Bringing Baby Items Through Security At Suvarnabhumi

[monica]

My husband and I will be flying for the 1st time with our 8 month old daughter. This will be an int'l flight and I am wondering if anybody can answer a question about security rules there. I want to know if I will be able to bring her baby bottles with sterilized water through security. Otherwise, I don't know what I am supposed to do...don't want her to become dehydrated..and the water she drinks has to be sterilized, so I really don't want to give her bottled water bought on the other side of security, and I have read many stories about babies becoming very ill when using water on airplanes. Anybody been able to bring their baby's water through without issues?

Thank you.

Monica

[Crossy]

Baby bottles with mixed feed should be no problem, same with baby food

Water may be more problematic as it's not defined as a baby food, particularly with the rent-a-thug crew that seem to be used by airport 'security' outfits (leave your brain at the door, they took a Mars bar off me, gell??).

I'd just mix up enough feeds for the nipper and chill them well, put them in a cooler bag to prevent spoiling. Boiling water is available on aircraft anyway (they use it to make tea) should you need to make up an extra feed.

EDIT. Actually, if your water is in containers of less than 100ml there should be no issues, put it in baby bottles

Edited August 28, 2007 by Crossy

[monica]

Baby bottles with mixed feed should be no problem, same with baby food

Water may be more problematic as it's not defined as a baby food, particularly with the rent-a-thug crew that seem to be used by airport 'security' outfits (leave your brain at the door, they took a Mars bar off me, gell??).

I'd just mix up enough feeds for the nipper and chill them well, put them in a cooler bag to prevent spoiling. Boiling water is available on aircraft anyway (they use it to make tea) should you need to make up an extra feed.

EDIT. Actually, if your water is in containers of less than 100ml there should be no issues, put it in baby bottles

Your Mars bar?? Yes - it is such a "gel" factor???...i think somebody was just hungry...guess we have to leave all logic at the door like you said....

Thanks - I was going to put her water in her baby bottles of 4 oz/ about 125ml. But then it will not fit into those bags - basically, when i called the airport I was told that I have a 50% shot at it depending on the security person's mood. So that's 2 security points..we'll see. The boiled water idea is good, but the water has to be boiled for at least 20 mins straight...If anybody has any experience with this situation I would love to hear about it.

[Crossy]

Your Mars bar?? Yes - it is such a "gel" factor???...i think somebody was just hungry...guess we have to leave all logic at the door like you said....

Thanks - I was going to put her water in her baby bottles of 4 oz/ about 125ml. But then it will not fit into those bags - basically, when i called the airport I was told that I have a 50% shot at it depending on the security person's mood. So that's 2 security points..we'll see. The boiled water idea is good, but the water has to be boiled for at least 20 mins straight...If anybody has any experience with this situation I would love to hear about it.

I don't think that baby stuff needs to fit in a single poly. Put two bottles in each poly, put the lot in the cooler and only take them out at the check security IF they ask you to. There are three of you, so you are allowed three bags anyway

Does your little one really need 20 minute boiled water (I always used 3-5 minutes and none of ours ever got sick)? If so a note from the Doc. may be a good idea. If you confuse the rent-a-jerks enough they'll let you through with a kilo of plastique and a roll of primercord

Just in case make sure you have formula to make up on the plane, cabin staff are usually quite baby friendly and will boil your water for as long as practical.

[lomatopo]

You should really check, double-check and triple-check with the airline(s). Opinions and even experiences expressed here are pretty worthless as the situation could change daily. Also consider your transit points, if any.

In theory BKK is using the ICAO LAG guidelines which are based on the TSA guidelines . Have look, see what you think.

[Crossy]

You should really check, double-check and triple-check with the airline(s). Opinions and even experiences expressed here are pretty worthless as the situation could change daily. Also consider your transit points, if any.

In theory BKK is using the ICAO LAG guidelines which are based on the TSA guidelines . Have look, see what you think.

