Can i travel with 3 month old baby for 13 hour flight plz help?

Question

hi pple just wondering if i can take my 3 month old baby on 13 hour flight would that effect his health even thought he's healthy and i have him on lap seat because its really expensive now the airfare (royal jordanian) is about 2000 and its an emergency situation that i must travel now and is it ok to put him on a car seat in the airplane even though i have him as a lap seat . pple im not stingy lap seat cost ( 560 dollars ) any way so any sugestion please fast answers pleasssssssse

Answer 1

There's a chance we'll have to fly from Boston, USA to Mumbai, India when our baby is only 6 weeks old.  There are NO rules about how old a child has to be when they fly.

My mother in law took my husband from Bostont o Mumbai when he was 9 weeks old.

You have to gate check the carseat.  If you didn't buy a second seat, you'll have to hold him.  Some airlines have bassinets that somehow attach to the ceiling (or so my mother in law told me) but basically I'd buy a sling or a front carrier of some kind and use that.

Answer 2

Can you?  Yes.  traveling with a 3 month old isn't dangerous to your child's health.

Double check with the airline if there is a charge for a lap infant - there might be a charge even if you take him as a lap baby for an international flight.  But also check if their flights will have layettes available in the bulkhead seats - you can put the baby there to sleep, and it will be much more comfortable for you.

If there is an empty seat next to you, yes you can use an FAA approved car seat.  But unless you buy a seat for your son there are no guarantees of a free seat to use, and the flight attendants may not allow you to take the car seat on board unless you have a ticket for him.

Don't forget your son will need a passport (if American) or get added to your passport if that's how your country handles it.

Answer 3

I'm a former Flight Attendant and I fly a lot transatlantically with my own three children now. All three were four months old on their first flight, which was 11 1/2 hours.

I had many, many little passengers this age when I was working and almost all of them did great. It's actually a good time to travel with a baby. I think the biggest problem will be everyone coming to admire her. They spend most of their time sleeping. I wish it were so easy now!

For the record, flying is not dangerous. The oxygen levels are a bit lower. The cabin is usually pressurized to 10,000ft, which is 3000m. This is like taking your baby on a skiing vacation, one that is only 13 hours long! I had some children who were NOT in good health, some being adopted and they did fine too.

Try to use the car seat onboard. Air travel is safe so babies are allowed in laps but in the unlikely event of anything going wrong, they not protected.

It's also easier and more comfortable with the seat on board.

Checking car seats as luggage also risks damage and loss. On my last flight, three of our four bags didn't make it (they did arrive two days later) but I had the car seat with me so my daughter was safe on the 2 hour drive home. I saw some car seats with the lost luggage while I was looking for my bags. Having it onboard is peace of mind and a guarentee it gets to your destination.

When you check in, ask nicely if the flight is full and if not, ask if they can "block" the seat next to you, using it only if they really need to. They often do this for everyone's comfort.

Make sure your car seat is approved for air travel. You may have to contact RJ yourself because their website really doesn't provide any information on the subject;

http://www.rja.com.jo/TravelEssentials/P...

If it's an infant carrier, get out the owner's manual and get comfortable with the belt-only installation before the trip. Most do not need the base onboard but check your model to be sure.

Bring the car seat to the door of the aircraft and if you're not able to use it onboard, it will be "gate-checked", which is more gentle than checking it in at the desk in front.

It's not necessary to check the stroller in at the counter. You can take it to the gate and they will tag it. Remember this doesn't count against your baggage allowance. Make sure the tag goes somewhere that wont be squished or hidden when the stroller is folded. Bring a bungee cord to double-secure your stroller after you leave it at the door of the aircraft. This will prevent it from getting damaged if it pops open en route.

If you do manage to be able to use the seat on board, make sure your baby is in it for take-off and landing. These are the (hate using this wording but...) the most dangerous parts of the flight. It's very important that she or he is strapped in.

Many flying tips will say to make the baby suck during take-off and landing to help their ears. This is inaccurate. The baby can drink during ascent (after take-off) or even when he or she wakes up inflight. ENT specialists recommend that the baby be awake about an hour before landing (not necessarily drinking). Landing or "touch down" is too late.

http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandalt...

http://www.aap.org/patiented/flyingbaby....

Just some extra tips;

-Bring about 1/3 more supplies than you think you'll need, formula, diapers, wipes, etc.

-Bring a change of clothes for both of you (at least a T and shorts for you)

-wrap everything bulky, like clothes and extra diapers in plastic bags, and use rubber bands to reduce the bulk and save space in your carry-on

-Get a good baby carrier. Skip front packs like Bjorns which are harsh on both the parents' and child's backs and get something comfortable like a sling, wrap, Mei Tai or even a Ergo or Becco carrier. For  a young baby like this, I think a sling is best.

-If you formula feed, use the kind of bottles with plastic liners. Premeasure the powder, roll them up and put them in a ziplock bag. Airplane bathrooms have bad sinks for washing traditional bottles.

-Make sure you baby is used to a room-temperature bottle. I warmed many a bottle in my career but I saw first-hand what a pain it is. The baby isn't getting any health-advantage to the warmed bottle and no one will do this task while you're in the security or check-in line.

About 8 years ago, I wrote an article on flying with children for an expat newsletter. Over the years many parents have contributed. I later put it on a blog so that parents had access to non-commercial information from someone with both practical and professional experience on the web.

Feel free to visit;

http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com

Good luck getting an empty seat and have a good flight!