? I have small buggy at home. It could have carried at least my little one and a bag.” OMG, I’m SO screwed.

We arrived to London, male steward told me that he requested the pram to plane but it was not there. Tunnel neither as we arrived ahead of schedule. So he helped my older one down the stairs and into the bus while I juggled with bags and the little one. Once the bus dropped us, we were on our own, everywhere quiet and disserted. We started slowly shuffling towards arrivals through the maze of corridors and escalators. When we finally reached main corridor, I stopped one of the mobility cars, asking the man how to call one of those cars for myself and if it’s far to arrivals. ‘No, it’s not far' and he left. It WAS far. Once we reached the family queue in front of passport check, I was knackered. I saw other mums with similar prams like mine (officially for one kid but they squeezed 2 kids in as I do). The difference was that they were not pregnant, they had husbands with them (mine stayed home due to sudden illness) and their bags and kids resting in the pram. I was sitting on the floor in the queue, trying to calm myself down and my over-tired younger one fussing in my hands and we still had more walk to downstairs on the far end of the baggage area. At the end it took us almost 2 hours to get out.

My midwife told me I shouldn’t have strained so much due to my history of miscarriages. My blood pressure was up so was booked for follow-up appointment a week later and we monitored baby's movements which fortunately turned out well. But I was worried if my baby is ok for next few days whenever my belly hurt and I swore I will NEVER use British Airways for short trips to Europe for my family again. I usually used low cost airlines for Europe and Virgin / BA for long distance flights to India (to visit husband’s part of family). I used to perceive BA as premium airliner, more reliable, responsive, accommodating. Due to unstable covid situation and my pregnancy, I felt BA might be safer option for this trip. But it was so traumatic, they lost all the shine and exclusivity that would justify the higher cost of the ticket.

After-thoughts:

1. wish I was informed more clearly that there is limit on dimensions of the pram. It should be in email, in bold red, sent to anybody that books infant in. Because parents pack according to what they are allowed to take and this information is so crucial. I saw list of things I can take for the little ones. I took only the pram, I didn’t use any other infant allowance (I asked my mum to buy 2 car seats so I don’t need to drag it through airports). It says it should be fully foldable pushchair in 1 piece. Mine is fully foldable, 1-piece pushchair (the travel system in which you click infant car seat I didn’t take) so I thought I'm fine. I travelled with it before and always till and from aircraft door or end of tunnel. So I didn’t expect problems and took bags to fit at the bottom of the pram. I could have taken smaller buggy (for 1 bag and the younger child) and wheeled cabin bag if I knew I would be forced to walk.

2. Retrospectively, I found info about the allowed dimensions on BA website, hidden behind blue hyperlink: 117 cm x 38 cm x 38 cm.
   My pram is 80 cm x 35 cm x 60 cm.
   It takes 30 sec to take off 2 bigger wheels (which I would gladly take into a bag in cabin as I didn’t use the cabin luggage allowance).
   That would slim it down to: 74 cm x 35 x 45 cm. I would expect premium airliner to allow 7 cm more on one dimension rather than force 5 months pregnant woman with 22 month old baby, a toddler and 2 bags to walk through the whole airport!

3. I wished I booked the mobility service....if I knew my pram will be taken away. But I didn’t know. And I didn’t feel ill or immobile. Just pregnant. I push my two boys in the pram to nursery 1 mile away twice a day 3 times a week. So as far as the pram was there, I felt fine, fit, confident and self-sufficient.

4. I wished BA staff called the mobility service or gave me instructions on how to do it when they saw me stressing and straining, pregnant and with small kids and bags. It could have been done by the unpleasant lady at check-in in Prague or the helpful guy at aircraft door in London. I felt completely overwhelmed, helpless and abandoned. I couldn’t believe this was happening – especially on this particular trip! How come that nobody cares?

Conclusion:

1. British Airways pre-flight customer service is non-existent.
   Impossible to buy extra seat for infant in advance. If you are lucky on less busy flight, you might get it for free. But uncertainty is stressful.

2. Beware – there is dimensions limit on prams and nobody will give damn if you are pregnant or your kid is infant under 2yo expected to walk with you long distance.

3. British airways are not premium airliner as they didn’t do anything extra compared to what low cost airliner would. Don’t waste your money.

