GracieK

Hiya,

I'm a first time mum and first time travelling with baby. I've trawled the search posts and can't seem to find an answer to my question and I'm frankly confused by the mixed messages from Singapore Airlines. I'm travelling next Thurs with my 4 month old baby. I'm confused about what we can carry onboard. Ideally I'm hoping to bring my trolley bag, laptop and handbag as well as my baby's changing bag. I sent SQ an email to ask about what counts as baby items for the checked in baggage and they pointed out that infants aren't allowed hand luggage (eh, so what about bottles, nappies, formula, blankets, change of clothes etc - or am I meant to carry these as part of my allowance?). Then on further inspection I look at the restrictions for flying out of Heathrow and it says for economy you're only allowed the one item of cabin baggage and one personal item (and then there's a list of personal items which includes the handbag, the laptop and also a stroller, so will I have to decide which one of these I want to take?). But then it also says you can carry only the amount of formula required for on the flight, but I have a stopover for a couple of days in S'pore enroute so can I carry enough for the whole 3 day period or only enough for that one leg, then portion out enough for the second leg once in S'pore? I rang them up to enquire and the person I spoke to just kept saying I could bring "whatever you need, maam" and I didn't get the feeling they understood what I was asking. Well, there's a whole lot of things I could "need". I just don't want to pack it all and then find at check in I need to repack/abandon items and have a very upset dirty/hungry/cold baby for 10+ hours.

Sorry that was a bit long winded.. it's the middle of the night and my brain is irrationally panicking. I know some of you have travelled with baby before ... what baby items were you allowed to take on board that don't get classed as hand luggage?

Thanks, Grace

Pomster

It is unlikely you will get away with trolley bag and laptop as hand luggage unless you are flying business class. You could possibly pack the laptop in the luggage. Handbag is allowed separately.

We were allowed a nappy bag (as long as it is reasonable, not the 7kg hand luggage weight).

Heathrow were awful about bringing through water and milk and made us open everything/taste everything. You only need the amount for the flight in your hand luggage-- during your stopover in Singapore, you get your hold baggage and can access the formula you have packed!

Stroller can be taken to the gate and is taken off you at the last minute. Getting it back is more of a hassle, so the more hand luggage you have to carry (plus baby) the harder the wait for stroller to be offloaded. I have found travelling as light as possible with a baby is best.
Essentials are nappies (although SA give you them too) wipes, change of clothes for you and bub (as they tend to vomit over you) plus toys and something for bub to sleep in (grobag)- which almost takes up all of your allowance

Have fun- we have done this with daughter at 4 months, 6 months, 9 months,18 months and 19 months so know what to expect now!

GracieK

Thanks for your reply Pomster. You must be a dab hand at it now Cripes, I'd better rejiggle all the packing now. Really if I have to include all her stuff as part of my allowance that leaves me with very little left, perhaps the shirt on my back and one spare Think I will try and pack my laptop into the hold suitcase then - darn I now need to sacrifice/jettison a few kg of suitcase items! But glad I asked now, rather than have to work it out at the check in desk

Was planning on hubby carrying her in her baby sling/carrier thing as we have a travel system and the car seat part has to be checked in and she's not big enough to use the stroller bit by itself yet.

binnz10

I travelled alone with my 5 month old son back to the UK last year with Singapore airlines, I was told that I could (and did) take his nappy bag as well as my trolley bag, they did not weigh my nappy bag and I did fit quite a bit of stuff in there as well as the 7 KGs in my trolley bag, I also carried my son in the baby carrier so felt a bit like a pack horse when loaded with everything else. As previously posted they will give you nappies and wipes and a bib, and if your baby eats jar food they will supply you with those also. Can say that the staff were really good on the flights with children, they seem to have a good reputation for this. I certainly would fly with them again.

Iwannabethere

Have you asked for a bassinette on the plane too? Gives you more leg room and baby has somewhere to sleep that isn't on you. At 4 months old s/he will fit in no problem.

TillyG

Butting in (apologies to the OP) but re the formula thing - does that mean if you have the individual "ready-made" packs of formula that you have to open them all and try them before boarding? What about the bottles - as they're normally only "good" for 24hours after sterilising, what happens on a 24hr flight where you've had to check in a few hours before take-off etc?

Just trying to get things straight in my head - I bottle-fed DD and had no problems taking her bottles of water (added the formula on the flight) when I flew with her, but that was pre-Aug-2006 when they upped the security restrictions re liquids. This next baby isn't due until May and I'm not planning to fly back to the UK with it straightaway, but just trying to find out info way ahead of time.

Thanks (and apologies to the OP again!)

TillyG

Pomster

when I left Heathrow my daughter was a few days off 6 months, so still needed sterilised water and formula (as well as breastfed!).
As my milk supply was very dodgy, I had to take 6 bottles of water for the flight, to ensure she had enough.
I took 6 bottles of boiled tap water, as mineral water can be bad for them (too much sodium). Women at security said I could not take it, so I said I would leave her with my baby (as if!)...then the supervisor made me open and taste every one of the 6 bottles of now unsterile water.
Formula was in some measured dispensers and that was OK.
But because of the water thing, they then unpacked every item in my hand luggage and left it all in a heap and walked away.
Travelling on my own, I struggled to recap the bottles with formula, reassemble stroller, and gather my stuff together while other people's possessions where piling on top.....all one handed as I had the baby in my other arm.
I was near to tears and an elderly couple tried to help. The nice security people (!) eventually stopped the conveyor belt and glared at me with arms folded.
Don't expect them to help in any shape or form.
KL were lovely in comparision.

