Author Topic: Infant Travel  (Read 149739 times)

Offline batzelda1

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Infant Travel
« on: March 11, 2010, 01:30:41 PM »
My daughter will be turning 2 while we are in Israel and I am wondering if anyone knows of a list of airlines that will allow me to have her as a lap child on the way out and in a seat in the way back

I know BA gives you a seat for the return, without paying for a full seat.  I see this on their website

"If you are travelling with an infant who reaches the age of two during their journey, you must book a separate seat for them for any flights on and after their birthday.  The fare charged will remain at the infant rate for the entire journey, regardless that a seat has been booked for some flights.  Bookings should be made according to the age of the infant at the time of travel. You will need to contact us so we can ensure that your child has a seat after their 2nd birthday."

Any other airlines out there like that?

Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: Infant Travel
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2010, 01:38:56 PM »
Dunno about that, but I know someone that booked a seat for an unborn child, and he did not know whether its a boy or a girl.

They told him to book the name as "XXXXXXXXXXXXXX"

Offline Dan

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Re: Infant Travel
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2010, 01:51:11 PM »
My daughter will be turning 2 while we are in Israel and I am wondering if anyone knows of a list of airlines that will allow me to have her as a lap child on the way out and in a seat in the way back

I know BA gives you a seat for the return, without paying for a full seat.  I see this on their website

"If you are travelling with an infant who reaches the age of two during their journey, you must book a separate seat for them for any flights on and after their birthday.  The fare charged will remain at the infant rate for the entire journey, regardless that a seat has been booked for some flights.  Bookings should be made according to the age of the infant at the time of travel. You will need to contact us so we can ensure that your child has a seat after their 2nd birthday."

Any other airlines out there like that?
You would need to call each airline to find out their policy.
Better yet email them and get the answer in writing.

Or you could just pay the child rate the whole way and get a seat for ~75% of the regular cost.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Online flyingace

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Re: Infant Travel
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2010, 04:39:09 PM »
They will charge you ten% of the full adult fare for an infant ticket on the way in and a  regular one-way ticket on the way out. If it is a one-way it will be much more expensive. You are probably better off just buying the cheapest round trip ticket and have a seat for the baby on both flights. Most of the American airlines have this policy.
« Last Edit: March 11, 2010, 04:45:52 PM by flyingace »

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Re: Infant Travel
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2010, 07:12:35 PM »
They will charge you ten% of the full adult fare for an infant ticket on the way in and a  regular one-way ticket on the way out. If it is a one-way it will be much more expensive. You are probably better off just buying the cheapest round trip ticket and have a seat for the baby on both flights. Most of the American airlines have this policy.

I agree.

Offline elikay

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Flying With Babies
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2010, 07:21:09 PM »
So here are a couple of my baby travel experiences so far:

For my flight I requested a bassinet (continental), but when I called the day of the flight I was told that they only have one seat left and I can buy it if I wish (extra legroom $139!!). I told her that I had paid for my baby's ticket and I should not have to pay more, so she explained that on the flights to India and Israel there are always lots of babies and not enough bassinets, so it is first-come first-served when you arrive at the airport or you can buy it now... (Not sure if she meant that on other flights you can actually reserve a bulkhead early.) In the end she gave me a row of 3 with an empty middle seat, which thank G-D stayed that way. Plus, we had an empty row behind us as I've mentioned, so we put the baby to sleep there.

Egged (or some of their bus drivers) require you to fold your stroller, or you pay for the baby (not sure if this is true but thats what one driver told me, it is possible that if you don't you are violating their rule but that doesn't require you automatically to pay for an extra person; dunno.).

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2010, 07:37:26 PM »
So here are a couple of my baby travel experiences so far:

For my flight I requested a bassinet (continental), but when I called the day of the flight I was told that they only have one seat left and I can buy it if I wish (extra legroom $139!!). I told her that I had paid for my baby's ticket and I should not have to pay more, so she explained that on the flights to India and Israel there are always lots of babies and not enough bassinets, so it is first-come first-served when you arrive at the airport or you can buy it now... (Not sure if she meant that on other flights you can actually reserve a bulkhead early.) In the end she gave me a row of 3 with an empty middle seat, which thank G-D stayed that way. Plus, we had an empty row behind us as I've mentioned, so we put the baby to sleep there.

