"beating the system": special addition for MileageAddict's kid
Oct 22, 1998 | 3:50 pm
#1
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: CH-3823 Wengen Switzerland
Programs: miles&more, MileagePlus
Posts: 27,043
"beating the system": special addition for MileageAddict's kid
(from the airline passenger's Guerilla handbook, ISBN 0-924022-04--3, page 373 ff)
"I don't want to leave you with the impression that if you travel with children, you will find everything stacked against you. Far from it. There are many sources of assistance for parents traveling with children. You need only be aware and ask.
1) special supervised play areas at some airports. these are usually not in the middle of the runway and not all airports have them - but the better and newer ones have. They're not well signposted, so you need to ask airport information-center.
2) Elevators and alternate ramps for strollers: although many escalators say that no strollers are allowed, I have never seen an airport authority enforce this prohibition.
3) Nursing mother rooms: Designed both to give the mother privacy and to protect fastidious passersby who find suckling babies offensive. they have usually facilities for changing a baby's diapers.
4) Special baby changing toilets: the better/newer planes have at least one: larger with fold-down table.
5) free diapers are practically on all long-haul flights available.
6) Stroller to the plane: Don't check it in - even if the airline tells you to do - you may check it in at the gate: so you can use it on the way to the gate and it will probably be first out after arrival.
7) Preboarding: ask for it if they forget to invite you.
8) Reserved bulkhead space: you can ask the airline when you book your flight to reserve the bulkhead seats for your family.
9) Blocked baby seats: babies who fly free (or at 10% on international flights) do not have reserved seats. Nonetheless when you arrange for your seating you can ask for the seat next to you to be blocked. The blocking means that that seat will be one of the last to be filled.
10) Infant's luggage allowance: even flying free the baby has some baggage allowances. on international flights one bag (total dimension of 45 inches) - and usually you can bring on board a small carry cot, changes of baby clothes and diapers, blankets and a supply of baby food and a stroller.
11) Bassinets: If you don't have your own carry - the airlines will provide one if you order in advance. Your kid probably won't stay in it longer than a few minutes and you'll have a great place to store all those extra diapers and bloated soft toys.
12) special baby seat restraints: a few american airlines stock small loop-belts which fit onto the front of the parents' seat belts; ask if your airline has them. Most airlines will also allow you to install a governement-approved baby seat.
13) entertainment kids: most airlines give free booklets of games, puzzles, magic tricks and occasionally aviator's wings.
14) special children's meals: if your children are finicky eaters, you can reserve in advance special children meals.
15) Snacks and drinks on request: the flight attendatns will also warm your baby's formula if you ask for it.
16) flight attendants are trained to fawn over babies and small children. If you want assurances that your baby is cute, bright and looks like you, then just put him or her within the line of sight of a flight attendant. They are trained to seek out babies and small children on the flight and gush over them. It doesn't matter if your kid looks like a toad with an IQ of minus ten; the flight attendants don't seem to be able to discriminate ...
"I don't want to leave you with the impression that if you travel with children, you will find everything stacked against you. Far from it. There are many sources of assistance for parents traveling with children. You need only be aware and ask.
1) special supervised play areas at some airports. these are usually not in the middle of the runway and not all airports have them - but the better and newer ones have. They're not well signposted, so you need to ask airport information-center.
2) Elevators and alternate ramps for strollers: although many escalators say that no strollers are allowed, I have never seen an airport authority enforce this prohibition.
3) Nursing mother rooms: Designed both to give the mother privacy and to protect fastidious passersby who find suckling babies offensive. they have usually facilities for changing a baby's diapers.
4) Special baby changing toilets: the better/newer planes have at least one: larger with fold-down table.
5) free diapers are practically on all long-haul flights available.
6) Stroller to the plane: Don't check it in - even if the airline tells you to do - you may check it in at the gate: so you can use it on the way to the gate and it will probably be first out after arrival.
7) Preboarding: ask for it if they forget to invite you.
8) Reserved bulkhead space: you can ask the airline when you book your flight to reserve the bulkhead seats for your family.
9) Blocked baby seats: babies who fly free (or at 10% on international flights) do not have reserved seats. Nonetheless when you arrange for your seating you can ask for the seat next to you to be blocked. The blocking means that that seat will be one of the last to be filled.
10) Infant's luggage allowance: even flying free the baby has some baggage allowances. on international flights one bag (total dimension of 45 inches) - and usually you can bring on board a small carry cot, changes of baby clothes and diapers, blankets and a supply of baby food and a stroller.
11) Bassinets: If you don't have your own carry - the airlines will provide one if you order in advance. Your kid probably won't stay in it longer than a few minutes and you'll have a great place to store all those extra diapers and bloated soft toys.
12) special baby seat restraints: a few american airlines stock small loop-belts which fit onto the front of the parents' seat belts; ask if your airline has them. Most airlines will also allow you to install a governement-approved baby seat.
13) entertainment kids: most airlines give free booklets of games, puzzles, magic tricks and occasionally aviator's wings.
14) special children's meals: if your children are finicky eaters, you can reserve in advance special children meals.
15) Snacks and drinks on request: the flight attendatns will also warm your baby's formula if you ask for it.
16) flight attendants are trained to fawn over babies and small children. If you want assurances that your baby is cute, bright and looks like you, then just put him or her within the line of sight of a flight attendant. They are trained to seek out babies and small children on the flight and gush over them. It doesn't matter if your kid looks like a toad with an IQ of minus ten; the flight attendants don't seem to be able to discriminate ...