4. I searched more info after this ordeal and it seems the more expensive London Heathrow is less flexible than other, smaller, 'less developed' airports....
   London Luton, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Prague... these airports even let you pick up their free airport pushchair just behind security / gate and leave it in front of various gates / baggage reclaim area... Prague offers baby rooms with microwave to heat up baby food, play areas with slides and toys... Though be careful, what’s on their website might not be there in reality. And you don’t want to be ledt stranded... I trued to use baggage storage in Prague (closed and no idea when it re-opens, info-desk people said). Viewing point (to watch planes with kids) was closed too...

What is your experience?
Did you manage to contact BA customer service?
To book extra seat for infant?
Could you take pram till the plane?
In London?

@Dantis

This was my experience in Feb 2022:

As omicron hospitalizations started declining and I got tripple jabbed, I decided to visit my family after 3 years so my kids can finally meet face-to-face with my parents (and wider family). Older one has no recollection of previous visit (was too small), younger one was born during first wave of pandemic so never met grandparents in person, they were just pictures on screen. Older one is joining school in September so any longer visits will be only during school holidays when everything is expensive and packed with people. My 3rd baby (currently 5 months pregnant) is due in beginning of June 2022. She might be too small to travel abroad in summer holidays as I would wait for at least the 2nd round of immunisation (at 2 months old) + 2 weeks to develop some immunity before boarding any plane. So I decided to book 10 days trip just before I reach 3rd trimester of pregnancy when any movements become too difficult and tiring. The plan was to go before half term holidays and return back in the middle of it when I hoped it won’t be busy. My husband (teacher) would join me as soon as the half term starts and we will fly back together so he can help me.

A) London to Prague

1. I wanted 3 seats. I'm 5 months pregnant and travel with almost 2 and almost 4 year old children. The little one cannot sit on my pregnant belly for 2 hours! It was not possible during booking but read on BA website to call customer service to buy extra seat for the 22 month-old. I made around 20 calls, even tried executive club tel.number, called in different times of day but was never connected to a person. We are busy, call another time. Shocker: at 9.30am, call us in business hours! Why don't you allow telephone queue?!

I tried webchat 3 times, last time i waited 1h40min (from 35th to 3rd in line), taking screenshots every few minutes, just to be disconnected. Grrr.

I tried webform, asking for extra seat and telling about my difficulties to contact BA customer service. Email reply came that I can add it myself via Manage booking and that carry cots are in bulkhead seats. I spent hours in Manage booking and on BA website, looking at aircraft maps but no descriptions where bulkhead seats are or how to add extra seat for infant. I exchanged 2 more emails but they always told me to call BA customer service as they cannot help me. Even though I told them the call centre is unreachable. I would expect one branch of customer service to contact another branch to get in touch with me and sort out my request (esp. if i wanted to spend more money!).

After 2 weeks, too stressful, gave up.

2. Airport at gate: BA staff asked me to sit next to the tunnel to get me on board first. Later, staff appeared to take away my pram to another area. I asked how long is the tunnel but didn’t get answer. As we spoke, my younger one spilled juice over himself. Staff said I can sort myself out and he will come later. I took our coats, jumpers, 2 bags and 2 children out of pram and as I was finishing putting dry trousers on the little one, the door to tunnel opened and people rushed in. No warning, no priority. What to do with the pram? While stuck with the kids and stuff... I called loudly several times over the long waiting area but nobody came. Another passenger (father of another family with buggy) saw my distress and offered to drag my folded pram to wherever it needed to go. Grateful.

3. But now I needed to collect all the stuff in one hand and half-bent hold hand of the younger one, straining my belly. I miscarried many times, this baby is precious and any 5 months pregnant woman shouldn't be left stranded like this! At that point I was really upset and worried if this ordeal will have future consequences for my baby. I started swearing by now as I attempted to move with the queue. Elderly woman noticed me and helped to carry the heaviest bag till my seat for me. Bless her.

4. As we were entering the plane, my older one panicked due to the mechanical noises around and pressed himself against my bottom. As I was trying to reassure him that he is safe, stewardess asked me twice to put on my mask. I snapped I will when I have a free hand! and moved into the cabin. It's impossible to breathe with mask when doing all the hard work and get enough oxygen for me and the baby.

5. Since then, the flight went ok, Fortunately, the passenger next to me changed seat so I did get the third seat I needed and the stewardess who took care of me was very helpful. In Prague, staff helped me to carry my bags from seat after I called for help as my younger one fell asleep and I needed to carry him. The pram was waiting at the exit of the plane and staff helped me to open it. I loaded the pram and we could wheel ourselves away.

