Seeking Advice on Air Travel with 1 Year Old

Hi! I just traveled with my 14 month old. I'll try to answer most of your questions based on my experience. She didn't have her own seat... she flew on my lap. I almost wished I had brought the carseat though because I think she would've slept better in it. You can transport the convertible carseat on your back. I saw a lot of people carrying them back pack style with straps. Not sure where to get the straps though. You can bring the stroller all the way up to the plane. Before boarding, you leave the stroller with them and they'll put it on the bottom of the plane for you. I stashed all my bags under the stroller so I didn't have to carry everything. I think the letter from the other parent is only if you're taking them out of the country... but I could be wrong. You don't need a passport if you're staying in the States. Other advice - a bit of Benadryl (sp?) 30 mins before the flight will help him stay calm and get a little sleepy. My doc approved this. Also, I got prescription ear drops for her that helped with the pressure. Bring lots of snacks and a sippy cup and encourage drinking during take off. Bring a few favorite toys to entertain, etc. HTH!

If you son is happy in his car seat then by all means brings it(make sure it is airline approved). When I used to travel with mine when they were little I would bring about 4 activities that they enjoyed a few of their favorite snacks and some juice, water and milk. As the plan is ascending into the air give him a snack to help with his ears and play a little game or sing some songs together. As far as help have friend drive you if possible and do curbside check in, remember you can bring two carry ons because their are two of you. If you have one use a sling to carry your son and put his car seat in/on his stroller. Check in your baggage and wheel you stroller all the way to the gate. When you board the plane ask them to check your stroller at the gate that way you will have it when you first get off the plane. I would check with the airline you are flying just to make sure this is still allowed. If you can't bring the stroller to the gate or do not have a sling of some sort get ask someone to call on of the drivers for you the will load everything up and take you to your gate(just remember to tip). As far as passports if you are leaving the country everyone must have a passport even infants. this is a really good site that should answer most of your questions http://www.travelswithbaby.com/Trip%20Planner/Air_FAQ.htm
Hope this helps.
~W.

Hi C.: I used to travel often with my son on business trips back to my corporate office (near my parents so they would babysit). My tips:
1. No need for passport but I used to take his birth certificate just in case. Never was asked for it, even when he had his own seat.
2. Recommend getting him his own seat. It's cheaper to hold him on your lap but it's safer to buckle him into a car seat - but the car seat must have a label on it from the manufacturer that it's FAA approved. I had a stroller with a car seat that popped in. They check the stroller at the gate and you leave it right outside the plane entrance - when you land they bring it back to that entrance.
3. Try to hold off giving him a bottle until takeoff because they should be sucking during that time to avoid ear popping due to the pressure in the cabin. Same with landing (if he's awake)
4. Check your luggage (it's a bear trying to wheel a suitcase and a stroller so you might want to check luggage at the curb) and just carry on your diaper bag/stroller.
5. Give him infant Tylenol - it can sometimes help them sleep on the plane.
6. Make sure when you check in that you have 2 seats next to eachother. I've had dumb airline agents book me and my son completely apart but if you fix it at the main check you should be fine.
7. You can board early when they call for first class passengers. Usually they'll call first class and 'people needing extra assistance' Don't forget that you need extra assistance and you can tell the airline people that. I've had to push through the people lining up for the other rows prior to their row being called and I just loudly yell 'Excuse me, we need extra assistance.' People part the way faster if you have a big stroller:) Hope that helps and hope your son sleeps the whole way!

We just did a great deal of traveling with our 18 month old. We never bought him his own seat, but usually the airlines were very accommodating and they would let us bring his carseat on if the flight wasn't full. We just wheeled the carseat and stroller up to the gate (actually down the gate to the door of the plane). You can check your stroller at the gate and then they stow it and have it ready for you when you get off the plane (or soon after). My son is really small for his age, so when we couldn't bring the carseat on (twice in 6 flights)we checked it at the gate and then he sat in our laps (mostly mine). He pretty much slept a great deal of the time and the flights we took varied from 1 hour to over 5 hours. The biggest thing would be to bring things for him to do so that he does not get board. Also, I know that you can get convertible carseats for flight that have a handle and wheels and fold-up and they might be easier for you. I don't know how much they cost because we were fine with doing the lap child route. As for ID. For the first flight I brought his birth certificate because they said they needed it to make sure he was under 2. No one asked for it (on any of the flights). They just asked his name and how old he was. If he has his own ticket this may be different, but I would think you could use his birth certificate (or a copy of it) as ID.

