Traveling with a baby

[Twinkle]

Hello

Just wondering if anyone has recent experience of flying with a baby. I want to know about baby milk, are you allowed to take it on board ready made or do you take the formula and use the boiled water on board? Also can you take a buggy on and off between connecting flights?

Thank you,

[snifter]

First off, baby milk. You use their water if you take powder generally. Making it up in advance won't be great as it will need to stay chilled till used and not really possible. You can take cartons of pre made stuff that can be warmed also. Be prepared though that you will be asked to open and taste one during security. However, you can order the pre made cartons from inside the airport at Boots and collect them when you've passed security. You can find the Boots shop number on the Heathrow website to do this.

The buggy is debatable. It depends who you fly with on any given day in my experience. I've been on BA flights where they have let us have it right up to the gate and boarding then stored it in the cabin during the leg to Singapore. We were then given it back and were able to use it round Changi airport. However we had to check it on the next leg with Qantas and didn't get it back till after we had collected our bagged at Adelaide. Don't take it as a given you can keep it with you as you may have to check it into the hold for the duration and only get it back in Adelaide. However, at Singapore airport they have buggies you can use. Again, check the Changi airport website for info on the pushchairs and their availability etc. They are white ones and do the job.

If you have a small baby (under one) I'd suggest using a sling or baby carrier rather than bothering with a pushchair tbh. Far easier, hands free and little one close to you for comfort at all times.

[cliffy]

It really depends on which airline you are travelling with. Have you booked a travel cot, as they are limited. My daughter is presently here with her two young children, and flew this time with Malaysian. She was allowed access to the buggy, but has a lightweight one good for travelling in aircraft. Previously she has travelled Qantas/BA and AirNZ and had to check in the buggy with the luggage. She uses a carry thing for the baby at the airports and on the plane.
She uses the small cartons of ready made formula, as not all planes/crews are able to supply boiled water. There are special arrangements for taking these through security, but I think that involves being prepared to sample if asked. Malaysian, she says, are more helpful with babies than some other airlines. If you can't find the information on the airlines website, give them a ring as they generally are helpful with that sort of information.

[Twinkle]

Thanks guys really useful info.
Much appreciated.

[Pat n Jo]

Hi,
We flew with Quantas last year with our then 8 month old daughter. We booked a bassinett on the plane, but they are limited and they tend to give them to the youngest/ lightest babies on that flight. Regarding the milk, I took a bottle already made up, fed her on take off and landing so her ears would 'pop', she was fine. I took milk powder and spare bottles for the other feeds and the air crew were very obliging with boiled water. Although my advise is to ask for it a bit before you actually need it!
We were told, when I phoned to enquire, that we could have our pushchair at each airport. So we bought a lightweight one which folded quite small so to fit in the overhead locker. When we checked in at Adelaide, they told us we had to check it in and couldnt collect it until we collected our luggage at Manchester (which incidently they had accidently offloaded at Heathrow!!). They do have pushchairs to lend at the airports, but the ones at Adelaide, we felt were too 'upright' for our baby. Luckily enough I had taken my baby carrier which was a godsend! Would deffo advise you to have one, its so much easier than bothering with a pushchair.
Only other problem we came across was the airline gave us baby food in jars, which we ended up having to open one each time we went through security and discovered the lids dont go back on as tightly!! so had babyfood everywhere in one of the bags. But other than that, everything went well, our daughter was well behaved (thank goodness) and the airline were very helpful.
Hope everything goes well for you with your flights.

Jo :)

[snifter]

We were told, when I phoned to enquire, that we could have our pushchair at each airport. So we bought a lightweight one which folded quite small so to fit in the overhead locker. When we checked in at Adelaide, they told us we had to check it in and couldnt collect it until we collected our luggage at Manchester (which incidently they had accidently offloaded at Heathrow!!). They do have pushchairs to lend at the airports, but the ones at Adelaide, we felt were too 'upright' for our baby. Luckily enough I had taken my baby carrier which was a godsend! Would deffo advise you to have one, its so much easier than bothering with a pushchair.

Funny, we had exactly the same from Adelaide to the UK. That is the only time we've had to check a buggy the entire way through and been told in no uncertain terms we could not even get it back in Singapore and that it would go all the way through to London and we would see it there. And that we could not even take it to the gate but had to check it with our baggage! Every other time, even Qantas from London and elsewhere has allowed us to take it to the gate before putting in the hold.