I know why Heathrow is always regarded as the worst airport by world travellers. Still at least with a partner it is easier!

TillyG

Gosh, that sounds awful - I'm really :curse: on your behalf now!

It's handy to know that I'll be able to take baby-water onboard if need be. Or I guess I could always (at a push) buy some mineral water on the other side. I know it's not ideal (from a mineral/sodium point of view) (unless you can get something like Evian which is what I believe French mothers use as standard) but it's an option.

Sorry for your bad experience

Pomster

...and of course with hormones still raging I was very on the edge of tears.

Later travels with older toddler meant I was better prepared. I guess some of it is because Heathrow is considered a big target, but the staff are real jobsworth types.

Singapore airport. KL airport, Melbourne airport are all so much more helpful- OK they won't hold your baby, but they do help with stroller and bags if you are happy for them too.
(going through Melbourne, they just waved us through with water, as we had a toddler in our arms- a sheer delight!)

Still once through security it is all good, and the actual flights have always been better than I anticipate.

Burkins

Hi

We came to Oz in November with Singapore Airlines and they were fanastic. Although my child is 1 so slightly different with the stertilised bottles etc.

I had to give up my pre-made cartons of milk at Manchester only had 2 but he wasn't having any of it. I bought some more in Boots when we were through Customs. I had lots of milk in the case for the stopover in Singapore and first day in Oz. I couldn't find anywhere in Singapore that sold pre-made baby milk.

I pre-ordered baby food on the plane and they were very good and bringing this quickly when asked. I did get a bag with nappies and wipes etc but the nappies were quite large so not sure if they would fit a new baby.

Someone on our plane had a stroller with the car seat attached to it right up to the plane door. I found that a pram was a good place to put your baby bag and the check-in staff didn't ask to see it like other airlines have. I would buy the sterlised bottles for the plane.

The staff were fantastic and I would definately use Singapore again.

You will be fine, try not to worry, both hubbie and I build the flight up to be a nightmare, both our boys were fantastic (most of the time) once we got off the plane we both said "that wasn't as bad as we thought".

stmatt

Hi

We travelled with SQ from Manchester last year with a 11 month old, 3 year old, me and DH. We carried 2 piece pram plus buggy board, 2 rucksacks, 2 trolley bags and a nappy bag. We put laptops in our bags. All bags were well over the 7 kg limit and we weren't questioned.

In the nappy bag we took powdered milk and bottled water and cartons of ready made formula (plus I had the back up of breastfeeding). We had to discard the ready made formula but the bottles of water were allowed through (untasted). I have heard of some mums who get away without tasting the sterile water by saying that there's no point taking it then. I think it helped that we were completely disorganised with ourselves but had everything ready to show them i.e. I just pulled out all the baby milk and asked what I was allowed to take and what I had to leave behind.

Good luck with your journey.

Karen

Burkins

Just thought of something else too.

We checked in 5 hours early for the flight from Singapore as we had to be out of hotel and it was kids sleep time so had read that lots to do in airport so we went straight there rather than wonder round the City getting all sweaty again. Be prepared for the heat it was 38 degrees when we landed at 6am!

Singapore Airlines let us check straight in so we were able to get rid of our luggage as soon as we arrived and they had a family queue at the check in desks who were very helpful and speedy.

There was more than enough to do in the airport for 5 hours for a 1 year old and 4 year old and 2 parents!

GracieK

Thanks for all the replies, it's been a manic final weekend. No probs with the hijacking it's all useful info for us travelling mummies! I'm feeling far less trepidation now. I think it was a "4am, can't sleep, gotta move out of the house and pack everything the next day" last minute panic. Will try and keep the travel system till the end then as far easier to scootch round H'row with wheels.

Seems like it's pointless getting ready made cartons as so many seem to have to surrender it/make it unsterile.

My family are from S'pore and we are leaving the larger items with rellies whilst only taking the smaller bags we need to the hotel. Also picking up grandparents in S'pore and travelling down to Sydney on the same plane so will have some additional in-flight baby sitters Will be a shock to the system leaving UK winter and finding ourselves in 40deg heat and humidity - should help with the acclimatising in Aus.

Now all I have to do is work out how we're going to fit us and all our luggage into a car (think minivan/people carrier taxi may be reqd)!

MarkMC

I took a trolley bag and a separate lap top bag on Singapore earlier this year. Kerry had her hand bag and my camera bag too.

seayork2002

We travelled to Australia when our son was 7 months and we were told to either try all the jar food or leave it (so we left it) at customs (well the bit where you go through at, for us, Manchester airport) but I thought might happen so i stocked up on the ready made cartons of our formula at Boots there (on the flight side bit), we had some waiting for us as I was paranoid we would get there and they would say they were out of stock but they had plenty. I also brought jars for the same reason but we used the plane jar food which was Heinz and the bottles that they gave us (they sterilized them for us afterwards but the first lot were so good I "accidently" took them in by back and used them when I got to Australia, the second lot weren't so good. Dark blue ones good - light blue ones bad. ANd they gave us some nappies so I used them as well as their wipes.

Hope it helps someone but if anyone needs any more info they are more than welcome to PM me.

Seayork2002