Flying to UK with 10 month old

[davejonesbkk]

Does anyone have any tips on flying with a 10 month old baby? I think he will be too big and heavy for the sky-cot thing as he is already 10kgs almost and we arent flying until March most likely, Im not sure if we can have him on our lap for the whole flight too, I guess this means I need to book a seat then? I think I read somewhere that you then take a car seat on and use that? Does anyone have any experience with that and are there ever problems getting through security with it?

 

What about taking a pram?

 

Any other tips would be great! 

 

Flying to Manchester btw and possibly going with KLM as used them before and they were great.

[irishken]

If you can afford it, buy a seat for your child. 

I got a bassinet for my daughter when she was 11 months old but like you said, some go by weight so best check with KLM or the airline you  choose. 

If you buy a seat for your child, try and  book 3 out of the  the four seats in the middle of the plane leaving a gap between you's, so aisle seat for Wife, then an empty seat, then the child's seat and then you on the other aisle seat. 

When you are then checking in, ask if that seat is empty and ask straight up if it can be left empty. Maybe even if the flight is not full, one of the cabin crew can move the passenger beside you to an empty seat elsewhere if that seat gets taken. 

 

Personally i would go with a middle eastern airline if you are making one stop.

The stopover halfway through the flights helps and both Doha and Abu Dhabi have prams free of charge when you get of the plane and then you just drop it off when getting on the second plane.

Make sure you have enough toys,food and medicine with you. 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

A few tips when we flew to UK when my daughter was around 10 months old:

 

- fly at late at so your child is tired, hopefully sleeping most of the journey!

- If possible, fly via middle east breaking the flight up into approx two 6 hr journeys.

- During take off give your child a bottle as drinking will prevent discomfort from their ears popping.

- Extra seat is better but if you cant afford it go for a bassinet - better than having them on your lap the whole journey

- If you get a bassinet check the weight limits.

- I'd recommend flying with Emirates, they really took care of us when flying with a baby

 

[Dazinoz]

I have great interest in his topic as I am taking my 15 month son to Australia for adoption next month. I will be flying Thai. Their baby basinets are restricted to babies 69cm, 10kg or 6 months. 

 

Unfortunately I can't tell you much more as I need to know myself. I have never flown with a baby before and need to know things as well. I hope OP doesn't mind me piggy back on his post and ask questions, might help them as well.

 

I had started a GoFundMe campaign to help me raise some money to take him but unfortunately was not very successful. I can't afford a seat for him and if a seat is purchased you have to provide an approved seat or carrier. I booked an aisle seat behind a bulkhead to allow some freedom and I am hoping seat next to me will not be taken, mainly to sit his stuff on. He died at the age of 6 weeks but was revived. Unfortunately he suffered brain damage due to the time he was "dead". He can not eat or drink by mouth and has to be fed via a gastrostomy tube on his abdomen so this requires extra stuff to be carried.

 

One question I have is in regards to the amount of baby milk that can be carried on board. I have done a fair amount of searches but general consensus appears to be that the restrictions of the carrying of liquids does not apply but still can be confiscated at the whim of security. I am travelling Chiang Mai to Bangkok then a 9 hour flight to Australia so I need 3 large bottles full. I can carry the powder and get water on the flight but trying to minimise the amount of work I need to do on the flight. I am sure the cabin crew will help but they have jobs to do so I don't want to burden anyone.

 

It is going to be a daunting task for me to travel alone with him. But he is usually very well behaved and rarely cries.

 

As with the OP and suggestions welcome and sorry to the OP for piggy back.

[bfc1980]

My wife has flown back to Europe with both our children a few times. Here are a few things that made it easier providing money isn't too much of an issue:

 

Book with a middle East airline to break the journey up. 

 

At that age book a seat for the child. Some airlines (Qatar for sure) can provide a CRD (child restraint device) that attaches to the seat and securely straps your child in. You will need to visit the airline office in Bangkok to organise that. They probably won't know what you're talking about but persevere. A few days before flying, give the airline a call to remind them and do the same when you check in.

 

1st leg should be flown in the afternoon so that it is the child's natural bedtime by the time you land. 

 

Have a long stopover (around 12 to 15 hours) and book a room at the airport hotel. This is quite expensive at least 6,000 baht. Dubai Airport Hotel is much more expensive than Doha. This should give you plenty of time to have a good night's rest, get breakfast and have a little play in the kids area/browse the duty free. 

 

2nd leg should be morning/midday time in the middle east and you'll be nice and refreshed after your sleep By the time you land in Europe, it's early afternoon and almost bedtime for little one. 

 

 

[Neeranam]

When my daughter was the same age we got some medicine from the chemists. It had alcohol on it, and worked a treat. She slept most the way to the UK.

[catman20]

good luck to all of you with this.

[bbz404]

I took my less than 2 month old daughter last year from BKK to Paris with Thai (direct flight). We had the bassinet and that was fine for the flight. No extra seat for her.

 

This year in June, she'll be 1 year old and we just booked the tickets for the same flight. This time, I opted for the extra seat. We have an FAA approved Child Seat that we can take inside the cabin but she hates that thing. So I just hope she'll be able to sleep laying on her seat. It's definitely not possible anymore to get a bassinet unfortunately.

I am not so worried however, as it's a late night flight and she should be able to get a few hours of sleep. Other than that, toys, finger food (no sugar!) and attention is what she will require I suppose.