I guess Qantas Adelaide has a specific policy on buggies :|

[Helchops]

Not to steal the thread - but I have another question; we're flying with Singapore and have a hefty buggy system that we were going to tie up and put in a bag or something...do they count this as part of your total weight allowance for the flight?

I think we're allowed 40Kg each and 10Kg for the baby so a total of 90Kg - is there also any limit on the amount of bags you're allowed to take? It's so confusing!!!

[snifter]

Not to steal the thread - but I have another question; we're flying with Singapore and have a hefty buggy system that we were going to tie up and put in a bag or something...do they count this as part of your total weight allowance for the flight?

I think we're allowed 40Kg each and 10Kg for the baby so a total of 90Kg - is there also any limit on the amount of bags you're allowed to take? It's so confusing!!!

OK, read the SA website as it explains all :)

http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/tr...ge-allowances/

No one single bag can be over 32kg for H&S reasons between Aus and UK. So you can have 2 bags each, say 20kg per bag for ease and be fine. Then 10kg for baby :) Or 25kg and 15kg for one of you, however it works, so long as its two bags, with neither one exceeding 32kg.

Pushchair. SA are good but expect for it to be checked into the hold somewhere along the line and to possibly not get it back till you land in Adelaide. You may, if it goes well get to keep it till the gate and then have it go in the hold and get it back in Singapore, but don't bank on it. Some people seem to, others don't. If its a bulky pushchair it will probably have to go in the hold as there may not be anywhere to store it in the cabin of the plane. So long as it folds down you should be good. Again, the SA website says about pushchairs so have a read and if in doubt, email them direct and get confirmation. I found this on the page I linked to

Infants are allowed 10kg of baggage. Additionally, a fully collapsible stroller or pushchair, carry-cot and infant food items may be checked in without charge.

It is not counted as part of your baggage that I know of. Nor does it state this. I think they balance the 10kg baggage with 10kg of pushchair so it evens out to 20kg.

FWIW I'd always say invest in a sling of baby carrier for airports and long haul travel. They are fab as give you hands free, no need to cart pushchair and you can also keep baby close and walk them up and down the plane without having to carry them in your arms. Soooooo much easier all round.

[Helchops]

Ahh brilliant. So, as many bags as we want total weight 90Kg as long as no single bag exceeds 32kg? Am I understanding that correctly?

[teamV]

When we flew to America last year ,at mancheaster airport thay made us pour out one of Glenns juice bottles and took all the unopened bottles of water offs us,because we had no bought airside ,so we had to replace them once through customs.It could be btter to buy pre mixed bab
y milk.
here's an email reply we got yesturday about flying,


Thank you for your email.
(1) Kindly be advised, if you hold an unused/unstamped/not validated migrantvisa that specifically states that you are permitted to remain in Australiaindefinitely / permanently, you will then be entitled to the double baggageallowance (40 kilos, per passenger).
The double baggage allowance will onlybe granted when you check in at the airport when this visa is sighted andchecked that it has also not been travelled on before, this has to be thefirst time it is being used.
You can have as many items of checkedluggage as you wish provided:
The total combined weight of all theitems put together does not exceed your total checked allowances
No single item of baggage exceeds 32kilos in weight, as a health and safety requirement
If you are not holding the correct visamentioned above at check-in, then you will be entitled to the standardfree checked baggage allowance of 20 kilos per passenger.
The excess baggage charge London to Adelaideis SGD80.00 per kilo equivalent to GBP40.00 approximately.
(2) We would like to advise you thatif an 18 month old child is travelling, any two of the following itemsper travelling infant may be checked in at no extra cost:
fully collapsible stroller/pushchair
carrycot
car seat
If you are checking in multiple itemsmentioned above, then only two will be free of charge while the otherswould need to be within your total checked allowances.
We hope the above information helps withyour enquiry.
Thank you for your interest in flyingSingapore Airlines.
Yours Sincerely,
Mervyn Antao
SIA UK
"Document Classification - RESTRICTED"
For further information or clarification, please call our local reservationsoffice directly at 0844 800 2380 (24 hour service, operated 7 days a week).
If you are located in another country, you may call +44 20 8961 6993, orvisit www.singaporeair.com to obtain the nearest reservation office's contactnumber.


Kev.