B) Prague to London

My husband fell ill just before his departure so couldn’t fly out of UK (was too poorly to travel). I was going to return to UK on my own again.

Got up at 2am, left my parents' home at 3am, luckily kids slept the whole 2 hours to airport (as per plan). Half hour delay as closest petrol station was closed and I had to fill up petrol before returning the rented car. My mum helped me with all the luggage till check-in desk.

At airport check-in desk:

1. We rushed in (was almost 6am for 7.10 flight). My mum started offloading the luggage while I talked to the BA staff. I talked in English and gave our UK passports to her. ‘But you can speak Czech, can’t you?’ she asked me in Czech impatiently. I was taken back as I didn’t expect such question. I was a customer with British passports, on British airways flight to UK. I believe she did speak English. Why to force me to switch? I used to work in travel industry and we always responded in the language in which the customer approached us if we knew that language or differed to English as international communication channel. I’m aware of a portion of Czech society’s dislike to Czech expats talking in English in Czechia. There is a feel that the expats present themselves as something better, above their peers. But in my case, I've lived in multinational marriage in UK for more than 11 years, we speak English at home (kids can’t speak Czech), my older son is a constant chatterbox, keeping me in English all the time, and even my inner talk to myself is in English now. I actually need more effort and focus to talk fluently in Czech without stopping to search for various words that's gone missing. I got up at 2am to get here and addressed her in my default language. Am I sensitive to her request for Czech language because I’m an immigrant in UK, wishing to be treated the same as my British peers? Would she ask the same question if I was Mrs. Smith and my Czech-speaking mum wasn’t there? Does it matter after all? I haven’t shared my thoughts with the stewardess and obediently switched to Czech.

2. As the stewardess was attaching the tags on the luggage, my older son (almost 4yo) started crossing his legs, telling me he needs wee and quick. Toilet? Too far and we are already under time pressure to catch the flight (I can’t run as pregnant and security check will take ages with kids, pram and other stuff...). So I took the designated wee bottle with funnel he is used to, pulled down his trousers where he stood and let him relieve himself. Stewardess, my mum and my son all talking to me at the same time. For a second I looked up to face them when a bit of wee splashed on my hand and jumper. Classic. It’s ok. What surprised me was stewardess’s reaction as she came to tag the pram. ‘Is this wee on the floor?’ with disgust, judgment. ‘No.’ Welcome to mother-of-small-children-world young lady, I thought. By the way, he needed another one while waiting to disembark, plane's corridor packed with people. What a timing! Wee bottle again ;-) Small kids strip you of the embarrassment an adult might feel. Got used to it. Is BA staff used to small kids too?

3. Punchline: No pram in London. You can take it to plane in Prague but it’s too big and will be returned to you on baggage belt in London. I’m screwed, I thought. Fear. I dared to travel because I relied on wheeling kids, food and changing bag around airport. How will I do it WITHOUT pram? Heathrow airport is big! “I’m 5 months pregnant and with two small kids (my younger one is under 2 so still classed as infant) and bags.... Can you make an exception?” “How many weeks pregnant are you?” “25 weeks" “OK, then I don’t need any certificate proving that you are pregnant. But no, there is no exception. We accept only small buggies” “Why nobody told me? I have small buggy at home. It could have carried at least my little one and a bag.” OMG, I’m SO screwed.

We arrived to London, male steward told me that he requested the pram to plane but it was not there. Tunnel neither as we arrived ahead of schedule. So he helped my older one down the stairs and into the bus while I juggled with bags and the little one. Once the bus dropped us, we were on our own, everywhere quiet and disserted. We started slowly shuffling towards arrivals through the maze of corridors and escalators. When we finally reached main corridor, I stopped one of the mobility cars, asking the man how to call one of those cars for myself and if it’s far to arrivals. ‘No, it’s not far' and he left. It WAS far. Once we reached the family queue in front of passport check, I was knackered. I saw other mums with similar prams like mine (officially for one kid but they squeezed 2 kids in as I do). The difference was that they were not pregnant, they had husbands with them (mine stayed home due to sudden illness) and their bags and kids resting in the pram. I was sitting on the floor in the queue, trying to calm myself down and my over-tired younger one fussing in my hands and we still had more walk to downstairs on the far end of the baggage area. At the end it took us almost 2 hours to get out.

