If you are reading this article, I am sure you are planning to do Infant Travel In Flight with your baby soon, so firstly “Wish you a safe and smooth air travel” and secondly “Don’t worry, air travel can be very easy for your baby if you keep a few things in mind”. It is not as difficult as it seems. In this article of Baby Chakra, we are trying to tell you everything about which you should know like how much is the child fare in domestic flights and what are the guidelines given for the child.
Let us first know what kind of problems can be faced while traveling with a baby in an airplane.
Problems in traveling with an infant
Infant travel in flight is safe for most babies. There is no need to be afraid because of some minor problems, let’s take a look at their solutions –
- Infection: Newborn babies have underdeveloped immune systems and air travel can increase the risk of infectious disease.
- pain in the ear: Your child’s ears may hurt due to changes in air pressure in the cabin during air travel. The child may feel discomfort due to pain in his ears.
- More noise: Additionally, there is a lot of noise in airplane cabins, especially during takeoff, which can make infant travel in flight uncomfortable.
- Shortness of breath: The air pressure in the cabin of an aircraft is less than the air pressure on the ground. This temporary change in oxygen levels does not cause problems for healthy babies but may make flights difficult for premature babies or those who have heart or lung problems.
- Sitting Problem: If you have not purchased a ticket for an infant i.e. Child fare in a domestic flight If not, then sitting in the plane with the child in your lap may cause some discomfort.
Tips For Infant Travel In-flight
The most important tip is to speak with your child’s pediatrician before making your booking. This is especially important if your baby is born prematurely. Apart from this, keep the following things in mind –
- If you decide to travel with an infant, wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer and avoid contact with obviously sick passengers.
- To help reduce pressure in your child’s ears, give your child a bottle of milk before the plane takes off.
- If your baby has had ear surgery or an ear infection in the past two weeks, ask his or her doctor if air travel is OK for your baby.
- Use cotton swabs or noise-canceling headphones, earplugs, etc. to protect the baby from the noise of take-off.
- If your child has any heart or lung problems, talk to your child’s doctor before flying.
- If you do not purchase a ticket for your infant, ask about vacant seats when boarding the plane – if one can be assigned to your infant.
- Don’t consider giving your child any over-the-counter medicine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), to make them sleepy during a flight. Experts are strongly against it, and sometimes this medicine can have adverse effects.
- If you need to travel soon after birth, experts recommend waiting between seven to 14 days before flying with a healthy baby.
- It’s a good option to wait until your baby is at least 4 to 6 weeks old.
Check the airline’s baby travel policy
If you have to travel by air with your newborn baby, check with your airline before booking. Because there is no permanent criterion for this. Airlines have minimum age criteria that you need to consider.
Generally, most airlines do not allow infants under seven days of age to fly. For some airlines, the minimum age is 14 days. If your baby was born early, you need to count his age from his due date, not the day he was born.
Some airlines will ask you to provide a fit-to-fly certificate from your doctor if your baby is less than two weeks old.
You will also have to pay one percent of the adult ticket fare for an infant under two years of age, even if he or she is in your lap during the flight. If your child turns two years old, you will need to purchase a separate ticket for the selected route.
Baby Food During Air Travel
- Infant travel in flight is particularly at risk of dehydration, so if your baby is exclusively breastfed, breastfeed him at shorter intervals. Breastmilk is mostly water, providing your baby with lots of extra nutrients.
- If he is on formula or solids, give him mixed water with boiled or cold water during the flight. You can carry drinking water safely in different bottles or flasks. Read here – Benefits of dietary supplements
- To keep your baby calm during takeoff and landing, breastfeed or formula-feed him.
Most airline cabin crew allow heating of milk but check the milk thoroughly before traveling. - If your baby is carrying solid food, ready-made baby food or homemade food, it is okay to take it in containers. If the journey is long, keep them in a clean and cool bag. The normal rules for carrying liquids in your hand luggage do not apply to food or milk for your child.
- Airlines sometimes stock a selection of ready-to-serve baby foods. But if your baby isn’t ready for solids, don’t introduce them during air travel. Bring along things you know your child likes.
- Take care of your food also. Not all airlines serve meals, and if they do, you may not be able to eat if your child is sitting on your lap. Keep a bag aside for disposable nappy bags, dirty bottles, jars or plates and don’t forget to carry some extra spoons and baby wipes.
Required Documents
You must provide a valid proof of age, such as your child’s birth certificate. If you are flying abroad, your child will need their passport and, if applicable, visa. Talk to your travel agent or check the airline’s website for more information. Apply for a passport and visa with due time. The time for processing the application is not permanent, so plan your journey keeping in mind the appropriate time.
Baby Sitting Arrangement
Infant Travel In Flight, i.e. a child below two years of age, is not given a separate seat in the airplane, they sit in the lap of their mother or father. If you are going on a long journey, then try to book a travel cot or cradle for your baby in advance. Remember this facility is not offered by every airline and may not be available on every route.
If you want to take your child’s car seat or child restraint system (CRS), be sure to check with your airline. Some airlines do not allow this to be done. If it’s an acceptable carry-on, make sure it’s Federal Aviation Administration compliant.