Flight advice - Northern Ireland

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Just booked a flight from Manchester to Belfast to see my parents (for the first time in a year ) with DD, who is nearly two and a half. I’ll be checking in a big suitcase. DD mostly wants to walk but occasionally flakes. She’s tall and too heavy to carry far.

I can’t see how I can manage both her City Jogger Mini and a suitcase once I collect them at the other side tho?

Should I look to buy a very small fold up stroller I can carry with the case? Or maybe not bring a pushchair and get my parents to buy a cheap one for the week? Just wondering what other people do. I want to make this a regular trip.

Also worried about her sitting in her own seat for take off and landing. Pretty sure she’ll be a bit freaked by being on a plane and want to cling to me like a limpet at first.

Wouldn't they both fit on a trolley?

I did think about that. DD probably won’t want to walk without holding my hand if it’s somewhere new. I guess worst case scenario I’m pushing the trolley one handed and carrying her. Im probably over thinking it aren’t I… sure once I’ve done this journey once I’ll be fine!

Open up the pushchair and push it like normal while pulling the suitcase behind. Have DD either sit in the pushchair or wear a harness/straps attached to you.

Or fold the pushchair and lay it across the top op the suitcase so you are only pulling the suitcase and have a hand free for DD, but also have a strap for her connected to you.

Or just have your parents buy a cheap one in Belfast.

Use a trolly and stick DD on it, she’ll likely find that fun. Or get leading reins. It’s a small airport and quiet right now, she can’t go far.

Take some games and bribes to get into her seat

If you are flying into George Best there's hardly any walking from baggage reclaim to going out. If there is someone there to meet you I'm sure it would be ok to let DD walk.
If not I'd put her in the buggy whether she approves or not

Yes George best is very small. You can almost see the exit door from baggage reclaim. It’s a matter of a few dozen feet.

Thanks everyone. I know I sound like a wuss. I don’t like unknowns when it comes to DD. She’s normally pretty well behaved but on the rare occasions she’s not, all hell breaks loose 🤣

Just wanted to update this to say DD loved the airports and flights, she's desperate to go again. I ended up not taking her pushchair and it couldn't have been easier.

The only issue was security - DD was furious the bunny she carries at all times had to go through the scanner and screamed the place down. They gave it her back pretty quickly...