Egged (or some of their bus drivers) require you to fold your stroller, or you pay for the baby (not sure if this is true but thats what one driver told me, it is possible that if you don't you are violating their rule but that doesn't require you automatically to pay for an extra person; dunno.).

not true i flu with continental to israel and i called them two months before and they gave me and even my wife the bassinet seat

Offline elikay

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2010, 07:41:57 PM »
not true
It is definitely true, did you possibly have another true experience? ;)
Do you have status with CO? I tried twice and they refused to assign a seat.

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2010, 12:12:43 AM »
It is definitely true, did you possibly have another true experience? ;)
Do you have status with CO? I tried twice and they refused to assign a seat.

i could just tell you my experience i dont have any status just called a few times till she gave me like i said two seat

Offline moish

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2010, 02:20:15 AM »
im so
not true i flu with continental to israel and i called them two months before and they gave me and even my wife the bassinet seat
im sorry, i dont follow, what does having the flu have to do with this ???

Offline elikay

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2010, 04:16:13 AM »
im soim sorry, i dont follow, what does having the flu have to do with this ???
special swine flu seating arrangements ;D

Offline batzelda1

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2010, 04:34:09 AM »
i also had no problem getting bassinet seat after speaking with Continental a few times.  Its true, its first come, first serve, but they will often "hold" the seat

Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2010, 04:43:42 AM »
When someone has swine flu (the swine part is crucial), they will automatically assign an empty seat next to you.

Offline elikay

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2010, 06:28:31 AM »
The main problem seemed to have been that they sold all of the other bassinet suitable seats besides one (since they apparently try to talk you into buying it when you ask to reserve it).

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2010, 01:41:54 PM »
It is definitely true, did you possibly have another true experience? ;)
Do you have status with CO? I tried twice and they refused to assign a seat.

MY BROTHER IN LAW IS FLYING OUT TODAY WITH THE CO AT 4 TO TLV AND HE GO THE BASSINET ROW (3 SEATS)  CONFIRMED

Online flyingace

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #15 on: July 26, 2010, 02:18:55 PM »
i could just tell you my experience i dont have any status just called a few times till she gave me like i said two seat
I flew CO on an AF award ticket and got confirmed all three bulkhead seats. No ticket for the baby. At check-in they re-assigned my husband to accommodate someone else with a baby and gave him three seats in a row so he could sit with the car seat. I have no status at all. This was last summer.

Offline md

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #16 on: July 26, 2010, 08:08:46 PM »
I flew CO on Pesach & on the plane that I flew on- only had 2 bassinet seats in coach. Obviously that's not sufficient for Israel or India flights.

Offline elikay

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #17 on: August 13, 2010, 10:59:55 AM »
So I'll start posting some of the things we did:
The zoo. This is a real family trip, from watching the chimps fight, to these moleholes the children can crawl into and everything in between. There is also a train (I think its free, for sure the way back it is) which goes around the zoo, we rode it back at closing. Do note that the train can fill up at the first stop (especially the way back to the entrance). You can also watch the animals being fed, you are given a feeding schedule on the way in (we watched the bears an penguins being fed). It is walking and going with a stroller there are some hills, but otherwise it was great.

Offline beej

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #18 on: August 14, 2010, 02:43:16 PM »
Egged (or some of their bus drivers) require you to fold your stroller, or you pay for the baby (not sure if this is true but thats what one driver told me, it is possible that if you don't you are violating their rule but that doesn't require you automatically to pay for an extra person; dunno.).
true. either you pay for the baby or fold the stroller. thats why you always see strollers strewn across the aisles on buses

there is a cute monkey park (i dont mean with monkey bars i mean monkeys) in tel aviv. ive never been there but i heard its cute
« Last Edit: August 14, 2010, 02:48:03 PM by beej »

Offline elikay

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Re: Flying With Babies
« Reply #19 on: August 15, 2010, 12:29:02 AM »
On one of the buses I rode a stroller went flying across the floor from all the way to the front, not so safe.