How to fly long-haul with a baby

Straits Times

20-07-2025

A little planning and a few handy tricks might make the daunting task of flying with a baby less stressful.
NEW YORK – 'Try flying any plane with a baby if you want a sense of what it must have been like to be a leper in the fourteenth century,' wrote American journalist, film-maker and author Nora Ephron in her 1983 novel Heartburn.
That is not too far off. And I would know, as it was not long ago that I flew 19 hours across the world with my three-month-old.
A newborn or young infant cannot be reasoned with, nor can he or she sit in front of a screen or snack on treats. What do you pack for an infant on a long flight? Where do you even put the baby? And that is all before accounting for the side eye you get from fellow passengers bracing themselves for screaming and crying.
A little groundwork, though, can go a long way towards easing some of that stress, said Mr James Howard, a Delta Air Lines cabin manager and father of a toddler. You might even enjoy it, he added.
Advance planning
If you know you will travel in the first few months of your baby's life, you can add your child to your airline ticket even before he or she is born , said Mr Brian Kelly, founder of the Points Guy website and a father of two. Your airline would use a placeholder name – usually 'Baby' and your last name. Then, closer to your travel dates, update your booking with your child's legal name.
For most domestic US flights, infants can travel free on the lap of an accompanying adult, though many experts do not think this is safe. On international flights, you might be charged a portion of your fare.
Navigating check-in
Breast milk and formula in your carry-on are not subject to the Transportation Security Administration's liquids limit, meaning you can take along large quantities of them on board. You will, however, need to take them out for screening.
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'I always tell parents to have the agents change their gloves before they do that because I don't know what they've touched,' said Dr Lauren Hughes. The paediatrician at Bloom Pediatrics in Kansas City, Kansas, has become popular on social media for sharing practical infant and toddler tips and tricks.
If you know you have to get through a large airport, Mr Kelly recommends taking a foldable stroller that would fit in the overhead compartment with you rather than one you need to check in, which might get damaged or need to be picked up at an oversized luggage counter.
Another option is to pack a baby carrier so you can keep your hands free through the airport, said Ms Christy Slavik, owner of the travel agency Mom Approved Travel.
Seating choices
Though having an infant sit in your lap is allowed, the Federal Aviation Administration recommends that babies be strapped into car seats during flights and advises against holding them in your lap.
That does require you to buy a seat that is certified for flying and you should check whether the plane will have the right seat belts to secure it. Most business or first class cabins do not, said Mr Kelly.
Getting an extra seat also ensures that in the event of a loss of cabin pressure, there would be an oxygen mask at the ready for the baby too, said Dr Hughes. If they were on your lap, one might not drop down for them but would be made available if you requested it.
For longer international flights, it might be worth booking a bassinet for the baby to sleep in, said Mr Howard . Airline bassinets are free and can be requested through the airline reservations team, but they are available only on a first-come, first-served basis. They cannot be used during take-off, landing or during heavy turbulence.
You also cannot hold your baby in a carrier for take-off and landing. Some international flights will provide an infant seat belt to loop around your baby on your lap that then attaches to your own seat belt for take-off and landing.
Keeping your baby happy, healthy and clean
When it comes to the safety of your infant, the biggest risk, said Dr Hughes, is the infection risk of being in an enclosed space.
'A fever in a child under 60 days old is an emergency, so my general guidance is to wait until at least 60 days old' to get them on a flight, she added.
Also, pack a first aid kit in your carry-on that contains bandages; an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream for itchy, irritated skin; a topical antibiotic for cuts and scrapes; as well as infant versions of Tylenol, ibuprofen and an antihistamine, Dr Hughes said.
To make sure babies are comfortable during the change in air pressure at take-off and landing, offer them a bottle or a pacifier or nurse them in those moments, Dr Hughes added, as the sucking can help with the ear-popping sensation.
And ideally, you could try to time your flights around naps or take a night flight so that your baby can sleep for at least some part of the journey, she said.
Diaper changes on flights can be a little tricky. Bathrooms that feel uncomfortably small for an adult, can feel even smaller with the addition of a baby and a diaper bag.
According to Mr Howard, there should be at least one diaper-changing table on every aircraft.
But before taking your baby into the shoebox of a bathroom, make sure your wipes and fresh diapers are easily accessible with one hand as there is not much space or time to fumble around searching for them in the depths of your carry-on bag, he said. That might mean you go in first and set up the diaper changing table while your partner or a crew member holds the baby.
'In my almost eight years of flying, I have helped watch children while the parent has gone to the restroom, I have helped install car seats, I've helped break down strollers and store items,' Mr Howard said. 'As a parent, it's important to remember that any extra pair of hands you can get is great.' NYTIMES