Advice for travelling solo with 15mth old and 10 week old

[NotSoSkinnyNow]

I've flown several times with DS (now 15 months) but now am going with new baby too. Need to bring both car seats (big one for DS to sit in on plane, and infant carrier one for DD which will have to be checked in). Have tried contacting arrival airport to requst help, but no reply. Airline have already said they don't help in this way.
Has anyone elso done this? Did you survive?? Any tips?
My main concern is getting from dropping off the hired car to the check in desk (at which point I will check in our case and the small car seat) and then getting to the plane. Presume I can leave the DC in the double buggy til we get to the plane, just push them along and carry big car seat and changing bag
Am I mad???????

I did this on the way back from spain with a 2 year old and 4 month old. It was hard. I kept the 4 month old in the papousse nearly the entire time, thus freeing up my hands, I carried as much stuff in a ruck sack as I could manage thus freeing up my hands, I had my 2 year old in a buggy and I managed. The flight was on time, I got all my luggage off the carousel with my trolley etc etc and my dh was not in the arrivals bit "sorry I got a bit help up on the motorway". I nearly killed him. Make sure someone is there to meet you at the other end. Good luck!

definitely put the baby in a pouch as you then have both hands free.
Security will no doubt make you get both DC out of the pushchair, fold it, lift it onto the security xray machine etc (because they are arses/mostly men and clearly have never travelled with young children) At least if LO is in the pouch that will be a lot easier

Good luck

Have you checked as last time i flew with a family there was a rule of no 1 adult with more than 1 baby under 2years old?

That was the reason i flew with them as they were 19m and 7m.

yy put baby in pouch, then you can put the big carseat in his seat of the double buggy and push the lot

which airport is it? some (if you don't mind paying) have actual porters - they're private contractors so nothing to do with the airline.
Gatwick and Heathrow use Skycaps - would be worth the £8 in your situation IMO.

Agree - check the rules!

Once we were flying back after a trip to the UK, DH was dropping off the rental car and I stood in the queue to check in with the dc's (then about 22 / 23 months and 6 weeks). Got to the head of the queue before dh got there and the woman wouldn't let me check just myself and the children in (wanted to get rid of the luggage ) and they were pretty strict about it.

If you can though - make full use of the pouch, and definitely make sure that someone is there to meet you!

Good luck!

That's right, you can't fly by yourself with two infants (under 2's) as they both can't sit on your lap belted in for take off and landing.

Thanks for all the replies! Pouch an excellent idea.

Have checked with the airline before booking. couldn't book them as 2 infants, but as 1 infant and 1 child (paying child fare of course, but added bonus of full baggage allowance!). As long as older one is over 6 months and sits in forward facing car seat then its ok - hence the dilema of having to carry the bigger car seat onto the plane! Flying with Aer Lingus as no other airline would let us do it.

MrsBadger, you're right! I was able to book a porter for Edinburgh airport - she'll meet us in the set down area and even come with us to drop off the hire car and bring everything back to the terminal to check in! Cost 23 quid, but they also help you through the security check (skipping the queue!) and right up to boarding the plane! yippee! (now I just wonder if they'll help feed one of the babies too!!!)

Have tried contacting our arrival airport to see if they do something similar, but have emailed and phoned with no response. Grrr - webiste gives the impression that they do have this service, and that they are oh so fabulous at customer service - there, rant over!

Will definatly swop the changing bag for a little rucksack for the journey.

Thanks all! Feeling more confident about it all today....just need to keep repeating "I am strong confident woman, well able to cope with my 2 children" - despite my mother thinking I'm going to cock it up (must make sure I also look fabulous when she mets us, not the frazzled mess she's expecting!)

A thought but check they will allow you to use your make/model of car seat, many car seats aren't rated to use just a lap belt as a fixing and this is all a plane has.

I would hate for you to get there and it all go pear shaped.