lost*in*cyberspace

I do not see how one adult could manage travelling with two infants (not yet walking), even if it were allowed.

kef0913

Travelling with two small children and one adult is stressful enough. Trying to fly with two lap children would be near impossible. Even if the airline allowed you to hold both on your lap (they won't), I wouldn't do it - for safety, your comfort and yoru fellow passengers (and I am a paretn fo two children and have flown with them by myself). Buy at least one seat next to you so that you have somewhere to put them down.

BA is very restrictive. You can fly an american carrier with children under 6 months, but you will need to buy a seat. Not sure about other European carriers.

Good luck!

22wingit

No airline will allow a single adult to travel alone with 2 lap babies. Technically, the reason why is that there is only one "extra" oxygen mask per row. I'm sure that they also just really don't want to see one person trying to juggle two without a restraint system, for all sorts of reasons, incl. the potential logistical difficulties of diaper changes, feedings, etc.

BA does indeed refuse to allow babies in carseats <6 months. They really push bassinets for the littlest ones, but bassinet babies are lap babies for takeoff and landing.

The simplest way to deal with the logistics is to use a US carrier and travel with 2 carseats. It will cost more, but it will be easier. US law prohibits US carriers from forbidding the use of approved carseats for children under 40 lbs., as long as the child is in a paid-for seat. In such a case, the children must be seated in the window position and next to it, with you in the space 3 from the window. Or on a widebody, they can be right in the center of the center section; the basis for this is that carseats cannot be anywhere where anyone (even you) would have to climb over them to exit the aircraft.

IME, US carriers are better about delivering gate-checked buggies to the gate in every case. I have at least once had my buggy delivered to the carousel instead of the gate by every UK carrier I've flown.

AinA

Additionally... in my experience on Alaska Airlines they do not allow lap children across the aisle from each other either. When I asked the FA why she told me she needed an extra mask available at each row for her use if she were to need it. So, you and your husband may not be able to lap sit in the same row. You might want to verify this now if this is the case with your airline as well so you can arrange seats in consecutive rows.

A

22wingit

BTW, this isn't true. One example I know of is Alitalia. They absolutely will not allow you to buy a separate seat for a child who is under age 2. If you buy one without telling them the child's age, they will refund the ticket and insist you hold the child.

grahamb

That's interesting and useful to know now that our approx 1yr old has outgrown the bassinet.

Do they give any reason for refusing to sell the separate seat?

cranrob

Ryanair (who we're flying with our 10-month-old soon), won't allow carseats of any kind onboard. They will allow you to book a seat for your under-2, but the child must be held in the parent's lap whenever the seatbelt sign is on. Also, the child gets no baggage allowance, even if a seat is booked for him/her.

jambone

On Wed. I am travelling with my 2-year-old son to Florida from YYZ and my wife is joining us the next day due to work commitments. Somebody suggested I get a notarized letter from my wife authorizing me to travel with him alone.

Does anybody have any experience with this and have any suggestions about the necessity of this and the best course of action?

jambone

fly-yul

Does not have to be notarized. A letter written by spouse should suffice. It should state that length of the trip you are going on and have contact information for her.

negotiator

I wonder if the same standard would be expected if it was the wife travelling with her son?

In other words, would a women be questioned when travelling accross to the U.S. with a child or is it just men?

fly-yul

Yes CBP will care if a child is traveling alone with Mom.
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/before/..._letter-en.asp

dodo

Affirmative. Coming back from a week's vacation in T&C, there were two women in front of me at the Immigration/Customs line, each accompanied with a child. They had to show the letter even when re-entering Canada (the one ahead of me had misplaced hers and the custom agent wanted to see the letter ).

wali

My wife flew LAX-YYZ-YOW in Feb. with our 2 kids.
Coming back thru Can Customs,,she wasn't asked to produce a letter but she had one with her just in case.
If one is not asked..why show it!

Shareholder

Sadly it is best to play it safe and eliminate the possibility of any hassles...do a letter. While authorities are more likely to be "lax" about this during Spring Break given the volume of parent(s) will be taking their kids south of the border, it is still best to anticipate problems like this in advance.

gsfromc

A letter from the other spouse is definitely a must-have, for both going into the U.S as well as returning to Canada. "Generally" one would be okay with just a letter but in my mind I'd spend the $50 to get it notarized. Also, make sure the spouse is available by phone during immigration clearance times, again just in case.