Travelling with Tots

[ailbhe]

Crossposted to plan_survive and ailbhe.

In December I will be travelling by plane from Heathrow to Dublin with a toddler, a babe in arms, and a month's luggage.

Ulp.

I'm worried about a few things, most of which I can probably find out by calling the airline the week before we leave, but I'm worried now, so there you go.

1: Buggy. Will I be allowed to take it through security or will I have to check it in with the bags?

2: Bags. Will Linnea and Emer be entitled to a carry-on bag each? Linnea ought to be since she's paying for a seat. I'd love to have my carry-on (food and toys), Linnea's carry-on (nappy bag) and Emer's carry-on (no idea, probably won't be necessary). Also, I know it's one bag per person, but will they care if I put my handbag *in* the rest of the carry-on when they're checking and then take it out and keep it where I want it while faffing about in the airport?

3: Clothes. I assume jackets are allowed - what about a sling/baby carrier?I didn't think that would be a problem until I woke in the middle of the night worrying about it.

4: Going through security. Will they make Linnea and Emer go through ahead of me? They have in the past, and Linnea coped quite well, but I was fraught, and it would be worse with Emer. Simplest would be to wear her through in the sling, really, since that won't make anything beep.

5: Getting the baggage at the other end if I don't have the buggy. Is it physically possible or will I have to hunt someone down to help me?

6: Packing. Can someone send a pocket tardis?

Comments

[webhill.livejournal.com]

Bear in mind I know next to nothing about intra-European travel. That said, I think that in the States, most of what you ask about is pretty much dependent on the airport/airline staff and whims thereof. I have, or family members of mine have, at various times, been allowed/not allowed extra bags, diaper bags, strollers, etc. I have been told many times by sisters-in-law that they were forced to awaken babies sleeping in carriers or strollers so that they could pass through security by passing the baby from one side to another person on the other side; then again a good friend of mine laughed when she related the story of the security agents who did not even NOTICE her baby sleeping in a sling (my friend is hugely overweight and was wearing a jacket so I guess they just didn't realize he was under there!) as they went through security.

OH, also, most American airlines (as opposed to "American Airlines" specifically :)) will provide assistance with advance notification. If you tell them when you check in that you need baggage assistance on the other end, they should be able to arrange it I'd think.

Good luck!

[nallac.livejournal.com]

1) Buggy - I suspect that this would have to go into the hold.
2) When I came back from America last week, it was one cabin size bag plus a personal item such as handbag or laptop.

[sidheag.livejournal.com]

1) You can "gate check" it, i.e. it gets a label like checked-in baggage but you actually hand it over at the aircraft. Some airlines will then give it back at the aircraft (or more usually, at the top of the bridge), others on the baggage carousel, others will give you a choice. It has happened to me that they said I'd get it back at the aircraft only for it to disappear and reappear on the carousel though.

2) Linnea will get a carry-on allowance, Emer won't. Yes, you can rearrange your carry on after security however you like. Worst case, you might have to put it back into the "one bag" format to get on the plane, but that's never happened to me.

3) Jackets are allowed, but have to be taken off to go through the metal detector. I'm afraid you would almost certainly have to take off a sling, similarly. I can't imagine a sling would be forbidden, though; I've certainly used one, though not in the current climate. If in doubt, ring and ask.

4) Yes, Linnea will have to go in front of you. One of the staff will probably take Emer from you and hold her while they scan/search you. I don't think you'll get the choice of holding her all the time I'm afraid. I do remember having to take Colin out of a sling to go through security myself once. Of course it could be operator-dependent. I think the trouble is that wearing a baby is a bit like wearing an outdoor coat - it gives bulk that's hard to inspect visually, which is therefore regarded as a security risk.

5) If Emer is not mobile, I'd say it's *possible* - you put her down on something on the floor, tell Linnea to stay there and watch her, and divide your attention between them and the carousel until the luggage arrives. However, it would be far easier and rather safer to have help. I don't know how hard that is to arrange, but I think you'd have to do it in advance, not at check in.

6) I wish!

[sshi.livejournal.com]

Can't help on the pocket Tardis, I'm afraid (if you do find one, let me know!) but on the bag front, I was talking to a colleague at lunchtime today who came back from Manchester to Dublin at the weekend and did that very thing of putting her handbag into the backpack, so it counts as one bag. no-one blinked when she took it back out and proceeded on with two.

[megabitch.livejournal.com]

Might depend on the airline, but tell them you need assistance when you book, remind them when you check in, and remind the cabin crew to find someone to help you when you are getting off the other end. No idea how things are now, but when I moved here I took the umbrella-style folding stroller on the plane (the cabin crew took it and stored it somewhere) so I had that for D when we got off this end. It's probably not allowed now incase your toddler is an evil terrorist bomber in disguise.

[megabitch.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, on the packing... see if you can post some of the clothes/lighter stuff over in advance, and post it back again when you leave. As far as I know you and Linnea should each have baggage allowance and a cabin bag; I _think_ Emer is allowed a cabin bag of essentials, but generally not a seperate baggage/weight allowance. But, yeah, check with the airline. And it'll probably all change between now and December anyway.

[gloriap.livejournal.com]

I'll agree with Webhill. There are General Rules and then there are the whims of the local airport/airline/security agent and they rarely coincide.

An example, I had a lady ask me at the airport last week (in my capacity as a volunteer airport Ambassador) "Will they confiscate my lipstick from my handbag?"

My answer; "I don't know, but I doubt it."

Five miunutes later, a TSA (security) official walked past and I asked him the lady's question.

His answer: "I don't know. I'd have to read the latest regulations."

The whole process of airport security is still being invented and unfortunately more reactive than proactive.

That said: You can usually take the buggy right to the door of the plane where someone will deliver it to the baggage hold.

You will be allowed a carry-on for Linnea but probably not for Emer--but how would you manage the extra bag, anyway?

Outer jackets and shoes must be taken off at security in the U.S. We are allowed one clear plastic baggie, quart-size, zip-lock, with liquids and gels under three ounces in size, and it must be presented separately, outside of other carry-ons.

At our airports it would be to your advantage to keep the buggy since they are routed to a special screening along with wheelchairs, usually a much shorter line.

Would it be possible for you to ship a carton of clothes and bulkier items a few days ahead of your arrival? This option is becoming more popular for people who want to avoid the luggage hassle.

Wot's a pocket tardis?

[lovingboth]

I went from Heathrow to Prague last week. The longest bit about going through security at Heathrow was putting my shoes back on, including the (there wasn't any) queue.

There were buggies on the flights, last on, first off as usual. Similarly, one bag per paying passenger, now large enough to fit other bags inside. I had enough space to do 'carry on luggage only'.