Tips to know before travelling with a baby on plane
A parents' guide to reaching your dream destination with a stress-free journey
Flying with a baby on a plane is nerve-wracking. Whether it's your first or fifth flight, traveling with a baby can get very stressful and can leave you vexed.
We have a few remedies here for you that will make it a tad bit easier to fly with a baby or even babies!
1. LAP INFANT RULE
Flying with a baby has the advantage of not requiring you to reserve a special seat for them, though what parent wouldn't appreciate the extra room? Because of this, airlines provide two options for seating infants: either you can buy a special ticket or seat for them and use an FAA-approved car seat, or you can carry the baby in your lap throughout the journey.
Domestic flights don't charge for lap infants, but you still need to make a reservation for them. Remember that lap infants on international flights do pay to travel, but this isn't the full fare. Depending on the airline, it will either be a fixed price or a percentage of the adult fare.
2. FIND OUT BEFOREHAND WHAT YOUR AIRLINE'S POLICIES ARE FOR STROLLERS, CAR SEATS, AND CHECKED BAGGAGE
Most airlines allow each booked passenger to check in one stroller and one car seat for free at the ticket desk, and one stroller or one car seat at the gate, which is great news (but not both).
Don't forget to ask for a gate check tag at the gate desk before boarding the airline if you're checking a stroller or car seat. In addition, whether your child is seated in a paid or unpaid seat affects baggage regulations.
Depending on the airline, a lap infant may or may not be allowed the same amount of luggage as an infant traveling in a car seat. This means that if you check a separate bag for a lap infant, the weight of that bag will be added to your total allowed. Airlines do permit one complimentary carry-on diaper bag per lap infant (in addition to your personal carry-on).
With FlyFi App you can get information on the infant passenger policies for numerous airlines all in one place.
3. PICK FLIGHT TIMINGS THAT MATCH YOUR TODDLER'S SLEEP SCHEDULE
If at all possible, pick a departure time that closely matches your child's sleeping schedule. Choosing a flight during the middle of the day, when your child is napping, or later in the evening, close to their bedtime, can help with this.
For lengthier flights, you might even think about doing red-eye since your child will probably be asleep the entire way, but you should also think about whether you'll be able to.
4. CHOOSE AN AISLE SEAT
The least expensive tickets are in the basic economy. However, the issue is that on some airlines, you won't be able to select your own seat, which can be a significant issue when flying with a newborn.
Your seat is allocated by the airline during check-in; it may be an aisle seat, a center seat, or a window seat.
Consider purchasing a fare that allows for advanced seat selection if you're traveling with a baby. This gives you at least the choice of selecting a seat that allows you to get up and down more easily.
Having said that, we also have faith in the goodness of most people, so chances are you can find someone to trade seats with if you can't get your preferred seat.
Use the Seat map feature on FlyFi to take a quick scan of your flight’s seating arrangement
5. BOOK A NONSTOP FLIGHT
Though booking a non-stop flight might be a little more expensive, it will surely save your time and energy on having to board more than once. Especially with a baby, sprinting from one gate to another during layovers will be a task. Your toddler might find it amusing but I doubt that you would.
In case a nonstop flight is not available, try booking flights with longer layovers that will give you more time to change diapers and probably give you a breather!
Don't let the thought of traveling with a baby overwhelm you. Many airlines are accommodating to families and go above and beyond to make the trip fun for you and your child. Flying will become much simpler with a little planning and preparation, and it might even become one of your favorite modes of transportation. In addition, use the FlyFi App to make sure that you have smoother transit.
