Baby first flight - long or short haul?
Discussion
It's time for Baby Foolish to go to Africa in a couple of months. She'll be 17 or 18 months old at that point. We've avoided flying her anywhere up till now cause there have been sane alternatives but there really isn't for this and it's absolutely essential we go so she can meet with her extended family.
What isn't clear is whether it's a good idea to have a "practice" flight beforehand with her to somewhere random like Lerwick*.
As I see it pros are:
*I've just picked Lerwick out of thin air, could be anywhere really like, I dunno, Derry or Newquay.
What isn't clear is whether it's a good idea to have a "practice" flight beforehand with her to somewhere random like Lerwick*.
As I see it pros are:
- Have first airport experience and possibly have fun time on plane looking at things out of window as well as intrusive staring at the other passengers (highly likely)
- Baby possibly associates airports / aircraft with fun new experiences
- Baby might get used to pressurisation
- If she absolutely hates flight she and other passengers are not stuck on it for many many hours
- Might be able to develop coping strategies to any issues that come up
- A bit of general practice for us as first time parents on taking a baby on a plane in circumstances where sorting things out is easy as opposed to being buggered in eastern or southern Africa somewhere.
- Potential unnecessary pain from pressurisation
- Have to go to Lerwick (or whatever) for no real reason (although can possibly find destination for a mini break), this is also not free
- Baby possibly associates airports / aircraft with suffering and apprehensive
- We will obviously fly business to Africa, there essentially isn't "real" business within the UK, so environment may be unnecessarily unpleasant for baby.
- Coping strategies may be inappropriate for long haul as actual issues may not be exposed, e.g. they might only appear after a few hours
*I've just picked Lerwick out of thin air, could be anywhere really like, I dunno, Derry or Newquay.
Good questions, my thoughts, albeit coming up for 20 years old in terms of experience. Our boys flew from a similar age, we just treated it as a big adventure, & they were happy with that - both still hop on & off as if it's a bus service.
I doubt a child that age will recall much from any flight experience though; provided you & your party behave as if you're not stressed, the child is unlikely to be stressed by what's going on around it - the child takes it's cues from the adults it knows, generally.
My understanding is, the main reason babies cry on aircraft is the change in pressure affecting their sinus & ears. That depends on whether they have any blockage already, or whether they're suffering from a hidden infection in that area. The longer the flight, the more likely their ears will stabilise & settle as the flight progresses. A short hop won't give you that, so I wouldn't bother with a test flight, if you need to make the main flight anyway - the circumstances may not be the same, & may give you a false impression. I'd have some baby safe decongestants on hand, & just be prepped for it that way. Perhaps a medical check, before the flight, if you're uncertain; but ultimately, you know your child best though.
I doubt a child that age will recall much from any flight experience though; provided you & your party behave as if you're not stressed, the child is unlikely to be stressed by what's going on around it - the child takes it's cues from the adults it knows, generally.
My understanding is, the main reason babies cry on aircraft is the change in pressure affecting their sinus & ears. That depends on whether they have any blockage already, or whether they're suffering from a hidden infection in that area. The longer the flight, the more likely their ears will stabilise & settle as the flight progresses. A short hop won't give you that, so I wouldn't bother with a test flight, if you need to make the main flight anyway - the circumstances may not be the same, & may give you a false impression. I'd have some baby safe decongestants on hand, & just be prepped for it that way. Perhaps a medical check, before the flight, if you're uncertain; but ultimately, you know your child best though.
Seems like you are overthinking it a bit. We just got on a flight and went when ours were babies. First Ibiza then Australia then around 100 flights back and forward between Heathrow and Dubai. Doesn't seem to have damaged them ten years later.
The worst it got was needing to bounce them up and down a bit at the end of the plane.
The worst it got was needing to bounce them up and down a bit at the end of the plane.
When we were first thinking of flying with our first baby we had the same thoughts as you. In our case, we did a trial run by flying from Glasgow to Gatwick and having a weekend in Brighton then flying back. The logic was that it would get us experience of going through 2 major airports, one much busier than the other, with a baby & pram and that if, for example, she’d screamed all the way there or not taken well to the pressurisation etc then we’d be able to come back on the train.
I’m not sure where you are, but I’d suggest trying to stay on the UK mainland if you can so you can get back by road or rail and stick to a weekend break. Take at least 1 suitcase with you as the biggest hassle is handling all the luggage & the pram!
I certainly found that airport and airline staff go out of their way to help when you’ve got a baby and don’t forget to ask the cabin crew for a flight deck photo to celebrate the first flight! My phone backdrop is still my little one in the captain’s seat of the A319 at Gatwick after the flight.
I’m sure you’ll be fine anyway, my two love flying and can’t wait to get on board any time we’re travelling
I’m not sure where you are, but I’d suggest trying to stay on the UK mainland if you can so you can get back by road or rail and stick to a weekend break. Take at least 1 suitcase with you as the biggest hassle is handling all the luggage & the pram!