I would suggest that if he drinks out of a sippy cup and not a bottle you still bring the milk in a bottle and then bring an empty sippy cup along and pour the milk into it. We had no problems getting multiple bottles through for our son's milk but we did have problems with his sippy cups that he drinks water out of. Most of the time we had to dump out the water and then buy water inside the terminal. Most of the food and snacks we brought for him were fine though (just don't bring anything like yogurt. I don't know about baby food jars since he eats whatever we're eating).

For the most part all the airlines and airports were very helpful and accommodating. My son was also a great flyer and didn't really cry or fuss. He was more fidgity than anything and we needed to constantly find things for him to do when he was awake. He wanted to walk all over the place.

I hope that helps and answers questions. If you have any more just ask. Sometimes I think it depends on how far you're traveling. Oh, all our flights were outside of the state and all over the country and we didn't need any note about taking him out of the state.

Also, I've heard rumor that on really full flights so airlines try to get parents to give up the seat they bought for their child so that a full paying adult can have it. If you want him to have his own seat make sure you stick to your guns about keeping it. You did pay for it after all.

Good luck and have fun. It should be a great experience (I hope). I'd love to hear how it went.

C.,
I've made a yearly trip to California (6 hour flight!!) with my daughter since she was 6 moths old. Here's the deal about taking the car seat - unless you feel that your son will be able to sleep in his car seat for part of the way then take it, otherwise I would suggest that you don't. I took it once because I thought of the safety issues but it proved to be a bigger nuisance than anything. First of all, my daughter wouldn't stay in it nor would she nap in it (keep in mind that flight movement is a lot different from car movement - she would always fall asleep in the car but that didn't happen on the plane). Also, because you have to keep the car seat on the seat, you'll lose that space and have to hold your kid the whole time, which is what I ended up doing. So after that trip I still bought my daughter a seat but did not take the car seat on the plane. This was better because for naps she could stretch out on her seat and when she was awake she had some room to play.

I also would use an umbrella stroller to stroll your son through the airport. It's especially handy if you have to make a connecting flight. The flight attendants will put in one of the closets near the door so you'll have it the moment you exit the plane. You can check your car seat with your luggage.

I hope this information is helpful. Remember to get a bunch of small toys at the $1 store and take one out each 1/2 hour or so to keep your son occupied. That was always a treat for my girl.

Take care and have a safe trip!

L.

hey,
I have actually flew a couples times with the kids once by myself, great idea booking the extra seat, I don't know if they already told you, you can drive your stroller right up to the airplane door, they will put in under the plane for you and bring it back out after arrival.But don't bring a ton of bags on board they will board kids in the beginning and you don't get alot of time to get the baby out of the stroller that will have to be collaped,and get your stuff without people ramming behind you. My advice pack as light as you can because you will be juggleing all your stuff and the babe,try a bookbag if you can it will stay on your shoulders through all this. my last trip our 4 month old got sick on the plane, I always pack, snacks,wipes, diapers,hand sanatizer, spare clothes,and shirt for me incase I get puked on etc.a couple favorite toys(froggie) deorderised diaper bags(platic bag to put them and any dirty duds in till you get off).a blanket if you need to change the babe in your seat, that bathroom is tight. Drinks for the babe, I had to pre mix the formula at philly airport because they wouldn't let me bring my bottled water on board. But they will let you bring juice cups and bottles for the babe, I bought this formula dispenser at walmart great for traveling it holds 4 premeasured feedings(lifesaver!) Anyways I checked the car seat, most airlines too provide 5 point harness adapters to the seat belt my little guys did the best on my lap(I never got one of them) for take off. Target sells lugage like bags for your chair seat it has wheels and zips like a suitcase they cost $40.I put it in it right out of the car,and well worth it or heavy duty black trash bag it or it will get filty checked,I can't handle carrying my britax through the airport. also make sure you tape over the cushsion part of the stroller handle or it to will get destroyed. (I learned this all the hardway)and always I am sure you do, wear sneakers it's a long walk, you can usually call ahead and ask the airline for assitance getting your stuff in and out. I had my handicapped grandmom, the 13 month old and was pregnant, they were really helpful they took us all the way to our car.if you are traveling in the us, they didn't ask me for anything but ssi number of the kids, i did bring my birthcertficate too just incase, I always bring that on board, never pack your money or id in the stuff you check cause they do sometimes lose lugage. Anyways I hope this helps sorry it's so long. Have a great trip.

