Taking LO abroad at 7 months - practicalities?

[lindypops]

So, we are considering going to a villa in Portugal when LO is 7 months, with MIL, FIL and SIL.

I've looke don Easyjet website but can't find much info on taking stuff on the plane.

My questions:

Car seats - we will need to hire a car to get from airport to villa (and perhaps use a bit during the week). Do you take one on the plane? Putting it in the hold will damage it, won't it? Would the car hire company provide one? Would you feel safe with one that wasn't UK made/your own?

Baggage allowance - is hers part of ours? I'm assuming so.

Pushchair - will this be a separate piece of baggage and therefore we have to pay for it?

If there are no highchairs available in the villa, how easy will it be to do without?

Anything I haven't thought of?

Thanks! I really want to go, but we won't be able to afford it if there are too many extra charges

 

[cheeselover]

I have taken quite a few international flights with Stevie. My experience has been...
Pram is free of charge. On some flights I have been able to take the pram all the way to the plane door. On another flight I had to check it in and collect it at baggage claim (without warning). My advice - take a baby carry/sling just in case. I was told a pram would be provided for me and it never appeared. I had to carry her for a four hour stopover when I was by myself (makes going to the toilet impossible).
You can only take baby seat on plane if you buy the baby a seat. Some airlines have regulations about what kind of car seat you can use so you need to check. Otherwise baby is strapped to your lap during take off and landing. Request a bassinet seat so you can lay the baby in that during the flight.
I have a pram with a baby car seat that attaches so I always argue that that the seat is part of the pram and get it on for free. You can wrap the seat in plastic at the airport, take your own bubblewrap or they sometimes provide you with plastic bags...not sure about Easyjet though!!
Car rental places can add a car seat to your rental car if you give them enough notice. In Australia we paid an extra $5 a day. You had to do this there as the seat as to be bolted into the car. I bought my pram/car seat overseas and it didn't meet the Australian government regulations apparently!! Not sure what the law is where you are going?
The baby is allowed half the baggage allowance (not including the pram). So if I have 20 kgs, Stevie would get an extra 10kgs.
I have always been allowed to take breast milk, water, formula with me on the plane. Once I was asked to taste the milk in the bottle in front of airport security!!
I have always found people, especially other mums and grandmothers are so helpful when you are travelling. Just make sure you have everything handy. Bottle made /dummy out and ready for take off and landing (helps with ears). Toys, lots of nappies , wipes, plastic bags to put dirty nappies in etc.
Sterilzing tablets are good if you don't want to take a sterlizer. Mosquito net to go over the pram is very helpful especially when you go out for dinner at night.
Have a fab holiday!
X

 

[-Bumble-]

.

 

[soup]

i don't really know much about flying with babies but with regard to the high chair what abouta tot seat, they fold up to about the size of one of those kag in a bag things and are great, they fit on pretty much any chair, and while lo won't be at table height they keep baby secure on a chair for feeding, you can also take it out to restaurants.

 

[trickytrouble]

Hiya,

We took DD to Cyprus when she was 11 weeks old, we flew with BA and were lucky enough to keep the pram right up to the actual aircraft where they took it down to the luggage hold. We were able to take the car seat onto the plane (its part of the Grace Tour deluxe system) and they put the car seat into a cupboard type area near the back of the plane, we had her on our lap with a special belt they provide on the aircraft but throughout the flight (5 hours) we strapped her back into her car seat then stowed the car seat away for landing. We did have to pick up the pram from the luggage reclaim part though so we carried baby in her car seat to that point. I am not sure if all car hire companies provide a car seat so youre better off taking your own just to be on the safe side.

BA allowed us to take the pram, car seat and a suitcase (up to 22kg) free of charge but you may want to check Easyjet's policy on that. It may be worth calling their customer services department as the websites often dont tell you very much.

Best of luck and have a lovely trip.

TTx

 

[Anna1982]

we took morgan to florida at 8 weeks old and then again at 7 months old
car seat and pram carried for free, he didnt get a weight limit though, just a piece of hand luggage, this was on virgin atlantic (which has now changed we go in march and lucas whos our new baby gets a case as well)

was sometimes hard not having steriliser etc but we took the steri bags just meant it took longer to get the days feeds ready

we also couldnt take jars of food into the stats and morgan wasnt too keen on the ones there so bear that in mind

have a great trip, morgan was no bother on the plane either times lol and it was a 9 hour flight