5 month infant on AA
Dec 22, 2004, 5:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Hermosa Beach, CA
Programs: AA Plat (2.5M Lifetime), SPG
Posts: 23
5 month infant on AA
We are taking our 5 month old grandson LAX to BNA on 12/26. Fly all the time, just never with a baby. His carseat says it's FAA approved, but do I need to bring both pieces? One latches to the car seat, and then the bucket seat pops in and out of that. We're in first and I didn't get him a seat, so I'm thinking he'll be on our laps anyways (or on the floor - in the bucket seat).
Any tips about security, etc? I figure I am checking everything I possibly can, especially since I can't check my grandson.
Thanks in advance, Mark.
Any tips about security, etc? I figure I am checking everything I possibly can, especially since I can't check my grandson.
Thanks in advance, Mark.
Last edited by msarrowood; Dec 23, 2004 at 11:12 am
Dec 23, 2004, 11:00 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS
Posts: 781
If you didn't buy a seat, especially in first, don't bother to bring your carseat on board, just check it in at the front desk; you'll be holding your grandson on your lap which, in first for an hour or three, isn't so bad (debate on the wisdom of this rages elsewhere). Hopefully, he'll even sleep for part of the time.
Even if you check as much as possible, you'll have a lot more carry on than you're used to. Be sure to take more of everything on board (diapers, formula/breast milk, snacks if he's eating food, toys, etc.) than you think you'll need. We were stranded on the tarmac for 3 hours on a scheduled one hour flight and glad to have extra everything.
Give yourself more time than you think you need, too, especially if you haven't traveled with a kid in a long time. I do both business (alone) and family (with baby) travel and the pace and preparation required are night and day.
Security is not much more of a hassle than it usually is. One of you will carry him through the metal detector and that's it. If you get "selected" they give the baby the once over too which we thought was a bit much. We had to coordinate handing her back and forth so no one was "contaminated" by an unscreened person (or baby). Ridiculous and stress-inducing and I'm not sure I see the security benefit, but I digress...
Give your grandson a bottle on take off and landing. It's great if you can time it so he's ready for a feeding then but do it anyway. It should help him clear his ears and also, with any luck, go to sleep.
Be fully packed the night before if your flight leaves in the morning!
With (more than a bit of) extra planning and time, I'm sure you'll have a great flight and, even more importantly, a great trip!
Michael
Even if you check as much as possible, you'll have a lot more carry on than you're used to. Be sure to take more of everything on board (diapers, formula/breast milk, snacks if he's eating food, toys, etc.) than you think you'll need. We were stranded on the tarmac for 3 hours on a scheduled one hour flight and glad to have extra everything.
Give yourself more time than you think you need, too, especially if you haven't traveled with a kid in a long time. I do both business (alone) and family (with baby) travel and the pace and preparation required are night and day.
Security is not much more of a hassle than it usually is. One of you will carry him through the metal detector and that's it. If you get "selected" they give the baby the once over too which we thought was a bit much. We had to coordinate handing her back and forth so no one was "contaminated" by an unscreened person (or baby). Ridiculous and stress-inducing and I'm not sure I see the security benefit, but I digress...
Give your grandson a bottle on take off and landing. It's great if you can time it so he's ready for a feeding then but do it anyway. It should help him clear his ears and also, with any luck, go to sleep.
Be fully packed the night before if your flight leaves in the morning!
With (more than a bit of) extra planning and time, I'm sure you'll have a great flight and, even more importantly, a great trip!
Michael