 

With Thai's exceptional kid-friendliness we should do fine on both flights.

Paying just 25%, you'll not get an extra seat and that is quite uncomfortable on such a long flight.

[brewsterbudgen]

Our son did BKK-LHR (direct) and back twice when he was 12 months and 16 months, then again when he was 32 months. The first two return flights were with BA, then EVA. On the first he sat on our laps (no bassinet) then because he was 2+, he had his own seat.

 

Lots of good advice here, although I wouldn't recommend drugging him. Apart from a minor tantrum, he was fine and slept through most of the flights.

 

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[Muhendis]

Something about under one year old rang a bell for me.

 

Take a look at this:- https://www.skyscanner.net/news/flying-babies

[jimn]

Just one bit of advice. Planes can be a bit clostrophobic not only for you travelling with a young baby but also for the many passengers travelling around you. There is nothing worse than a crying baby on a plane especially a night flight disturbing everyone. The parents then get angry and cant rest either. Please come prepared. Plenty of food or milk if they are still on it. Nappies, change of clothes, favourite toy, dummy comforter. I have seen it so many times parents travelling with a child and have no idea how to take care of him/her. Peace and quiet will prevail if you prepare.

[jacko45k]

Transferring at Schiphol would not be my choice. Travelling to Manchester I have found that bit aggravating. Not sure how the Middle East carriers handle this but they too can be difficult transfers with some distance involved. Particularly if it is just you and the child. I see Emirates mentioned above, an airline I use frequently and like. Use the A380 in preference to the 777ER.

Obviously no direct flight choice.

Edited January 30, 2018 by jacko45k

[Neeranam]

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21977785

 

In India people give kids opium for stomach ache. In Scotland we give kid hot toddies, which have whisky in them.

 

[davejonesbkk]

Thanks for all the info guys. I definitely plan to go well prepared with all the essentials as well as nursery ryhme videos loaded on the ipad and new toys!

 

I would like to do one of the ME airlines to break the flight up but from what I can see they all seem to be night time flights and I really dont want to risk him crying when everyone else is trying to sleep, I always find that flying in the day minimizes jet lag on the other side too.

 

So about strollers, I can take one with my and take it all the way up to the gate and then they will stow it for me with check in luggage?

[Dazinoz]

1 hour ago, davejonesbkk said:

Thanks for all the info guys. I definitely plan to go well prepared with all the essentials as well as nursery ryhme videos loaded on the ipad and new toys!

 

I would like to do one of the ME airlines to break the flight up but from what I can see they all seem to be night time flights and I really dont want to risk him crying when everyone else is trying to sleep, I always find that flying in the day minimizes jet lag on the other side too.

 

So about strollers, I can take one with my and take it all the way up to the gate and then they will stow it for me with check in luggage?

I read today somewhere you can check it in at counter or gate so should be ok

 

[MadMuhammad]

On 30/01/2018 at 7:54 PM, Dazinoz said:

I have great interest in his topic as I am taking my 15 month son to Australia for adoption next month. I will be flying Thai. Their baby basinets are restricted to babies 69cm, 10kg or 6 months. 

 

Unfortunately I can't tell you much more as I need to know myself. I have never flown with a baby before and need to know things as well. I hope OP doesn't mind me piggy back on his post and ask questions, might help them as well.

 

I had started a GoFundMe campaign to help me raise some money to take him but unfortunately was not very successful. I can't afford a seat for him and if a seat is purchased you have to provide an approved seat or carrier. I booked an aisle seat behind a bulkhead to allow some freedom and I am hoping seat next to me will not be taken, mainly to sit his stuff on. He died at the age of 6 weeks but was revived. Unfortunately he suffered brain damage due to the time he was "dead". He can not eat or drink by mouth and has to be fed via a gastrostomy tube on his abdomen so this requires extra stuff to be carried.

 

One question I have is in regards to the amount of baby milk that can be carried on board. I have done a fair amount of searches but general consensus appears to be that the restrictions of the carrying of liquids does not apply but still can be confiscated at the whim of security. I am travelling Chiang Mai to Bangkok then a 9 hour flight to Australia so I need 3 large bottles full. I can carry the powder and get water on the flight but trying to minimise the amount of work I need to do on the flight. I am sure the cabin crew will help but they have jobs to do so I don't want to burden anyone.

 

It is going to be a daunting task for me to travel alone with him. But he is usually very well behaved and rarely cries.

 

As with the OP and suggestions welcome and sorry to the OP for piggy back.

Just a note regarding th bulkhead seating. In my experience these seats are requested quite frequently so please don’t rely on the one next to you being left free. Good luck 

[Dazinoz]

7 hours ago, MadMuhammad said:

Just a note regarding th bulkhead seating. In my experience these seats are requested quite frequently so please don’t rely on the one next to you being left free. Good luck 

Yep, understand that, just wishful thinking.

[brewsterbudgen]

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[Dazinoz]

6 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

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Very helpful.

[brewsterbudgen]

Very helpful.

Thanks!

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[Will E Vormer]

We just booked on thai to Uk.

A little tip, we booked online and then booked the baby over the phone( a much cheaper way but call them first). Also this way we cd ask for bassnet seat and were automatically allocated these, which are the best economy seats with all the legroom.

And don't forget the gripe water..

 

 

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