Baby questions

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Hi, we were not going to go abroad at all this year as I had a little baby girl at the beginning of November. However as we can go out of school holidays this year, I have found a great deal with Continental to fly to Tampa and stay in Clearwater. I have a number of questions about taking a baby on the aircraft, it would be appreciated if you guys could help me answer as many as possible.

1.) If we buy her own seat does she get the same luggage allowance as an adult?

2.) If we buy her own seat, is a standard rear facing baby car seat ok - we have a Graco one (she will be 8 months by then)

3.) Will I have any problems trying to take ready mixed formula in cartons through Manchester airport and then from Newark to Tampa - I know I need to declare it.

4.) Am I allowed to take my own boxes of powdered formula into the US in my suitcase?

Also if anyone else has any tips about travelling with very small babies, please pass them on.

Thanks again
x

 

[katytrott]

I'll kick off here:

1: Yes, I think she will. Even if you don't get a seat for her, she will still get an allowance, all be it small.

2: Not sure, I don't think you can take your own car seat on board to use as it probably wont conform to standards etc. I think I read from someone else, that if you use company's own, they still have to come out of it when seat belt signs are on. Might be wrong there though.

3: Not wise. If in hand luggage, when going through security you will have to open cartons to test them. Obviously where do you store it then? I think it should be ok in hold

4: I think best option and I have heard from other posters that this worked fine, providing they are sealed.

I did look into getting powder formula out there, but doesn't look like you can get UK brands, so best to take your own. I will probably discard anything left over at end, so to get more shopping space
I am planning on taking our bottles with water in ready for making up feed, and then using one of those containers from Avent which has 3 seperate sections for three different feeds. They do heat bottles up on board. Will post more if anything else comes to mind

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

I believe you can take unopened containers of ready made through if you declare it, they can't make you test formula - it's against the rules!

Anyone else got any ideas?

 

[Lizzybear]

You can't take the cartons of ready made formula through security due to the rules regarding liquid, but you can buy it airside to take onboard. They'll make you chuck any you have left at Newark since you have to clear security again so the same rules apply. I'm pretty sure i've heard of people taking made up bottles through security but having to taste them.. I just googled taking baby bottles through airport security and this DFT page was one of the results:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airtravel/airportsecurity/airportsecurityfaqs
AFAIK taking powdered formula is fine both in hand and hold baggage.

 

[Steve and Sarah]

We took our little one when he was 10 weeks old and then again when he was 4 months or so.

The baby seat will have to be checked in. The airline will/should provide air travel approved seat for them.

The formula one is one that requiresthought. Our little man was on Cow and Gate and we took a box of Cow and Gate small ready mixed bottles - each 100ml exactly. They are sold in large Asda stores and are a box of 12 little glass bottles. Security were fine with them at both ends.

We just packed normal boxes of formula for use whilst we were there - but used the glass bottles to get round the travel problem.

Steve

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Thanks steve n sarah. I already checked with some other people and they took cartons of premade no probs. SO my main concern is with the seat. We would be flying with Continental and their website seems to suggest that we would strap our own carseat into the plane seat. It seems to be the British airlines that provide seats etc. ANyone else know anything about seats?

 

[DjdBrit]

Hi, we were not going to go abroad at all this year as I had a little baby girl at the beginning of November. However as we can go out of school holidays this year, I have found a great deal with Continental to fly to Tampa and stay in Clearwater. I have a number of questions about taking a baby on the aircraft, it would be appreciated if you guys could help me answer as many as possible.

1.) If we buy her own seat does she get the same luggage allowance as an adult?

2.) If we buy her own seat, is a standard rear facing baby car seat ok - we have a Graco one (she will be 8 months by then)

3.) Will I have any problems trying to take ready mixed formula in cartons through Manchester airport and then from Newark to Tampa - I know I need to declare it.

4.) Am I allowed to take my own boxes of powdered formula into the US in my suitcase?

Also if anyone else has any tips about travelling with very small babies, please pass them on.

Thanks again
x

Hi, hope this helps.

1. Yes, if are buying your daughter a seated ticket she will get the same luggage allowance as you. If you are not she will get no checked luggage but you will be allowed a small carry on. In addition you will be allowed to check a stroller, carseat and or pack n play.

2. Each airline has different rules regarding car seats and kids. Some allow car seats and some insist you use ones provided by them, some don't allow them at all. I suggest that you contact you airline to check what is allowed.

3. Infants are allowed a limited supply of formula or juice to be carried on though security. So you will be allowed to bring some. Make sure its in the clear bags and you declare it at the security point.

4. Yes, you can bring your own formula into the US or any other baby stuff you need for that matter.


I have 3 kids and have flown internationally with them numerous times. Infact I will be flying home to England with my 3 year old next month. If you have any other questions or concerns feel free to PM me. Flying with little ones can be a challenge Good luck.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Thanks DJDBrit, you have been especially helpful. I'm clear on the formula and allowance now, I guess I will have to contact Continental directly about their car seat policy.