My midwife told me I shouldn’t have strained so much due to my history of miscarriages. My blood pressure was up so was booked for follow-up appointment a week later and we monitored baby's movements which fortunately turned out well. But I was worried if my baby is ok for next few days whenever my belly hurt and I swore I will NEVER use British Airways for short trips to Europe for my family again. I usually used low cost airlines for Europe and Virgin / BA for long distance flights to India (to visit husband’s part of family). I used to perceive BA as premium airliner, more reliable, responsive, accommodating. Due to unstable covid situation and my pregnancy, I felt BA might be safer option for this trip. But it was so traumatic, they lost all the shine and exclusivity that would justify the higher cost of the ticket.

After-thoughts:

1. wish I was informed more clearly that there is limit on dimensions of the pram. It should be in email, in bold red, sent to anybody that books infant in. Because parents pack according to what they are allowed to take and this information is so crucial. I saw list of things I can take for the little ones. I took only the pram, I didn’t use any other infant allowance (I asked my mum to buy 2 car seats so I don’t need to drag it through airports). It says it should be fully foldable pushchair in 1 piece. Mine is fully foldable, 1-piece pushchair (the travel system in which you click infant car seat I didn’t take) so I thought I'm fine. I travelled with it before and always till and from aircraft door or end of tunnel. So I didn’t expect problems and took bags to fit at the bottom of the pram. I could have taken smaller buggy (for 1 bag and the younger child) and wheeled cabin bag if I knew I would be forced to walk.

2. Retrospectively, I found info about the allowed dimensions on BA website, hidden behind blue hyperlink: 117 cm x 38 cm x 38 cm.
   My pram is 80 cm x 35 cm x 60 cm.
   It takes 30 sec to take off 2 bigger wheels (which I would gladly take into a bag in cabin as I didn’t use the cabin luggage allowance).
   That would slim it down to: 74 cm x 35 x 45 cm. I would expect premium airliner to allow 7 cm more on one dimension rather than force 5 months pregnant woman with 22 month old baby, a toddler and 2 bags to walk through the whole airport!

3. I wished I booked the mobility service....if I knew my pram will be taken away. But I didn’t know. And I didn’t feel ill or immobile. Just pregnant. I push my two boys in the pram to nursery 1 mile away twice a day 3 times a week. So as far as the pram was there, I felt fine, fit, confident and self-sufficient.

4. I wished BA staff called the mobility service or gave me instructions on how to do it when they saw me stressing and straining, pregnant and with small kids and bags. It could have been done by the unpleasant lady at check-in in Prague or the helpful guy at aircraft door in London. I felt completely overwhelmed, helpless and abandoned. I couldn’t believe this was happening – especially on this particular trip! How come that nobody cares?

Conclusion:

1. British Airways pre-flight customer service is non-existent.
   Impossible to buy extra seat for infant in advance. If you are lucky on less busy flight, you might get it for free. But uncertainty is stressful.

2. Beware – there is dimensions limit on prams and nobody will give damn if you are pregnant or your kid is infant under 2yo expected to walk with you long distance.

3. British airways are not premium airliner as they didn’t do anything extra compared to what low cost airliner would. Don’t waste your money.

4. I searched more info after this ordeal and it seems the more expensive London Heathrow is less flexible than other, smaller, 'less developed' airports....
   London Luton, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Prague... these airports even let you pick up their free airport pushchair just behind security / gate and leave it in front of various gates / baggage reclaim area... Prague offers baby rooms with microwave to heat up baby food, play areas with slides and toys... Though be careful, what’s on their website might not be there in reality. And you don’t want to be ledt stranded... I trued to use baggage storage in Prague (closed and no idea when it re-opens, info-desk people said). Viewing point (to watch planes with kids) was closed too...

What is your experience?
Did you manage to contact BA customer service?
To book extra seat for infant?
Could you take pram till the plane?
In London?

For health and safety reasons infants aren't given their own seats automatically. Bulkhead seats are the ones at the front of the plane. Google would have told you that.

You were treated preferentially at the airport because you are pregnant and travelling with small children. They aren't obliged to do this. Many airlines don't. Unfortunately you were busy cleaning up the child and missed the fact that boarding had begun. Were you actually expecting to be able to push your pushchair down the tunnel and onto the plane? Do you know how tight a turnaround planes are on?

