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Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Old Dec 7th 2013, 3:55 pm
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Default Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

We are heading back to the UK next week - I did a search on the forums but would just like to double check I understand everything correctly!

We will be staying with family and will have access to a car... but I understand that I cannot drive on my UK licence as I am not a UK resident. My parents insurers (Saga) will not insure a US licence holder. So options seem to be finding a separate short term insurance policy for me, or hiring a car if needed. Have I missed anything really obvious?

And I will be flying across with a one year on my lap - we have a short connecting flight before the transatlantic one. My husband is deployed so I am on my own with her. She has flown short haul in the past and snoozed most of the time. I wish I could get a seat for her but the flights are full! We are sitting in bulkhead seats and I have requested a bassinet (Delta)... she is under the weight limit but I think she will be too long for it. I have toys, snacks, and a Boba carrier. Also plan to check the stroller at the gate.

Please please could I have some reassurance from parents that lap travel isn't the worst thing in the world? Convincing lies would also be great. Thanks!
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Old Dec 7th 2013, 5:44 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

I think you can use your UK license if it still valid.
Look at page 4 here "visiting great britain"
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum.../dg_068659.pdf

Travelling with kids on your own is never easy! Take snacks/food you know they will like. Books and games as well. Do not expect any rest unless they sleep (which they will the minute your food arrives....). Accept help from kind strangers....

and wine...!
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Old Dec 7th 2013, 9:52 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

AFAIK many insurance companies require you to be a UK resident...it's nothing to do with the validity of your UK DL. If your relative's insurance company will not cover you I doubt that another insurance company will cover you to drive their car. We have just returned from the UK and my husband rented a car via Kayak.com. We rented an auto/diesel Ford Galaxy for 12 days for £146 from Hertz at Manchester Airport.

IMO it is not worth 'forgetting' to mention that you live overseas. If you are involved in an accident it will not be difficult for the insurance company to find out and then the insurance will most likely become invalid.

Edit: If you rent a car and pay with a US credit card...check to see if the CC company cover you fully for car rental insurance. AMEX do this but there is an additional charge for each rental...approx $28. If you use the BE search engine you should find a few threads discussing the AMEX insurance. We also have a Chase CC...they also cover the insurance.

Last edited by Jerseygirl; Dec 7th 2013 at 10:12 pm.
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 7:54 am
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

I had similar problems a couple of years ago. The problem I ran into was that my mother's insurance company had to use the last issued driving license which was my US license and they wouldn't insure anyone on a foreign license. We ended up switching my mother's insurance to Direct Line because they would add me and take me off whenever necessary. They've been great about adding various family members for short periods of time and they've been cheaper too.
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 7:57 am
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
AFAIK many insurance companies require you to be a UK resident...it's nothing to do with the validity of your UK DL. If your relative's insurance company will not cover you I doubt that another insurance company will cover you to drive their car. We have just returned from the UK and my husband rented a car via Kayak.com. We rented an auto/diesel Ford Galaxy for 12 days for £146 from Hertz at Manchester Airport.

IMO it is not worth 'forgetting' to mention that you live overseas. If you are involved in an accident it will not be difficult for the insurance company to find out and then the insurance will most likely become invalid.

Edit: If you rent a car and pay with a US credit card...check to see if the CC company cover you fully for car rental insurance. AMEX do this but there is an additional charge for each rental...approx $28. If you use the BE search engine you should find a few threads discussing the AMEX insurance. We also have a Chase CC...they also cover the insurance.
I have Amex and use that for the additional car rental coverage they offer for longer trips. I also have Chase and have used them too... infact I just rented a car using my Chase as it did not seem to be worth paying the extra to amex on a one day rental.
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 1:03 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Chances are she'll sleep a lot with the noise and vibrations. Even if the bassinet isn't the most comfy thing, at least it would be somewhere to strap her while you pee. BA have a car seat thing as the next stage up. That was great when ours grew out of the bassinet. Don't know if delta do.
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 4:23 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Thanks very much for the replies everyone!

I think you're right Weeze, DD should sleep on the plane especially as we are on the red eye. I hope! She is also going through a clingy 'stranger danger' phase so chances are she would refuse to sit in a seat if I had got one. I keep telling myself that. My friend is flying back from the UK with us in January so I will have an extra pair of hands on that flight. And petitefrancaise - yes! Wine will make everything better!

Thanks for the driving licence feedback, I am still confused (but I am also very sleep deprived - I used to be intelligent pre-baby). I will ask my dad to go back to Saga to ask about the licence. Cardienscarf - I used to be with Direct Line and they refused to insure DH on his US licence! This was about four years ago so very good news if that policy has changed.

I initially got my info from this thread:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...riving+licence

And this one - although this has more to do with renewal:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...riving+licence

Either way I will definitely not be cutting corners or forgetting to mention that I live overseas. I am too boringly law abiding AND come from a family of insurance workers! Thanks very much for the credit card tip, I will check that out.

Ok - hopefully my last question is about car seats. This has also been done to death on the forums. My parents have got hold of a car seat for DD. It is forward facing and does not have isofix tethers. She is 12mo and just under 20lbs. I am having huge reservations about using this seat.

