Urgent: Gatwick airport info needed

[EvieBear]

Hi

I am travelling on a short haul flight on Sunday alone with my 8 week old baby - I am anxious as will have a buggy, car seat, big suitcase and large hand luggage with nappies, bottles etc...

What I am wondering is, is it ok to check the buggy and car seat through and then carry baby around in a sling? Or can I only check the car seat in? Do I have to keep the buggy with me up to boarding the plane or not?

Also: does the car seat have to be in a bag when it is checked in? I don't have a bag for it or the buggy (if I end up checking the buggy through).

Hmm... perhaps one of you experienced travellers can help me!!

Thanks in advance

You can check in the buggy, too, I'm 99% sure.

you can check the buggy but IME it's easier to keep it with you as you can sling all the hand luggage on the buggy.

Why do you want to check it?

You don't need a back for either the car seat or the buggy if you check it but they will probably ask you to go to outsize luggage if you don't have a bag, as there will be dangling straps etc.

Also be aware that depending on your airline you may only get 1 free piece of luggage for the baby, so check your weight allowance or consider presenting the buggy as a travel system (if it allows you to do that) so that it counts as one item rather than 2.

I'm not sure as I wanted to keep my buggy with me and didn't have a car seat. But phone BAA enquiries and they will tell you for def. They were very helpful when I kept ringing about baby milk and security etc.

maybe it is best to keep the buggy with me then, my back isn't the strongest either and also yes, i can bung the hand luggage into it... ok thanks

may call baa to check too.

thanks!

I just flew from Gatwick yesterday with Easyjet. You can check in buggy and carseat with luggage, but you have to take them to oversize luggage once you have been through check in. You may prefer to keep buggy until you get to the plane though you will have to fold it and put it through security. Can't remember if you will have to give someone else your baby to hold while you go through the scanner at security-mine has had to walk through alone from 18 months old.

I just handed my carseat over as is with no packaging. If you put it in a bag it must have nothing else in it in order to go free with easyjet. Depending on where you are going you may prefer to arrange for another carseat at the other end if you can-mine was lost once and we had no carseat to put DS in. Kicked up a huge fuss and eventually one was found so I could borrow it, but thankfully only for short journey as had no idea of it's history.

as others have said, keep the buggy until the gate of the plane (they will tag it at check in and then just leave it at the gate) It will be really handy to hang stuff on. As others have said, you will have to fold it and put it through security but if you have your LO in the sling then that should be easy enough and if you are lucky, they will just 'wand' your little one.

When we took our carseat we had to take it to the oversized baggage bit and check it in there.

Also bear in mind that security will no doubt be rather anal about your bottles, ie make you test it, no unopened cartons etc. If your LO is on formula it might be sensible to phone boots airside and check they will have some of the cartons or just take some powdered formula (mothercare do a good storage container) and make it up as you go.

How are you getting to the airport, is someone dropping you off there? Hopefully if so you'll have help until you go through security

thanks everyone- great advice! i am getting a taxi to airport with my partner so he will help out until security!