People went out of their way to help you. A passenger moved (and who can blame him) so you got a free seat for your child. An old woman lifted your bags for you. The aircraft crew helped you off the plane.

Much of your whinging is about things that have nothing to do with BA. Or the airport. But your own situation. You aren't the only pregnant person to have ever flown or got in a tizz. (Masks etc, husband being sick) You booked a flight knowing (presumably) the time it would leave and the distance you needed to travel to get there. Thinking you can take a large pram (?) onto or up to a plane is ludicrous. You've obviously travelled before. How many prams have you seen at an airport gate? If the passengers go onto the tarmac, then you leave your small foldable pushchair on the tarmac if it's a corridor flight, then usually you are asked to leave it at check in or at most the gate Mobility service is for the disabled who need it not a badly disorganized pregnant woman travelling with children. You're not the first pregnant woman or the first woman travelling with children. You're clearly an apprehensive and disorganized traveller who has trouble understanding certain protocols. Maybe next time wait till someone can go with you. It IS hard. Lots of us have flown with young children and when pregnant. But your thinly veiled "after compensation" gripes are ridiculous. BA are pretty good and yeah, you'll probably get a voucher so fill your boots. But you don't deserve one.

Jesus.

PS the dimensions for strollers (including the fact they need to be foldable and lightweight) is on the website. It gives very specific details for which can be boarded, which can be taken up to the plane, and which must be checked in.

Sorry you struggled. I hope your better now

However, none of this was the airlines fault or airport. It does clearly say online sizes for prams and you can book seats for under two but it’s awkward.

I actually booked a seat for 23 month old yesterday. Yes it was a pain. Phone didn’t answer. But 2hrs on Ryanair chat waiting and they explained how to book and then had to wait again to name change. For future incase you need for next baby, you have to buy an adult ticket, adding different words depending on airline into name categories ie first name ‘baby comfort seat’, then once booked call or use chat to ‘name change’ for free and give passport details.

We bought a babyzen yo-yo for last flight as it’s within regular hand luggage dimensions so we take on as hand luggage to guarantee. Leaving larger one piece fold pram at home. Will do again on next flight. It’s worth it. The pram has own bag so can fold at gate, into bag and carry with handle or as rucksack up plane overhead locker.

I think you win the award for longest ever post OP!

It was never going to be easy.

You should have just booked 2 seats in your own name.

You're not the first pregnant woman or the first woman travelling with children. You're clearly an apprehensive and disorganized traveller who has trouble understanding certain protocols.

Well said.

OP, you keep mentioning all this research you did after getting back home. I’m sorry to say, but you should have done all this research BEFORE starting the trip. It sounds both BA and some other passengers went out of their way to help you when they could.

Carrycots / bassinets don’t exist on narrowbody jets - if you’ve flown more than 2-3 times in your life you’d know this. It’s also common knowledge you can’t take a normal sized pram to the aircraft’s door. If you don’t manage to book an infant seat online / by phone, you simply book an extra adult ticket and then request the change of name.

I always speak the local language at the airport - if I have some decent knowledge of it - because it’s respectful to staff who may otherwise struggle to make themselves perfectly understood in English. Speaking another language when in one’s own country of origin is seen as trying to appear superior, yes. Everywhere, not just in Czechia. Regardless of which passport you hold. I also wouldn’t speak to my children in a language I didn’t have a good grasp of grammatically, but that’s another topic entirely.

Im sorry to hear your trip was so difficult, but I’m afraid most of it was due to your own lack of organisation. Prepare better for the next one and read the rules, no matter how ‘hidden’ they are. I’d be mightily annoyed if every ticket I booked came with big red letter warnings on acceptable pram dimensions, that’s for sure 🙄

You sound awful. You should have done your research better, it’s very clear what size pram can be taken to the gate/onto the plane/returned to the plane.

But most of all, you need to toilet train your eldest child or put them in a nappy when you’re travelling. Letting them pee into a bottle in the middle of the terminal is disgusting.

1. extra seat for infant

Book extra adult seat?
Adult price is higher than children 2-15yo with their own seat. I've just checked it. The money for airlines are the same but airport charges are higher. To me, every penny matters. Even if it's no difference to airlines, they should still recommend the cheapest price to customers.

