How do you take a baby on vacation??

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 7:34 am

Raisin wrote:

just so you know, when you travel with an infant they give you an baby seatbelt that loops onto your seatbelt, which I think you have to wear for takeoff and landing.

the bulkhead is great - even an older kid who won't stay quietly in it while awake is likely to sleep for some part of the flight.

not always true. I have flown with my daughte who is now 1.5 and they never gave us such a belt.

Raisin

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 7:40 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

Raisin wrote:

not always true. I have flown with my daughte who is now 1.5 and they never gave us such a belt.

really? I'm surprised to hear that. I've flown in several different airlines (but not elal with a baby) and always been given a baby seatbelt.

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 7:45 am

Raisin wrote:

shabbatiscoming wrote:

Raisin wrote:

not always true. I have flown with my daughte who is now 1.5 and they never gave us such a belt.

really? I'm surprised to hear that. I've flown in several different airlines (but not elal with a baby) and always been given a baby seatbelt.

ah, ive only flown el al. interesting difference....

Zus

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 9:18 am

I've flown with several airlines with a baby (never elal though) and I was always given the extra seat belt that loops into mine. I was explicitly told that I could NOT keep dd in her carrier, facing me. I had to turn her around and sit her on my lap facing out, while being strapped into the extra seat belt piece.
This was with KLM, Transavia and with Israir.

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 9:26 am

Zus wrote:

on el al, it really just depended on who was in charge. one flight they told me I MUST hold her on my lap for take off and landing and on another flight they told me I MUST put her in her seat for take off and landing.
who knows?????????????? I just listened to whomever was in charge.

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 9:30 am

Zus wrote:

Wow that sounds so israeli to have more than 1 policy...

it could have been that one was to and from american and the other to and from south africa, I dont remember, but you are correct, very israeli Smile

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 9:36 am

Zus wrote:

And I was told in no uncertain terms by the KLM crew that if I wanted a dead baby, I should leave her in her carrier facing me.

ah, we did not have a carrier but an actual car seat that was facing the same direction as the rest of the plane seats.

amother

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 9:47 am

We are going to Israel this summer with two babies and no way am I buying them seats. We once bought a seat when traveling with our son when he was about a year old and his tush didn't touch his seat even once. He would NOT separate from my arms for a single second. Even when he was over 2 yrs (nearly 3) and we traveled this summer and we HAD TO buy the ticket because he is over 2, he was only in his seat for take off and landing (and he fought us on that too). I'd love to have my hands free for such a long trip, but I know it isn't going to happen anyway so I might as well save some money.

amother

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 10:17 am

Thank you so much for all of your detailed advice!! We were wondering how to go about doing this and my husband said "go ask on imamother!". I was not disappointed. If anyone has anything to add please don't hesitate. Thanks again!

Last edited by amother on Thu, Mar 12 2015, 9:43 pm; edited 1 time in total

momtomany

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 10:48 am

About the pack n play being hard to shlep.
what I did when my son was 9 months and went on vacation for a week, was one of our suitcases was a big old fashioned kind without the wheeling handle that has bars going up the back of it.
so the bottom surface was flat. I put a blanket inside the empty suitcase and my baby slept comfortably the whole week. he couldnt climb out yet, so it was perfect.

and when we went to Israel with an 18 mo old and a 4 month old, we didnt pay for any extra seats, and got the bulkhead seats with 2 bassinets side by side.
it was perfect. they were both able to play and sleep in the bassinets. and when ds1 got restless we walked up and down the aisles forever it felt like.

imaima

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 3:01 pm

Raisin wrote:

shabbatiscoming wrote:

Raisin wrote:

not always true. I have flown with my daughte who is now 1.5 and they never gave us such a belt.

really? I'm surprised to hear that. I've flown in several different airlines (but not elal with a baby) and always been given a baby seatbelt.

I have flown with easyjat and lufthansa and have always been given such a seatbelt. When we traveled with a 6 m.o. I had a baby carrier on me where the baby nursed and slept. However the flight has never been more than 2 hrs

imaima

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 3:04 pm

Zus wrote:

true, not for the take-off and landing, but for the rest of the flight the baby carrier is ok

Inspired

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 3:35 pm

If you can afford it get a seat for the baby and buckle a car seat in.
THe best way to transport a car seat that I have found is to strap it to your hand luggage rolling suitcase with the http://www.travelingtoddler.com/ (you can buy on ebay).
a carrier is not a replacement for a car seat on a plane or else where but I would definitely bring one on the plane in case the baby becomes inconsolable in the seat and there is no turbulance or if you do not get her her own seat. IME though babies who are comfortable may sleep alot on the plane, in your arms or in the seat.
AFA travel in Israel you can try to put a car seat in taxis but don't expect the cab driver to be happy about it or very cooperative.
I would just hold a baby on my lap on the train. There are no seatbelts.

Mrs Bissli

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 5:27 pm

I think there's already enough answered on how to secure a baby. (And yes, European airlines almost always gave me the extension-style seatbelt that loops on mine to secure the baby during the take-off and landing).

Actually I'm not a fan of bulk-head, esp since 1) there is no guarantee you'll get one (bulk head tends to be popular among premium frequent fliers because of extra legroom), 2) there's no guarantee that you'll get a bassinett, 3) armrests do not lift (I'd prefer to get the whole aisle so that we can raise armrests and let the kids spread), and most importantly 4) there are no storage space in front of the seats.

As for gate-checking, I think you'll pick up strollers when you de-plane (as opposed to after immigration at the luggage carrousel), which is great as Ben Gurion is a biggish airport.

Something not raised by OP, but you may want to make sure to bring extra diapers/change of clothes in case of delays, luggage missing, or in-flight accidents. And enough in-flight snacks. Make sure your baby get enough liquid--it's hot in summer. Also would you be more comfortable with a stroller than a baby carrier at that age? We never bothered with pack'n'play--just a clean cotton blanket spread on floor did the job.

Raisin

Sun, Jan 10 2010, 5:33 pm

Mrs Bissli wrote:

I

Actually I'm not a fan of bulk-head, esp since 1) there is no guarantee you'll get one (bulk head tends to be popular among premium frequent fliers because of extra legroom), 2) there's no guarantee that you'll get a bassinett, 3) armrests do not lift (I'd prefer to get the whole aisle so that we can raise armrests and let the kids spread), and most importantly 4) there are no storage space in front of the seats.

.

I've always got a bulkhead when I asked for it, and if I am not travelling with a baby I would never ask for a bulkhead, unless I was in the mood of sitting next to a squirmy noisy baby the whole flight.

One time they messed up and my seat was not the bulkhead so the strewerdesses moved some people so I could get the bulkhead.

LiLIsraeli

Mon, Jan 11 2010, 11:10 pm

El al told me that bassinets are given until 1.5 years old. The travel agent also told us that if you reserve the bulkhead seats with a bassinet, you are guaranteed to get it.

I have also seen the baby seatbelts advertised in baby catalogs (such as "One Step Ahead"), as well as a carrier for a large car seat.