I certainly found that airport and airline staff go out of their way to help when you’ve got a baby and don’t forget to ask the cabin crew for a flight deck photo to celebrate the first flight! My phone backdrop is still my little one in the captain’s seat of the A319 at Gatwick after the flight.
I’m sure you’ll be fine anyway, my two love flying and can’t wait to get on board any time we’re travelling
In the nicest possible way, you sound mental. 
Just buy some tickets and walk onboard. I've three children and they just go along with whatever's booked, zero prep involved.
What I would say is I wouldn't really bother with business until they're a bit older. Mine have been all over the world in a variety of cabins, but for me the family sweet spot (if funds / air miles allow) is a premium economy kind of product. You'll be on parent duty and not really get to enjoy all the good bits of business.
Just buy some tickets and walk onboard. I've three children and they just go along with whatever's booked, zero prep involved.
What I would say is I wouldn't really bother with business until they're a bit older. Mine have been all over the world in a variety of cabins, but for me the family sweet spot (if funds / air miles allow) is a premium economy kind of product. You'll be on parent duty and not really get to enjoy all the good bits of business.
Nothing much to add, except, we took LittleET on a London > Salzburg flight.
Pressures etc… played havoc with her belly, causing wind. 20mins before landing she was screaming her head off. I handed her over to the Mrs, hoping she would be able to calm her down. She couldn’t. I started apologising to anyone I made eye contact with and sinking deeper into my seat like the absolute HERO I am….Then silence…. And then the smell. LittleET had a look of pure relief on her face, as did I. MrsET not so much. I’ll save you on the details, except to say LittleET had a birdbath on the bathroom at Salzburg airport and went home wearing some clothes I pulled out of our luggage.
Pressures etc… played havoc with her belly, causing wind. 20mins before landing she was screaming her head off. I handed her over to the Mrs, hoping she would be able to calm her down. She couldn’t. I started apologising to anyone I made eye contact with and sinking deeper into my seat like the absolute HERO I am….Then silence…. And then the smell. LittleET had a look of pure relief on her face, as did I. MrsET not so much. I’ll save you on the details, except to say LittleET had a birdbath on the bathroom at Salzburg airport and went home wearing some clothes I pulled out of our luggage.
David87 said:
In the nicest possible way, you sound mental.
Just buy some tickets and walk onboard. I've three children and they just go along with whatever's booked, zero prep involved.
What I would say is I wouldn't really bother with business until they're a bit older. Mine have been all over the world in a variety of cabins, but for me the family sweet spot (if funds / air miles allow) is a premium economy kind of product. You'll be on parent duty and not really get to enjoy all the good bits of business.
Only thing I'd say is avoid a class where the arm rests are fixed - Virgin PE was a right pain. Their Economy Delight (Economy with a a bit of extre leg room) worked fine.Just buy some tickets and walk onboard. I've three children and they just go along with whatever's booked, zero prep involved.
What I would say is I wouldn't really bother with business until they're a bit older. Mine have been all over the world in a variety of cabins, but for me the family sweet spot (if funds / air miles allow) is a premium economy kind of product. You'll be on parent duty and not really get to enjoy all the good bits of business.
The other problem is one good or bad flight doesn't mean much - friend of ours, who is a junior school head teacher if it makes any difference, had taken his daughter on multiple flights with no issues at all then when she was four she absolutely freaked out to the extent that the plane came back to the terminal and they took her off.
Definitely overthinking it. We took our first to the US at 3 months, Greece at 4.5 months, then two of them to all sorts of places after that in all cabins.
You just have to remember that all of the people around you are complete strangers that you'll never see again so it doesn't really matter that much -- and while there are a few folk that you will come across who will appear to be annoyed just because you have the cheek to bring a small child on a plane, there are many more who give that knowing look of sympathy because they were there once.....
The biggest logistical challenge was the pushchair - We had a travel system with a bag that was a tight fit and getting it all packed up at the gate was fun.
I wouldn't bother with the practice flight unless it is an excuse to make a holiday of it.
My best advice would be to always take spare clothes in the cabin for yourself and not just the little one...... having an 18 month old throw up all over me on the way back from Cape Verde wasn't a particular life highlight.....
You just have to remember that all of the people around you are complete strangers that you'll never see again so it doesn't really matter that much -- and while there are a few folk that you will come across who will appear to be annoyed just because you have the cheek to bring a small child on a plane, there are many more who give that knowing look of sympathy because they were there once.....
The biggest logistical challenge was the pushchair - We had a travel system with a bag that was a tight fit and getting it all packed up at the gate was fun.
I wouldn't bother with the practice flight unless it is an excuse to make a holiday of it.
My best advice would be to always take spare clothes in the cabin for yourself and not just the little one...... having an 18 month old throw up all over me on the way back from Cape Verde wasn't a particular life highlight.....
Our son is 7 now and has completed 30+ flights, his first being when he was 4-months old - this was a 3hr flight. My wife would breastfeed on takeoffs and landings, which became bottles and now a treat, like a lolly or a hard sweet.
