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Alyssa107318 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 01 March 2013 at 6:41pm
Hi everyone! I'm new here, and I'm hoping someone (or someones) will be able to answer my questions!

Hubby and I are planning on flying to LA in June. My baby will be 10 months old by then. We'll be flying Wellington to Auckland to LA. As far as I can tell you can't book a bassinet if baby will be over 8 months (correct me if I'm wrong!) so I'm not counting on us being able to get one.

We'd like to take my mountain buggy with us for terminal dashes, but I can't find info anywhere on if Air NZ will gate check a pram for you? It's a mountain buggy +1, so a fairly substantial pram! Does anyone know if they do this? And, if they do, how does one go about going through security (especially in Auckland airport) with a big hulking pram like that? Can it just go through the x-ray machine?

Also, food. Will I be able to get jars of solids through security? I breastfeed, so formula isn't an issue, but I'd like to have some solids for him just in case. Or is that crazy?

I'm just not really sure on the logistics of flying with a lap infant! I'm sorry for all the disjointed questions, and I hope at least some of it makes sense!

Thanks in advance!! :)
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Stoked View Drop Down
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Hi Alyssa and welcome. :-)

You can book a bassinet (at time of booking) but any younger babies will be given preference over you. So, you can always ask.

Your mountain buggy will have to be put with the luggage, they don't allow prams that large to be gate checked - they will gate check an umbrella stroller. Could I suggest that you invest in a baby carrier if you don't already have one. An Ergo or Manducca although expensive can be used until children are a lot older and allow you to have free hands while traveling - may be more comfortable for you and bubs on board the plane as well?

You will be allowed to take a limited amount of baby food with you on the plane from NZ. It will all need to be sealed. You may not be able to do this in the States as their security regs are much harsher. It may be a good idea to take a refillable drink bottle with you on the plane for water - the plane has water dispensers, it's easier than asking all the time for water.

Perhaps take some small new toys for bubs that can be bought out at intervals to play with.

Enjoy your time in the states. :-)
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sem View Drop Down
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As Stoked said you can request the bassinet but preference will be given to smaller children. Some airlines are very strict as well and will not allow older children in the bassinet. 

I did one trip to Germany once with my P&T Explorer, I had a travel bag for it which makes the pram look so much smaller and compact and it wasn't a problem. But again it will depend on the airline. 
To go through security, you will be asked to empty everything out of your pram and they will manually search it.

I have travelled by myself each time and found a carrier not very practical as it was just too much to carry - baby and hand luggage so a smaller stroller has worked better for me. But if it's two of you you might be ok with a carrier.

You can take baby food, but like Stoked said I am not sure about guidelines to the USA. I have travelled via Canada and they where fine. The airlines also have jars on board.

I am about to fly to Germany for the 4th time with my 2 year old. So far I have always had good experiences and found airport and airline staff very helpful. I generally make sure to check in quite early and will ask during check in to have an extra seat blocked off. Then I ask again as soon as I get on the plane and so far have always been successful with this.
I regards to seating - the rows with the bassinet have extra leg room which is nice, however the armrest between the seats can not be lifted as the table and TV are stored in it. Something to consider if you don't get or end up using the bassinet. I prefer them to be lifted so my daughter can lay down to sleep. 
I also try to avoid these rows as I sometimes find other children who may be unsettled make it more difficult for my child to sleep. 

Sorry for the long post. Hope this helps though!
Here we go again, another baby on it's way!
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almost30 View Drop Down
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The other thing to think about is whether your plane has those couch type seats, they might be easier to have than a bassinet. Also we flew over when our baby was 6 months and the bassinet was good but flying back 6 weeks later he was almost too big for the bassinet and he didn't sleep the whole trip back.
We took a quicksmart stroller which is small enough to fit in an overhead compartment, but most flights just took it at the gate and checked it. We found having a smaller pram good as we did a lot of travelling while we were over there.
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tishy View Drop Down
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Points: 3941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tishy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 March 2013 at 10:09am
Hi Alyssa, you'll be able to take your buggy to the gate but if wont' be available again until you get to your final destination so I would recommend a baby carrier or an umbrella stroller.
Especially as when you arrive back into Auckland it won't be available until baggage claim (some airports have it at the arrival gate) so you have a long walk with baby.

We flew long haul with twins @ 11 months and did get bassinets for 3 of the 4 flight so it depends. Generally the younger babies get priority but it's always good to book just in case.

Also you will be able to take food with you on the plane. I have taken formula, baby rice and jars through the US and it wasn't a problem.

Also don't pack too much! Free hands are more important. I always aim to pack a backpack for carry on and nothing else.
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sem View Drop Down
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Originally posted by tishy tishy wrote:

Hi Alyssa, you'll be able to take your buggy to the gate but if wont' be available again until you get to your final destination so I would recommend a baby carrier or an umbrella stroller.
Especially as when you arrive back into Auckland it won't be available until baggage claim (some airports have it at the arrival gate) so you have a long walk with baby.
 

I wonder if this is Airline depended too as I have always received my pram (P&T as well as smaller strollers) again during stop overs. You just need to let them now at the gate that you require it again during stop over. However if just flying to LA I assume you don't have stop overs anyway?
Here we go again, another baby on it's way!
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tishy View Drop Down
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Points: 3941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tishy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 March 2013 at 10:04am
Originally posted by sem sem wrote:

I wonder if this is Airline depended too as I have always received my pram (P&T as well as smaller strollers) again during stop overs. You just need to let them now at the gate that you require it again during stop over. However if just flying to LA I assume you don't have stop overs anyway?


I think it is, my experience was just with a double Mountain buggy where we didn't get it at San Fran stopover until baggage (Air NZ), at Frankfurt it was at the gate waiting for us (Lufthansa) and at Dublin it was at the gate again (Aer Lingus).

I think Air NZ are the strictest, however another time I was doing LHR - Akl on my own with 2 x 2yos and they agreed to put my double umbrella stroller in the plane for me so I wouldn't have to cope with the stopover at LA without it.


Meanwhile I flew solo to Welly - Auckland when they were 10 months old and Qantas made me check the buggy in at the counter. Idiots, apparently the double buggy was too heavy to meat OSH standards, never mind leaving me with 2 babies to carry.
This was after they tried to stop me from getting on the plane due to travelling with 2 infants, despite having rang them to confirm it was ok.
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