Retrospectively, I would recommend to book infant as child 2-11yo, under his own name (why different name?) + "infant" written as second given name (to let airlines know it's infant that will be using infant allowance). But this was not discussed with any airlines so check with yours before you book.

If there is an approved way how to book extra seat for infant, why not to write a note to customers DURING making a booking. So it’s booked correctly at the first place?
And advise them to then send email to customer service (and state the email address so I don’t need to look for it) to inform airlines about the infant in extra seat.

Or if it's too much to ask, then place such info in the family travel section on BA website. Currently it just says If you want extra seat, contact BA customer service. Why to direct them to black hole which is frustratingly unreachable? It’s wasting customer's time and unnecessarily overloads BA customer service dept which is apparently struggling.

I would also ensure that customer is able to choose correct date of birth (system shouldn’t restrict dates not corresponding with the age bracket selected: born 2021 but selected child over 2yo in 2022).

I would also warn customers that even infants in their own seats need to be on adult lap during take off / landing / turbulence for health and safety reasons.

No “common knowledge” or “google it yourself" or “if you've flown 2-3 times, you should know" should be expected from customers. It should be clearly stated even for somebody booking their first ever flight!

Bulkhead seats being at the front and not existing on smaller aircraft serving European market... hmm, why BA customer service (via webform) told me I should book it then? I provided them with my booking reference so they knew what aircraft will be used. I should be required to have such knowledge!

And why they didn’t tell me where these seats are or HOW to book them? And why they didn’t tell me anything about booking adult/child seat for my infant and then letting them know so they can finish the booking (eg. enter correct DOB if system restricts dates based on age bracket selected). They apparently provided me wrong info and when I questioned it, they re-directed me to call centre which I've already told them is unreachable! Shame!

2. BA pre-flight customer service

Absolutely non-existent. And God knows I tried and wasted so much time and stress on it. And the only cust.serv.dpt. I succeeded to reach was incapable. If they at least passed my message to another dpt that could help... But simply zero.

Look, lowest-cost Ryanair, and lady succeeded to contact them on webchat after 2hrs waiting. Still shame there was nobody picking up telephones and webchat took ages but at least she succeeded to get the info how to book the extra seat for her 23 mo! More expensive BA – not even that!

Btw, isn’t it horrendous that customer needs to waste 2hrs in webchat queue just to learn how to make a booking for infant in his own seat?!!?

3. Pram size

Again, no prior knowledge / experience should be required. It should be made clear even to first time buyer!

And again, it should be stated while making a booking, not after I paid for ticket and then spend hours looking for info! If you state list of allowed things, state the dimensions right there or make the thing blue hyperlink where dimensions and warnings can be expanded upon. It shouldn’t be somewhere behind hyperlink at the bottom of a long article! And as I said, I would repeat it again in bold in confirmation email of infant booking. The info is too important to let customer miss it.

Notice how normal luggage allowance is communicated. It states the dimensions clearly and “at your face" even before you complete a booking and commit yourself to purchase! And if you select only hand luggage, it warns you again, dimensions stated again! They want you to buy more luggage so they make the effort.

The same is for liquids and dangerous items. They are communicated much more clearly, before you complete the booking. Because this info is crucial for the travel, not everybody is a frequent flyer and if airlines want to avoid complaints and bad-taste disputes, they rather say it Loud and Clear and several times!

The pram is so crucial and make HUGE difference to overall customer experience. It can even impact somebody's health!! Imagine if I miscarried because I was made to strain so much. Imagine that an older mother (and they are now more frequent) gets heart attack in the middle of airport because she was made to carry 9 month old infant in car seat (and we all know how heavy these things are!) for long distance because the bottom of her travel system was taken away. That small baby cannot walk (like my 22 mo).

Babies cannot hold their own heads and that’s why they need to lay down on flat surface. They cannot sit in buggy for older children (they would slide sideways – not good for their spine). That’s why mums buy prams with flat carry cot or the travel system where they can click baby car seat in or move the back rest into flat position. What are we supposed to do when bringing our 3mo newborns to grandparents abroad? If you are lucky, you can afford to buy additional babyzen yo-yo pram (4 times more expensive than my pram and even more expensive than our entire trip to Czechia and back!). But I couldn’t afford it, neither justify such extra cost to the air ticket! Is air travel really family friendly as they claim?