We did a long-haul when he was 16-months old, and the window seat proved to be priceless.
Boredom can be an issue, and space, or lack of, plays a part in this, so plenty of distractions is a must. Don't attempt to plan around naps/sleep, in reality they will do what they want in a foreign environment.
We did a long-haul when he was 16-months old, and the window seat proved to be priceless.
Boredom can be an issue, and space, or lack of, plays a part in this, so plenty of distractions is a must. Don't attempt to plan around naps/sleep, in reality they will do what they want in a foreign environment.
scotlandtim said:
Good luck finding an airport in Lerwick!
If you do fly to Shetland you'll land in Sumburgh - which is on the South Tip, not much to do as a day tripper, just saying ...
Lerwick, Derry or Newquay will likely be on turboprops as well, so hardly the same as a A340 or 777...If you do fly to Shetland you'll land in Sumburgh - which is on the South Tip, not much to do as a day tripper, just saying ...
As others have said don't overthink it - Parents seem to get more hetup about flights than kids do.
Tickets are now all booked. Gonna be more like 20 months old. No flights were taken before hand as per advice here and elsewhere but this is going to be 8 flights over 16 days and a decent mix of environments from herringbone 1-2-1 787 long haul business to squeezed in 2-2 dash 8 economy (and a backup - which I'm really hoping for tbh since I've not been on one - of 1-2 jetstream 31). She still isn't old enough for me to explain the valsalva manoeuvre and I'm very concerned about her inner ear but don't see what else I can do. Will update at the end as to how it went.
My main concern other than the pressure tbh is on the long hauls her running around getting in everyone's way. I'm fine to go up and down the plane with her but honestly haven't really paid attention before as to how much of the time the flight attendants are out with trolleys. I think it's about 1/4-1/3rd of the flight on long haul, does that seem a reasonable estimate to those who know?
For avoidance of doubt none of the flights are a red eye - I picked them very carefully..
My main concern other than the pressure tbh is on the long hauls her running around getting in everyone's way. I'm fine to go up and down the plane with her but honestly haven't really paid attention before as to how much of the time the flight attendants are out with trolleys. I think it's about 1/4-1/3rd of the flight on long haul, does that seem a reasonable estimate to those who know?
For avoidance of doubt none of the flights are a red eye - I picked them very carefully..
Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Wednesday 28th May 02:26
We've travelled with ours from six weeks. Now coming up for two years old and has done 14 return journeys in that time (so one maybe every 7 weeks ish?).
Learnings:
1) Keep a spare change of clothes (at least one) for baby in the hand luggage.
2) Same applies to you. You will get pissed on/shat on at least once. Probably thrown up on.
3) Keep Nurofen/Calpol/heroin close to hand. Whatever works for getting them to shut up.
4) Tablet with enough crap on to last the flight and keep them entertained.
5) Food/drinks as required. Got enough? More.
6) Baby will probably (for most carriers) need to sit in the window seat with one parent. For the first few flights, safety in numbers. Book the whole row out if you can and it's cheap enough. Think you've got enough space? You're wrong.
7) Longer flights, shift work. The one off shift can sleep/get some rest, you need to both understand that this is entirely without guilt, otherwise one of you will be absolutely knackered.
Beyond that, we've invested in a special pushchair that works for flights, one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ickle-Bubba-Aries-Autofol... - it is, absolutely brilliant. Collapses down to a small suitcase size with one hand. Design of it is remarkable, so getting on/off the plane with it is really easy.
Learnings:
1) Keep a spare change of clothes (at least one) for baby in the hand luggage.
2) Same applies to you. You will get pissed on/shat on at least once. Probably thrown up on.
3) Keep Nurofen/Calpol/heroin close to hand. Whatever works for getting them to shut up.
4) Tablet with enough crap on to last the flight and keep them entertained.
5) Food/drinks as required. Got enough? More.
6) Baby will probably (for most carriers) need to sit in the window seat with one parent. For the first few flights, safety in numbers. Book the whole row out if you can and it's cheap enough. Think you've got enough space? You're wrong.
7) Longer flights, shift work. The one off shift can sleep/get some rest, you need to both understand that this is entirely without guilt, otherwise one of you will be absolutely knackered.
Beyond that, we've invested in a special pushchair that works for flights, one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ickle-Bubba-Aries-Autofol... - it is, absolutely brilliant. Collapses down to a small suitcase size with one hand. Design of it is remarkable, so getting on/off the plane with it is really easy.
mrmistoffelees said:
Beyond that, we've invested in a special pushchair that works for flights, one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ickle-Bubba-Aries-Autofol... - it is, absolutely brilliant. Collapses down to a small suitcase size with one hand. Design of it is remarkable, so getting on/off the plane with it is really easy.
Is it specifically that model or just that type? (She's generally speaking a bit old for a pram now, we try to walk her where possible but at airport check in to gate distances maybe not practical)Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff