Help! Flying alone with 1.5 year old
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Anonymous
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I haven’t flown since pre-Covid and I’ve never flown with a child. As a childless adult I was an obsessively light packer and I honestly cannot remember the last time I checked a bag. I’ve found lots of tips for ON the plane but how do I get there?
Do they still have skycaps? Can I check bags at the curb even if I’m the only one driving? I’m trying to figure out how I could park and get myself, the child, a car seat and a suitcase to the ticket counter. I’m assuming I will want to use a stroller right and gate check it? Is it worth getting a cheap car seat or will my nice one be okay checked? We need on on the other end, unfortunately and we’re not renting a car (visiting family). Any and all tips very appreciated. |
Anonymous
| If you can I would ask a friend or family member to drive you and drop you off right by the gate. We traveled a lot with a car seat and stroller and always gate checked the stroller and checked the car seat. No issues. You can get car seat bags with handles that do make them easier to carry then check. |
Anonymous
| Another question - obviously I don’t intend to be separated from her, but should I label her somehow in case of emergency? A lanyard under her clothes or a bracelet or something? |
Anonymous
| Here's what I would do: Get a lightweight carseat for sure (Cosco Scenera one is good) and a carseat bag with backpack straps. Lightweight stroller you can fold with one hand. Arriving at the airport you get stroller out, put baby in stroller and strap in. Get your carseat out and put it in the backpack on your back. Push stroller and drag a rolling seatcase with carseat on your back. You can make it to the bag check line like that. Gate check your stroller or better still buy the fancy small one and put it on the plane. I would also bring a soft baby carrier just in case something happens to your stroller. |
Anonymous
You could put an AirTag on her! |
Anonymous
No. Stop being ridiculous. You only have one child. |
Anonymous
I don’t mean like, I would randomly lose her. I mean like in case of crash or terrorist attack or something. Wait is this anxiety? Lol. |
Anonymous
| Here's what I did. Had family on the receiving end get a car seat (buy or borrow). I took a stroller and used it for our carry on luggage. I never checked luggage if I could avoid it - wrangling a toddler at baggage check was miserable. I bought 2 seats even when my kid was lap baby age just to get the extra carry on, and the extra room for a wriggly toddler. I put the luggage in a stroller, and I put my toddler in a sling. I normally used a sling, though, so my toddler was perfectly comfortable with that. I'd gate check the stroller and put our luggage underneath & overhead. And if someone couldn't drop us off at the airport on the trip out, I'd arrange an airport shuttle. I did not want to have to wrangle my kid from parking lot to airport, through security, and then onto the plane. |
Anonymous
Write her name and address on her diaper if you’re that worried |
Anonymous
| My trick was to have an umbrella stroller along. Place the car seat in it, along with the child (make sure everything is secure) and then push stroller/car seat/child with one hand and have the rolling bag in the other. There’s even a car seat/stroller unit you can buy. Add a backpack that holds all the toddler stuff (diapers, etc) along with your purse. |
Anonymous
Pull yourself together. You are embarrassing yourself. |
Anonymous
Send a cheap car seat to your family on the other end via Amazon and have them bring it to the airport when they pick you up. Then use a stroller to get from your car to your gate and gate check it, or use an ergobaby carrier to wear the baby and push your luggage |
Anonymous
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Is the flight less than 4 hours? Honestly it's not a big deal. Bring a bag with essentials (6 or so diapers, wipes, a change of clothing, a few snacks/meal items that you know she loves and that will fill her up sufficiently, her water bottle or sippy cup, Motrin just in case, an ipad with headphones, and a handful of new small toys that you know she will be excited about). Then bring your own purse. Don't bother with a book or anything ot entertain yourself, you won't use it. Don't bring a carseat, it will be a PITA. Pack everything else and check the bag as soon as you enter the airport so you're not lugging it around. I'd wear her in a carrier but if she hates that, then bring an umbrella stroller and gate check it. Once you're on the flight, you're home free. It's really navigating the airport, IMO, that can be more stressful if you have too many bags with you or you don't have the proper method of containing your child. Like you thought she'd prefer to walk, but she doesn't, and now youve got to carry her plus your large carry on plus the diaper bag because you weren't thinking and you didn't check your large carry on as a checked bag like you should have. Once you're in the air, you just pull out the snacks/ ipads/ toys one at a time over the course of the flight and even if she cries, whatever, you'll get there and nothing lasts forever.
It's one toddler! You've been with her alone lots of times, presumably. This isn't much different. |
Anonymous
| Buy a cheap, lightweight travel stroller and car seat. Backpack will be your friend. Make sure you can push the stroller with one hand if need be. Check the bag at the curb. Ask another mom around for help. I'll never forget the mom who helped me when I was traveling alone with a car seat, a toddler a 4 year old and a stroller and had to get everything from the bus at 35x at National to the terminal. |
Anonymous
I've never had an issue with checking a car seat. The child used a CARES harness on the plane. |