And re customer service: Let’s assume passenger missed important info. Rules need to be adhered to. How do you approach it? Questioning if the lady is pregnant? I would argue that 5 months belly is already undisputable.
The first thing is sympathy. It costs nothing and makes impact on customer‘s emotions and how she will perceive the whole situation. Appear to be on customer's side, understanding. I got none.
Next one would be ‘trying or at least appearing to try to help'. Ok, she made mistake...but...What’s the size of the pram? Can we make exception as she is pregnant on top of the 2 toddlers? Or can we request mobility service from our side so she is taken care of? Even for little fee if it’s last minute request? From BA website :

“Let our family take care of yours.
Family travel means more with us. It means looking after pushchairs, providing child seats and getting you onboard first.... we're here to make your entire experience as stress-free as possible – keeping you safe and sound from airport to arrivals. It's what we do best.”
For me, BA fell very short of that statement!

I do see a valid argument that ground handlers might object to carry heavy prams from aircraft door to downstairs cargo space. I do see the necessity to restrict the weight / size. Though that was not a problem in Prague during both journeys. Why only ‘better’ Heathrow made me struggle both ways?

And then why Heathrow (unlike Gatwick or small Luton) doesn’t invest in airport prams (for babies that need to lay down flat) and buggies (for older children)? Pick it up at car park, scan it through security check (standard size would make it easier for them to check) and drop it at aircraft door. From there it can be wheeled back to gate waiting area to store and to be picked up for passengers arriving in the next plane. How many such small kids one airplane would carry? We were 4 families with prams on our flight... And the airplane has lighter cargo, saving fuel ;-)
Airport would need to be able to ensure they are available – and respond to airline’s request in case they are not. So families relying on such service wouldn’t be left stranded. For such service I would be ready to pay (reasonable price, remember, luggage trolley is free to make it more comfortable for passengers). Then such airport can say that they are family friendly.

4. customer service at check-in in Prague

British airways company on international flight to UK serving customer with British passport, addressing her in English...
What's her justification to force me into another language? Even if it’s local language...
If she has problem with snobbish expats, she has no right to show it in her position of customer service executive in tourism industry! It’s absolutely unprofessional! Is it her serving (and adjusting to) customers or is it the customer serving (and adjusting to) her needs?!

Tourism is luxury service. It's bought from excess of income, after rent and food and clothes. It's more volatile, competitive and it’s one of the first thing to suffer in economic downturn as pandemic showed us. Customers shift quickly. And once they create a negative perception, it’s harder to shift them back. That’s why it's so sensitive to customer perceptions and reviews. And such poor customer service should be avoided.

By the way, the most important question is really “Would she request Czech language if Mrs. Smith without Czech mum turned up?” Because if not, then she discriminated me.
Have you noticed how today’s society get sensitive around men commenting on nice perfume of a female colleague? (which used to be generally appreciated by women in past...such gentleman) “Would he pass the same comment to his male colleague?” is the question being asked when trying to determine if he is going to be labelled sexist and discriminatory.

I would expect BA staff to respect customer’s choice of language if they know it or defer to English as international communication channel.

5. reaction to comments on mumsnet.com www.mumsnet.com/Talk/holidays/4486265-Air-travel-as-pregnant-with-small-kids?noti=1&utm_source=watchedthreads&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-02-27&utm_term=Mumsnet%3A+New+message+on+thread+Air+travel+as+pregnant+with+small+kids&rei=1611009#115270619

Wow.

I usually don’t exist on any social media but I felt I need to raise awareness and contribute to discussion about family air travel. This is my first post here.

I’m definitely shocked by the negativity of other users. Isn’t it supposed to be space where mums discuss (not attack and put each other down), advise (in helpful way, not looking down, derogatory and labelling others) and suggest solutions to push together to service providers so services for mums and families improve? From which even the service providers would benefit to attract / retain more customers.

I do acknowledge my initial post is emotional (though hopefully not derogatory) - it’s the first, fresh reaction to my ordeal. But I still worry, few days after the travel, if the strain had any consequences for my unborn baby whenever I feel any pain in my underbelly. It's not right. The journey should have been safe. And I still believe both BA airlines and Heathrow airport could have done more to help me stay safe.

If this is the level of conversation that is normal on this website than I will look for another one. I want to share and have decent discussion, not fight.

