Flying with Thomson with 4 month old baby on lap..

[Samila]

Has anyone flown with Thomson with a baby (under 6 months) ?? If so, any advice or tips appreciated. Flying to Gran Canaria- approx 4 hour flight and I've been told baby sits on your lap. It's quite a long time to constantly hold baby - is there anywhere to put them down - can you take an upper got for example or do Thomson provide baby cots on the plane? I am pretty sure the answer is no (tried asking them but their customer services tram wasn't that helpful). If so any tips on how to make the flight easier much appreciated. Can you wear your baby sling on the plane for example so your hands are free? Thanks xx

I flew with a small baby last year and it wasn’t easy, but doable with patience.

We booked the baby her own plane seat and took her car seat as we wanted to make sure we had a safe one to use in the hire car anyway.

The car seat was strapped to the plane seat and she could stay there when the seatbelt sign was on or strapped in on my lap if I preferred. It was handy to have somewhere to put her when we wanted to eat/drink/go to the loo etc. There isn’t a lot of room between seats so having a baby constantly on my lap fidgeting wasn’t particularly appealing.

She happily sat in the car seat and fiddled with toys and books and we just held her when she was upset or wanted feeding.

If you don't book then your own seat then yes they stay on your lap.
Its not the best thing ever but you get there.

We've flown with DD when she was 3/4 months old. She was mainly lying on my lap on a breastfeeding cushion, or being carried up and down the aisle. Not sure about wearing a sling on the plane, but it should be possible to wear it while walking up and down. I don't find them comfortable while seated. The sling was super useful for wearing DD trough check in and security though, highly recommend it.

We’ve flown lots with ours starting at 3 months old and not booked their own seat until they’re two and you have to. Definitely take a sling. You can wear it if the seatbelt light sign is off. It is annoying when baby is asleep and the sign comes back on but still better than not having it.

Feed the baby on take off and landing to help their ears (breast or bottle will help them).

We found it much easier at that age than as they got a bit older but still do it as it’s worth it once we get there!

They call them bassinets, so that's the word to use if you want to ask them the right question.
You have to be sitting in a bulkhead seat to get one and they're first come first served.
However, I've only used them on long-haul flights and have no idea about Thompson.

You could try to book a bulkhead seat wth bassinette/skycot but these are only available on certain aircraft usually longhaul flights and are limited in number. Yes you have to hold the baby unless you book a seat or are lucky to find a spare seat adjacent. Even if you book a seat for them you hold them for take off and landing with a seatbelt extension and need to provide a suitable carseat.

Thanks all xx

We flew to Fuerteventura with ds with Thomsons when he was 4months. Also had dd who was 3 at the time.

It was actually pretty easy.

I was breastfeeding which made it much easier. I fed ds on take off. He ate happily (so his ears didn’t hurt) then had a little sleep. Woke up and I offered him more milk. He thought it was his birthday! (He really liked feeding.) More milk, bit of a play with toys and another snooze. Didn’t worry about food or nap schedules.

The only difficult bit was nappy changing. There is a changing table in the toilet but it is a bit of a squash! Make sure you change just before boarding as you can then limit changes to poos.

Dh held Ds occasionally but generally he entertained dd whilst I looked after ds.

But a 4month old is pretty easy on a plane. Milk, cuddles, sleep, toys. When we went again when he was 12 months that was a whole other story......

Mumoftwoyoungkids what was the difference at 1yr, our little man will be 13 months on his first flight??

Sorry - only just seen this.

Short version - at 4 months ds was completely happy with milk, cuddles and sleep. At 12 months he wanted to play! And move around. And there is a limit to how many times you can walk up and down the plane holding a baby’s hands before you start to wonder if the rest of the plane are planning to chuck you both out.

Thanks mumoftwoyoungkids I have just been weighing up whether to take him or wait till he is a bit older than 13months with the ears popping on plane, mosquito bites, too hot and not being able to have their water etc I am probably just overthinking it as he is only 14wks now lol