Flying long haul at 30 Weeks

[Clarashan]

Hi All,

This is my first post so not sure if i'm in the right section, just after some advice.

I'm only 12 weeks at the moment (with my first), but have a trip booked for Aug when I will be 30 weeks. The flight will be 17hours straight (the new Perth - London)! My Dr says I will be fine as long as there are no complications beforehand.

Has anyone done a long haul at 30+ weeks? How bad was it?

Thanks

I would check if the airline will let you fly that far into pregnancy, especially the return journey

I'm not sure I'd do that. 17 hours? The longest non stop in the world? I think worrying about premature labour would ruin whole trip.

You will need a fit to fly letter - check if it will be valid for the return or if you need to get one before you return too.
Buy excellent insurance now!
Compression socks, lots of fluids (take an empty water bottle, and fill up airside) and keep moving - both walking round the plane and the rotating ankles etc excerises they recommend on the health info on the plane.
Enjoy the break!

I flew 9hrs and 9hrs (Dublin - Dubai; Dubai - Cape Town) at 37 weeks (last possible day that any airline will let you fly) and had a whole row to myself on the second flight. No premature labour and tbh I wasn't worried about that, but it was really uncomfortable. I heard a radio interview yesterday with a journalist who was on the flight you mention and it sounded grim.

I wouldnt do this . I unexpectedly had my prem baby at 30 weeks.

It really cant be good for you or babe that trip.

I think it would depend how your pregnancy progresses. I was huge and got pelvic pain so sitting in a small seat where you can't stretch out would have been agony after a few hours. Some people sail through and would be fine. Not very helpful sorry.

I did a 2hr flight at 28 weeks and found it really uncomfortable. No way could I have tolerated 17hrs. I also had problems in the last tri resulting in very close monitoring and a 34 week delivery so I wouldn't have been going anywhere anyway. In my view, get out of the trip if you possibly can.

I flew long haul with my last pregnancy and it wasn’t nice and I was only around 24 weeks then - air stewardess wasn’t keen to help me lift my bag up to the overhead locker which I found hard to reach etc..

Just flew at 30 weeks on a short haul flight (2 hrs) last weekend and got an interrogation at both sides as to why I was flying. Plus side was they let me jump all the queues. For me, 2-3 hours would be my limit, I was quite uncomfortable flying.

I’d be surprised if travel insurance will cover you at that stage. Our work’s only covers up to 26 weeks.

I flew back from California when I was about 30 weeks, or very close to it. I have to say, I don't remember it being that bad. In fact, I don't remember it at all (it was 16 years ago). I do remember sleeping on the floor (just on a duvet and the carpet) the night before as all my furniture had gone. That I do remember and don't recommend!

I had very little choice. I'd just finished my PhD in California and needed to get home. So if you basically have to, then OK. But I definitely wouldn't take a leisure trip!

Most travel insurance won’t cover you after 26 weeks.

If you don’t have to do it don’t I was pregnant and flew back to the uk from Thailand via Abu Dhabi took 17 hours with Etihad unless your business class it’s awful xx

I wouldn’t entertain the possibility unless I were insured to the hilt and I’m not sure if an insurer would cover you.

Personally I wouldn't do it; but that's just my opinion.

I did london-barbados at that stage and it was fine, but I had an easy pregnancy and bump was all up front - I didn't spread sideways sobtobspeak so the seat width was fine. But that was only 8 hours

I'm just back from Oz and not pregnant and I found the flight hard going but that might be the two kids I had with me

Thanks everyone,

My gut reaction was to try and bring it forward, I wasn't too worried about early labour but I think 17hrs would be uncomfortable without being pregnant

I did a 7 hour flight at 33/34 weeks and to be honest, unless I could afford to fly Business, I wouldn't do it again unless it was an emergency.

Sitting still and upright for that long was really uncomfortable and I was really miserable by the end of it all.

I have just done the London-Perth flight at 20 weeks and it was fine, but can't imagine doing it much later, to be with honest.

Again, I would be more worried about the return flight! How many weeks will you be then?

I just did 8 hours / 7 hours back on back at 22 and then return at 24 weeks. Unless you get upgraded to business class I wouldn't do it. It was the most I comfortable thing and now I'm 27+2 I wouldn't want to go longer than a total of 5 hours I don't think. Will be flying tomorrow, 1.5 hours only but lot looking forward to it already.

As PP have said you will need insurance and fit to fly but even then the pilot on the day may refuse you on the plane (he/she has the right).

Imho- not worth it as an emergency landing for any issues means medical support in a country that you don't know etc.

IchFliegeNach

Its a pretty quick turn around we're only there for 10 days. I feel like by the time I get over it it will be time to get back on the plane.

So you’ll be 31/32 weeks coming back? I think you will really struggle to get a fit to fly or insurance at that point. If you can possibly bring the trip forward I think it is worth doing.

Have you looked into insurance covering you that late? If you become ill the payments will be massive out of pocket