Good advice from lomatopo, although field reports are always useful (I see no mention of Mars bars on the TSA page ).

It would seem that our OP should have no problems, we shall see. A report of your experiences at BKK would be most useful.

[monica]

Thanks for the TSA link. Sadly, as far as babies are concerned milk and juice are the only things mentioned....yes, let's pump them up with sugar....beides my daughter hates anything sweet for now, so that won't work anyway. I am dumbfounded yet again at how thoughtless certain rules are (starting with TSA) - without any concern for a baby's well being. They need water, and it is know that airplane water isn't safe for them. They can become dehydrated easily. Ayyyyy....I am working on getting her pediatrician to write a letter saying it is a medical need that she have sterilized water...we shall see. I am not looking forward to some punk securty person who will decide on a whim. It's ridiculous that they are taking things (such as the Mars bar) they want..I read stories about things disappearing as people go through security...but that is another topic. Anyhow, excuse my ramblings - thank you for the advice and links. I am still stressing so much about this trip - I actually just found out I have an ulcer - and not bacteria related. Trying to chill out.....

[ozymandious]

Monica My wife and Baby girl 2yrs old went through BKK Int'l about 2 weeks ago.

My wife is werry of what my daughter drinks and eats also and when we travel we go with a small soft cooler.

Some tips RE BKK Int'l Airport: have a good stroller with you! my connection trhough Suvarnabhumi was aobut an hour/ hour and a half but the connecting gate was about 2Km away! Would not have made it with carrying todler + carry on.

Tips Re Baby food items:

Have a soft cooler that's not too big but just right for what you're carrying.

Being soft is an advantage as it's less likley to be hasseled aobut be cause it looks more like a bag and you can squish it into places that a more riged one wouln't fit. (in pram basket, under seat infront of you)

Have a freezer pack to keep your goods cool

If they try to give you a hard time over this item tell them your milk will spoil with out it for your long flight.

Have your liquids in Avent or simmeler containers

To save on some space instead of having too many tops with nipples (takes up space and leaky)

have most of the liquid in sealed top bottles.

(Sealing caps for Avent bottles)

the Avent bottles are good because they're a good size and are transparent so that security can see through them.

Arguing points and Tactics:

Have a bottle of milk or 2 in the cooler bag: my daughter can not drink cows milk and drinks goat milk.

If the milk is breast, cow, goat or even formula you need to say that it's some kind of milk that requires the freezer pack not to spoil (or they might try to tak the freezer pack away)

If your daughter is off the boob and is on formula, still claim that the milky looking substance in the bottle is milk.

In the same type of Avent bottles pour your purified watter into a few and have them all in the cooler bag along with what ever other snacks and juice boxes you have for your daughter.

When you come to the security check point (right before X-ray machine) call over the screener open up the cooler bag and you do all the talking. Explining why you need these items in there for your child.

(Breast Milk, alirgies, long flight, need to not spoil, can't have normal milk/water)

This has worked for us every time.

Don't stress too much it's going to be OK.

Ultimatly it might come down to which screener you get but they're pretty good when it comes to baby.

Tips on Air Plane:

If you do have along flight ahead of you and you're worried that your one or 2 freezer packs are not going to keep your milk fresh for the trip. All the airlines have dry ice availble from the stewardeses.

Juyst ask them for some dry ice for your baby's milk and they will give it to you. Put it in the cooler with the milk. The Dry ice will dissapate in about 3-6 hours but will probaly have re-freezed your freezer pack by that point and you have the residual cool in the cooler.

Singe your baby a song place her in the bassanet infront of you (you requested bulk-head and bassanet for your trip right?) Put her to sleap and get some rest yourself.

Good luch and have a good trip.

[monica]

Monica My wife and Baby girl 2yrs old went through BKK Int'l about 2 weeks ago.

My wife is werry of what my daughter drinks and eats also and when we travel we go with a small soft cooler.

