Airline Travel tips -Must for Parents traveling with Infants

I know in my last blog I promised to come back with the Airport checks but yesterday only,I met one of my friend, who has 4months old baby and she is traveling to US.
She is first time mum and was quite worried and apprehensive about the Airline Travel. I can very well visualize that its too much for little one to handle the noise at the Airport and limit himself to the space on board. Don' t worry I have loads of information and experience to share and hope that this would definitely help all the parents traveling with infant :

First and foremost ,relax,don't panic, if you panic then this negative feeling would definitely pass on to the little one that would make whole journey difficult for the parents and the baby..

We will go step by step to make this whole process easy :

Planning Travel : Lets start with the basic needs that must before Air travel

• Make sure that Infant has the passport and necessary travel documents
• Check the fare for the infant as lots of Airlines gives discount to the infant. Discount starts from paying only 10% of the adult fare
• If you are planning to take the infant on your lap then make sure that you request for the bassinet seat in advance. This would really help the little one to sleep properly in the flight.
• Few Airlines provide designer baby seats without extra charge. I know that British Airways provide designer baby cot 'Britax' for comfortable journey.

Do check the details from Airline

• Are you taking the car seat , If yes then make sure that the dimensions of the car seat should be as per Airlines norms. Also check if there is extra charge for the car seat
• Don't forget to check the baggage allowance for the infant.
• Strollers are allowed on most of the flights. However , remember to check the same with the Airline staff
• Remember to carry small baby bag with you that includes , diapers , formula milk powder, plastic bags for trash ,change of clothes ,blankets & 2-3 toys

At the security Gate :

• You can carry the bottles breast milk or formula for the baby in the handbag and if needed the security can ask you to taste the milk. There is no restriction as such but do check with the concerned Airline
• The stroller needs to go through the x-ray machine
• Do you want to check-in the stroller ? If your answer is yes, you can take the stroller till the airline gate then the same is taken by the Airline staff at the gate.

Endurance Tips for the Infant in the Flight : Now this is tough one. This is the place where you need to make the infant comfortable and calm. Here are few tips for the same:

• Few of the Airlines provide pre-boarding for passengers traveling with the infant. So please board early so that you and the baby can settle down
• Its quite uncomfortable for the baby during the take off and landing. Put soft ear buds or pacifier or encourage the baby to suck thumb to cope up with the pressure
• If your baby is crying a lot then take small walks within the cabin and try to pacify him with the toys
• Airline crew can also help you with the hot water or warming up the bottles.

Golden Tip : Don't get stressed by the rude remarks of the other passengers. You are doing good job and are worth appreciating.

Hope these tips would make the journey comforting and enjoyable both for the parents and the little one. Watch the space for more Airline Travel tips for people with special needs..

Till then remember - DON'T PANIC, YOU ARE GOOD PARENTS AND DOING EXCELLENT WORK

See you soon !!

10 most important things before Airline travel

I have been in travel industry for last 8.5 years and everyday speak to hundreds of customers regarding their trouble and difficulties regarding Airline Travel. All this conversations and situations has actually encouraged me to pen down few most important things that needs to be kept in mind before the Air travel are :

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS :

1. Passport :Lets start from the scratch, validity of the passport. Passport should be valid at least for 06 months.This rule can change from country to country
2. Visa : Visa is next important aspect of Air travel. Remember to take the transit Visa (if required) .This can be checked either with the Airline or with the embassy . For e.g: If you are travelling to Europe Visa UK make sure that you check with the embassy regarding the Air side Transit Visa.

FARE RULES & CONDITIONS

1. Flexibility of the dates : Are you flexible with the travel dates. If yes, then you are luck as few of the Airlines charge less fare if you travel during the weekday where as the same ticket would cost you more in case you travel during the weekend. Therefore remember to check fare for different dates
2. Fare Rules :Very Important fact , Cross check the fare rules twice before purchasing the ticket. Fare might look very cheap and attractive but these tickets are actually non changeable. Once bought can't be changed and you need to stick to the original dates.
3. Refund conditions : Other thing to check before purchasing the ticket is to check the cancellation conditions. Make sure that ticket is refundable so that if you are not able to travel on planned dates then you should be able to get the full refund of the ticket. Low cost Airlines generally has restricted tickets and does not give option of refund.

Remember to ask the travel agent or the Airline staff for the copy of the fare conditions including Refund penalties

GOOD TO CHECK

• Baggage Allowance is other important thing. Its good to know the total Baggage Allowance as well as the excess baggage charges .
• Seating is something that is close to every one's heart and try and allocate seats before the Air Travel this would give you an option of selecting the most comfortable seats. Seating plays really important part if you are travelling with small children or infants,physically disabled passengers & pregnant ladies
• Make sure you have Flight details , PNR number, E- ticket copy handy
• Don't forget to carry your travel agent or Airline's contact details
• Remember to reach Airport at least 2-3 hours before the flight so that you can easily complete all the security and immigration requirements

I think i managed to put down some vital things to keep in mind before Air Travel..

Watch out the space for important things at the Airport and in the flight..Till then Happy Flying!!