We have a Radian RXT over here so she can rear face until 45lbs. This seat is NCAP safety tested - but am I right in saying it wouldn't be worth taking it with me?

I am considering ordering a new seat for our visit - Amazon have a Britax seat which rear faces to 28lbs for about £90. My parents have only commented that "this is the UK - we forward face over here". Any thoughts gratefully received...
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 4:27 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Forward facing is such a personal decision, no one is going to be able to decide for you. We couldn't rear face as long as we would like. The kids are so tall that they quickly became uncomfortable. We got the best forward facing seats we could find and made sure they were correctly fitted.
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 4:46 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Thanks Weeze. I am finding it impossible to have the debate in real life... my US friends are absolutely appalled that I would consider forward facing, and my UK friends and family are deeply offended that I won't. No middle ground. And my husband - handy deciding vote - is out of contact.

I always thought UK safety standards were higher, so this has been an eye opener. Thanks for the feedback though!
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 6:21 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Originally Posted by halfmoon
Thanks Weeze. I am finding it impossible to have the debate in real life... my US friends are absolutely appalled that I would consider forward facing, and my UK friends and family are deeply offended that I won't. No middle ground. And my husband - handy deciding vote - is out of contact.

I always thought UK safety standards were higher, so this has been an eye opener. Thanks for the feedback though!
If you rent a car isn't it possible to to get one complete with a baby seat?
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 6:46 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
If you rent a car isn't it possible to to get one complete with a baby seat?
Rental one would cost more than buying after a couple days.

At 12 months and 20 pounds, don't want forward facing. Would increase chances of braking the neck on a whiplash accident.

You can bring the US one and a lot of airlines won't include it in the baggage allowance. Kid could sit/sleep in it too if you have a seat on the plane.

Can also get stroller things that you can clip the seat to and just lug them around, a bit like those old granny grocery cart thingys.
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 7:38 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Originally Posted by halfmoon
Thanks Weeze. I am finding it impossible to have the debate in real life... my US friends are absolutely appalled that I would consider forward facing, and my UK friends and family are deeply offended that I won't. No middle ground. And my husband - handy deciding vote - is out of contact.

I always thought UK safety standards were higher, so this has been an eye opener. Thanks for the feedback though!

I think some of it is pure practicality. Having seen the size of my nephew's car seat there is no way it would fit in the back of my little Euro-car and still allow an adult to sit in a front seat without having their knees up by their ears!
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 8:29 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Thanks for the replies.

Bob - I agree, I want her rear facing. I don't have a seat on the plane for her car seat, and I am worried about it being flung around the hold even if I gate check it. I haven't ruled out bringing it but am leaning towards buying the £89 Britax to use during this visit. £89 doesn't seem bad for a safer baby.

I'm just annoyed with myself for not looking into this before. I was told it was 'in hand' and should have asked more questions. Referring to UK safety recommendations as 'shit' this afternoon also hasn't done a lot for family relations

We could get a car seat via rental company... but we would be travelling with family most of the time and only using a rental car occasionally. There is a risk with renting too as you don't know the car seat history, it could be old or broken (and almost certainly forward facing).

Lizzy - you're right! It's easy to design the ultimate rear facing seat when everyone drives a minivan or SUV. Not the same for a Fiesta!
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Old Dec 8th 2013, 9:07 pm
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

We bought UK seats that stay with my family. Then we have the US ones here. Think I used www.kiddicare.com and there was even an offer on.
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Old Dec 9th 2013, 2:23 am
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Default Re: Flying back to the UK - last minute questions

Originally Posted by halfmoon
Thanks Weeze. I am finding it impossible to have the debate in real life... my US friends are absolutely appalled that I would consider forward facing, and my UK friends and family are deeply offended that I won't. No middle ground. And my husband - handy deciding vote - is out of contact.

I always thought UK safety standards were higher, so this has been an eye opener. Thanks for the feedback though!
You are right.
Your UK friends are wrong.
End of story.
If your friends and family are offended that you want to a)keep your baby safe and b) abide by the law, then that's their problem. Maybe they could educate themselves at the govt website on car seats.

If it was me, I wouldn't use the forward facing seat. I also wouldn't trust a hire car seat...it may be OK, but the only time we did that with Hertz it was a total pos that wouldn't even fasten in properly because one of the isotether straps was missing! We always used to keep the UK car seats in my mams garage so they were always there when we needed them. As you say, the £89 for peace of mind/baby safety is a small price to pay.

As for the flight...relax, you'll be fine. You'll be amazed at how helpful folk turn out to be. I travelled solo with all of mine from 3 months up, including once when I was outnumbered 3:1 when my youngest was 3 months and her brothers were 3 and 5! We survived, although I didn't get much sleep, and the novel I took for myself was a total waste of luggage space
Odds are at that age she will sleep on your chest and you'll arrive with drool all over your front, but hey, it washes off! Do take a spare shirt though, in case more than drool comes out.....happened once to me at take off on a 7 hour flight and I hadn't got a change. I stank to high heaven by the time I got to the other end
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