Some tips RE BKK Int'l Airport: have a good stroller with you! my connection trhough Suvarnabhumi was aobut an hour/ hour and a half but the connecting gate was about 2Km away! Would not have made it with carrying todler + carry on.

Tips Re Baby food items:

Have a soft cooler that's not too big but just right for what you're carrying.

Being soft is an advantage as it's less likley to be hasseled aobut be cause it looks more like a bag and you can squish it into places that a more riged one wouln't fit. (in pram basket, under seat infront of you)

Have a freezer pack to keep your goods cool

If they try to give you a hard time over this item tell them your milk will spoil with out it for your long flight.

Have your liquids in Avent or simmeler containers

To save on some space instead of having too many tops with nipples (takes up space and leaky)

have most of the liquid in sealed top bottles.

(Sealing caps for Avent bottles)

the Avent bottles are good because they're a good size and are transparent so that security can see through them.

Arguing points and Tactics:

Have a bottle of milk or 2 in the cooler bag: my daughter can not drink cows milk and drinks goat milk.

If the milk is breast, cow, goat or even formula you need to say that it's some kind of milk that requires the freezer pack not to spoil (or they might try to tak the freezer pack away)

If your daughter is off the boob and is on formula, still claim that the milky looking substance in the bottle is milk.

In the same type of Avent bottles pour your purified watter into a few and have them all in the cooler bag along with what ever other snacks and juice boxes you have for your daughter.

When you come to the security check point (right before X-ray machine) call over the screener open up the cooler bag and you do all the talking. Explining why you need these items in there for your child.

(Breast Milk, alirgies, long flight, need to not spoil, can't have normal milk/water)

This has worked for us every time.

Don't stress too much it's going to be OK.

Ultimatly it might come down to which screener you get but they're pretty good when it comes to baby.

Tips on Air Plane:

If you do have along flight ahead of you and you're worried that your one or 2 freezer packs are not going to keep your milk fresh for the trip. All the airlines have dry ice availble from the stewardeses.

Juyst ask them for some dry ice for your baby's milk and they will give it to you. Put it in the cooler with the milk. The Dry ice will dissapate in about 3-6 hours but will probaly have re-freezed your freezer pack by that point and you have the residual cool in the cooler.

Singe your baby a song place her in the bassanet infront of you (you requested bulk-head and bassanet for your trip right?) Put her to sleap and get some rest yourself.

Good luch and have a good trip.

Thank you SO much for the detailed suggestions! It's good to know it worked for you. We are going to bring her car seat and she will be in the seat next to me. Again, thank you VERY much, I feel better hearing what you did.

[ozymandious]

hey no problem.

Good luck on your trip!

[Amonik]

Don't worry too much.

I usually flight from Thailand to Argentina, a way long flight, 3 stops, ....

I always carry whatever I need for my son, travelled with him when he was 5 months, 6 months and one year. A full bag containing water in bottles of 600 ml, esterilized Avent bottles, milk powder, jar of baby food and even bananas !

Some crew sometimes complain about the size of the bag or the water, it depends on the mood of them or in which country you are, but I firmly said to whoever complaint that all what I have in the bag is what my son needs during the trip, over. They never make any deal, they understand. If not, just ask them what they will do in your case...

Good luck !

[Shrubbery]

It may be worth contacting the airlines and requesting sterilised water. There's no guarantee that they will supply it though.

Also bear in mind that unless you have paid for a seat for your child, they are not entitled to a seat. So there is a chance that you will not be able to sit her in your car seat.

You should try to request a bulkhead seat so that you can use a bassinet as a previous poster suggested.

[monica]

It may be worth contacting the airlines and requesting sterilised water. There's no guarantee that they will supply it though.

Also bear in mind that unless you have paid for a seat for your child, they are not entitled to a seat. So there is a chance that you will not be able to sit her in your car seat.

You should try to request a bulkhead seat so that you can use a bassinet as a previous poster suggested.

Thanks - that is also an idea, though knowing me I won't trust that it is sterlized. We actually purchased a seat for her, and are in the bulk head area.