A. C

I've traveled twice now with our 1 year old on planes. We did not pay for his own seat. However, I was not traveling alone either time! Just remember, how long do you actually get you son to sit at home? Beacuase of this, it may not be worth lugging around a car seat! You DO NOT need permission from the other parent to take a child out of state!!! Only out of the country! This was recently verified for me from lawyers and the airlines!! So I promise you that is false, although it is commonly thought. I would recommend allowing for delays! We were stranded for 9 hours one way, 4 hours home on one trip, the other was on time leaving, but 9 hour delay home!! This seems to be the new airline ways! Just bring enough toys to occupy him, and snacks! I wouldn't bother with the car seat thoguh, since if your 1 year old is like mine, he won't be interested to sitting the whole time alone! Bring your own blankets, your own snacks, and an umbrella stroller is a must! Don't forget, you will be able to board before everyone else, this is helpful to get situated without a lot going on around you! I would bring 1 bottle just in case. I read that book "what to expect the first year", it has very useful traveling advise in it, it says not to change things in their routine just beofre, like weening, so you might want to bring one with you just in case he needs soothing! Either way, if you have access to this book it gave me great advice, and both of our trips went very smoothly, even with the unexpected delays!!! Good luck!!

If you are travelling from state to state, all you need is a driver's license and a birth certificate for your son if you want to be safe. I've never seen them check the birth certificate though. When travelling alone with a child, less is best. You might want to bring a small carry-on back with things for him to do, a few diapers, snacks, wipes (good for cleaning up messes too). It all depends how long your flight is. If you can avoid bringing the carseat on the plane, do so. Check with the airline to make sure it's okay for him to be without a carseat. Some airlines require it after a certain age. Some airlines also offer carseats.

Good luck and have a good trip.

Y.

C.,
Check the airline and tell them what car seat you have. I bought a Britax brand car seat because that was the only one I knew htat was certified for air travel. Althougth when my son was 15 months we went to portugal which is a 6 hour flight and i didn't use the car seat. he just laid on my lap and fell asleep for the ride. I also gave hime benadryl so he would ease into the ride and it worked like a charm. That's what other mothers had told me to do.
I needed my husband's signature for the passport. i don't necessarily remember if i needed a letter for him to travel.
The car seat can be helpful when you get to your destination because you will need one if you rent a car or what ever travel form you are taking. I knwo in Portugal they were strict on that as well as here.
If you go to www.onestepahead.com they have storage bags specifically for traveling iwth those kind of items.
As far as traveling alone, i would see if you can get assistance from the airline to help you with your luggage. you can also bring your stroller right up to the plane and they will take it store it for you until you land and bring it out when you leave the plane. Just make sure you have tags for everything.
I hope this helps a little if you need more info, email me and i'll try as much as i can but calling the airline is the best bet.
Good Luck
I hope your husband is ok. I'm also an army wife and many kudos to you for juggling so many hats.
L.

Hi C.,
I can understand your anxiety. I traveled to Disney with my daughter when she was 11 months old..and walking. The doctor told me to let her drink when the plane took off and landed so that her ears wouldn't hurt her. If she wouldn't drink then a snack would work to - anything to make her swallow. He also suggested Benedryl for her ears. We gave her Bendedryl an hour before the take off. She slept from take off and woke up at landing...which was an added benefit.

However, on the trip home the Benedryl had the opposite effect. And she was out of control the whole ride home. There was nothing we could do. We tried reading books, toys, snacks, drinks....nothing worked. I felt bad for the people around us...but in the end we all made it home safely. Some of us frustrated, me embarrassed - but those days will happen. I apologized to everyone..but I will never see them again anyway.

Also I wanted to let you know that while in the airport I saw a bunch of mom's pushing a convertible car seat/stroller. I found a link to a place that sells them...these one was an expensive one, but once you have the concept I'm sure you can do your own search and find one in your price range.

http://www.elitecarseats.com/Strollers-By-Brand/TriplePla...

Good luck to you.

C.,

I traveled with my son (now 4.5) when he was 18 months and my daughter (now 20 months) just last month. My daughter sat on my lap, but with my son there were extra seats on the plane and he had his own seat both ways. The first flight he was in his car seat, and did fine. On the way home the filght attendant wouldn't let him bring his car seat on because it didn't say airline approved so he sat without it. I was worried, but he was so excited to be in a big boy seat belt that he sat through the whole flight. Also, to make take off and landing easier I brought snacks and drinks. Both of my kids love fruit snacks but I try not to give them to the kids too often. On the flights I brought a ton and fed them to the kids one at a time. They were excited to get them, so they didn't stop eating and they were chewing and swallowing the whole way up to altitude so no ear trouble. Chocolate milk, packed in one of those little insulated bags, worked great on the way down. Good luck, and just try to enjoy the trip. He will feed off your sense of fun or nervousness, so try to project fun!