 

[DjdBrit]

No worries. Travelling in itself takes planning and for me alot of nerve

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Ok, I checked out Continental and it states that aircraft seats for babies are not provided, you must provide your own FAA approved seat. How do I know if my seat is FAA approved?

 

[T16GEM]

Ok, I checked out Continental and it states that aircraft seats for babies are not provided, you must provide your own FAA approved seat. How do I know if my seat is FAA approved?

I think you will find it very difficult to find out. There doesn't seem to be a definitive list of approved seats anywhere on the net.

Our baby carrier did say on it that it was airline approved, but do not confuse this with FAA approval because it's completley different. Also just because a seat may have been approved by it's labelling this is only for at the time of manufacture, and doesn't necessarily mean that it still adheres to the current regulations which may have changed since manufacture.

We always fly with Continental and when DS was 11 months he had to sit on our lap as he was just too small to sit in a seat on his own for the 8 hours from Birmingham to Newark, luckily he slept most of the way and was passed around between my parents and DH and I throughout the meals etc. Continental do not provide babycare seats.

I guess that you could contact Continental and ask them for contact details for the FAA and contact them directly and ask the question.

 

[Miss Mo]

This is very interesting. Our son will be 15 months when we fly to orlando but we haven't booked a seat so don't have the carseat worries for this trip. However, we are flying out to see a friend in Seattle in October and we have booked a seat for him then and I was just told he'd need a car seat. We are also flying out with one airline and home with another so I'm guessing they could have different restrictions - oh joy!!

As for milk. Our son is now on normal cow's milk - is this easy to come by at airports once you are through security? I remember someone who worked in an airport saying it was a nightmare because airport staff buy all the milk for their tea and coffee - lol! I've never tried to buy milk at an airport but he'll need at least one bottle, on a 9 hour (or whatever it is) flight! I guess I could take formula for this occassion!?

mo x

 

[Claire L]

FAA Child Restraint System leaflet.

Claire

 

[T16GEM]

I've never tried to buy milk at an airport but he'll need at least one bottle, on a 9 hour (or whatever it is) flight! I guess I could take formula for this occassion!?

mo x

Mo they should be able to provide you with the small snack size cartons on the flight, they gave them to us for DD this year, they were about 9oz of milk and just right for a standard baby bottle.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

I have since been contacted by Continental, this is THEIR policy and may not neccesarily be the policy for other airlines:

Infant seats manufactured in countries other than the United States must display a label showing approval of the Foreign Government or that the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations. The car seat would need to be forward facing.

This may clarify things for others of you out there, but I have also clarified, cartons of ready made are ok and do not need to be opened and tested.

 

[T16GEM]

This may clarify things for others of you out there, but I have also clarified, cartons of ready made are ok and do not need to be opened and tested.

Interesting since when I passed through security with 8 of them they made me empty one into DS's bottle and they confiscasted the other 7, I presume that you mean that you can take the cartons on the plane if you buy them through the security, but my understanding is that security will not let you through with anything over 100ml without it being opened and tested?

When we passed through Newark the security there poured some of the kids juice out of their sippy cups onto chemical testing paper too, they would only let the kids drinkd through and nothing in any other containers - I cannot stress how extremely strict they were about this on US soil.

 

[DjdBrit]

This is right off the TSA website:

Declare larger liquids. Medications, baby formula and food, and breast milk are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint.

Baby Formula, Breast Milk, Juice, and Other Liquids
Medications, baby formula and food, breast milk, and juice are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint. Click here to learn more about 3-1-1

All items including formula, breast milk, and juice will be inspected, however, you or your infant or toddler will not be asked to test or taste breast milk, formula, or juice. Our Security Officers may test liquid exemptions (exempt items more than 3 ounces) for explosives.

Click here to read about traveling with formula, breast milk, juice, and baby food.
All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.

All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.

Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items

 

[DjdBrit]

I missed this part:


All items including formula, breast milk, and juice will be inspected, however, you or your infant or toddler will not be asked to test or taste breast milk, formula, or juice. Our Security Officers may test liquid exemptions (exempt items more than 3 ounces) for explosives.

 

[Miss Mo]

This is right off the TSA website:


All items including formula, breast milk, and juice will be inspected, however, you or your infant or toddler will not be asked to test or taste breast milk, formula, or juice.

They inspect breast milk glad I'm done with that then!! Oh you mean expressed breast milk!!

mo x

 

[Miss Mo]

Mo they should be able to provide you with the small snack size cartons on the flight, they gave them to us for DD this year, they were about 9oz of milk and just right for a standard baby bottle.

Thanks T16GEM! Missed that earlier!!

Out of interest is T16GEM your car reg? If so it's pretty similar to mine!! If not then ignore me, lol!!

mo x