Ryanair and ba are the same for booking baby seat. We flew ba last time, Ryanair next simply due to preferences dates and times

For tiny baby under 6 months I would just take a sling. Ds lived in his sling the first 6-9 months. Then pram as checked in if you want larger. Or if booking baby own seat you can take car seat on small travel pram and use car seat on plane as well ( by calling or using chat). There are lots of cheaper travel size prams than babyzen. Our local store sells one for €70, it lies flat so can use newborn and hand luggage size

It’s a pain. That’s life with small children and travel. And covid has meant longer delayed contacting airlines. But honestly travel with small children has never been easier or more accommodating. Theres lots of small versions available, airports have baby changing, parents can board plane first etc.

We also travel to see family. It’s not exactly fun, but needs to be done if we want to see them

And by the way, I used to work for American international company in Prague, Czechia. We were required to speak English to our Czech colleagues. Because they employed also foreigners living and working in the same office in Czechia and they didn’t speak Czech. We served European market of an American company. And all colleagues needed to understand the exchanges around the office. If we slipped into Czech too much, we were reminded of the rule. And that was internal communication, not more sensitive, external communication to customers. What about that?

Joie pact or ergo metro are much more reasonable prices for a second compact pram if you need in future. Good luck

If you’d spent half as much time doing some research before you flew as you have writing posts on here you would have been in a much better position.

Ive flown several times with under 2s and been able to boom a seat for them on booking. It cost more than an in arm infant but less than an adult. I used either a sling or we have a Joie Pact as our everyday pram so I look it last time we flew.

I see nothing that was BA's fault here.

The wee bottle outside of lavatories is grim.

Travel with only one adult and multiple children is bound to be hectic. It is voluntary though; no one is forced to do it.

You had a crap time, best to have booked priority boarding ( yes more expensive I know) and requested special assistance.
I had special assistance recently brain to eye issues, travelling alone made life a lot easier, free too. Priority boarding helps too, buys you slightly more luggage.
Others here are unkind, life is tough, choose the easiest way for you, unfortunately you had no previous knowledge.
Remember next time not to travel alone if you can

Thanks :-)

I'm exploring the strollers and there are some cheap alternatives I will definitely consider.
By the way, the Joie Pact stroller's dimensions are 52.5 x w 24 x h 56.5cm. BA allowed dimensions are 117 x 38 x 38. So you would be over one dimension with this one too. Mine is 60 cm with wheels, 45 cm without.

Have you succeeded to get Joie Pact back at the aircraft door on arrival to Heathrow?

I think my worry is that I will spend extra money on stroller and then it will still depend on people's decision on spot.

I had a look at BA cabin luggage dimensions (to guarantee it will be with me for the longest stretch from plane to baggage belt): 56 x 45 x 25cm
Joie Pact 56.5 x 52.5 x 24 cm. So the same 7 cm over one dimension.

Have you succeeded to get it into the cabin?

I use the babyzen which is accepted no problem.it’s more expensive but I chose it because it is one of the smallest so it was worth the extra and we travel a lot.
Often the compromise of cheaper is that they have less features or don’t fold as compact
There are other brands cheaper ie on Amazon but I haven’t checked exact dimensions

The gb pockit is very small folding
gb-online.com/en-us/strollers/pockit/

Second the Yo-yo. There is an active second hand market if you don’t want to buy new.

Sorry but this is mostly lack of planning on your part. You need a small airport buggy, plenty of time before check in (using a wee bottle is GRIM), and to be prepared to carry everything yourself, so travel light on hand luggage and check everything else. Buggies that you leave by the gate often only turn up on the carousel at the other end - BA cannot control what the ground staff in other airports will and won't do. Staff and others will usually help if you have small children/pregnant, but you cannot depend on this. Swearing in the queue is not going to help your cause.

What a drama llama 🦙

You need to pre-book assistance in plenty of time, I’ve heard they’re very helpful but can usually only help pre-booked passengers due to time constraints. The information is on the airline/ airport page, unfortunately it is up to you to look for it and ensure that you can manage the flight. Personally my small lightweight stroller could be taken to the plane door but almost always came off at the luggage belt. The size limit is because there is only a small storage area they can use for biggies taken to the plane. When lie-back was needed I used a cheap umbrella fold buggy suitable from birth when lie back was needed

And doesn’t it say on the tickets to check in 2 hours prior to flight? 1hr 10 was cutting it very fine especially with 2 small children