Travelling with Virgin blue

[MoOaNdLiTtLePoPpEt]

Hi

We have a flight next week - and i just called virgin to find out if there is a seatbelt for the infant. i was informed that my belt is extended so it goes around the infant as well as myself. Which is fine.

However

I was thinking of wearing my carry pouch/sling. He will be at the front of me, facing me.....do you think i could still do this and still put the seatbelt around him?

Has anyone done this before...i just think he will sleep better than if we are holding him in our arms...!

Any advice would be GREAT!!!

[iluvmeboyz]

my son was in my arms to well i was with qantas and i had him on my lap and seat belt on him though he did not wanna sit there he kept on running uo the isles

i cant see there being a problem with it as long as the seat belt is no him when you have to put it on.

[tally]

umm.. Virgin Blue (as with all airlines) have another seatbelt which hooks into the main one. So you both have a seatbelt each.

Not sure about the sling, I would assume they would ask you to take him out for the take of and landing. Not sure though as I always flew with my son on my lap as I found that easier.

[MoOaNdLiTtLePoPpEt]

thanks....he is only 5 months so i wont have that issue....hehe. But was more wondering if it will go around him if he is in the carrier...it should. i might test tonight and see how it is with me sitting down....

[perrywinkle]

It would most likely fit around him and the carrier but you may need to lie him down on you, for feeding whilst taking off and landing to equalise his ears.

[mummynat]

Hi there

I am not sure you'd be able to carry your bub in a sling with the infant seatbelt on.... you might have to put bub in the sling after take-off. Oh, and when you go through the check in gate, they make you take the sling off anyway.

I travelled with Virgin Blue a few weeks ago with my 7mth DD and it was not a very good experience. We waited in a queue for over 45 mins to check in (we had to hold DD because we packed the pram) - we couldn't use self check-in - they won't let you self check-in if you are travelling with a baby. So get there early especially if you are travelling during peak hour.

Ask for a spare seat to make things a little easier. We weren't allocated a spare seat between us even though there were empty seats in the rows in front us and I think the poor bloke sitting next to us was a bit annoyed.

Hope it goes well!

[Phoenix's Mum]

We had our ds in a sling when we travelled when he was 3 months and we were asked to take him out and only use the seatbelt.:thumbsdown: So I popped a pillow on my lap under him, with the seatbelt around him (it's actually a seatbelt which loops onto your seatbelt strap, not a big one that goes around you both) connected to my belt. The flight attendant asked us to remove the pillow as you can't hold things on your lap. I argued it was there to help me breastfeed but the narky woman just said "Well I'm sure you don't really need it, & it's protocol." :mad:

So I had to remove it, but I bf Phoenix anyhow. Remember to either breastfeed your baby, or give him a bottle, or have a drink for him to drink (or a dummy if you use one) that he will suck on as you take off and land- otherwise babies get ear pressure and can't relieve it, whic is why so often pre-baby you sat on a plane going :banghead: as a baby cried over and over. They can't equalise ear pressure like we can so use something your baby will suck to help prevent that! :thumbsup:

[MoOaNdLiTtLePoPpEt]

Thanks for the tips mummynat....

Our flight is weds at 5.10pm.....so hoping it isn't toooo bad!!! DS will be fine i think, he loves the bus and usually falls asleep...but yeh i think i'll leave the sling and just hold him, it will be much easier than having a sling by the sounds of it....

thanks for all the tips

and yeh i read to feed him on take off and landing but didn't register i would have to take him in and out....and we will also ask for an extra seat.....having the extra space would be much easier!!

If anyone gives me any looks, i wont be too impressed......it wasn't your fault that they didn't seat you on your own, some people can be very rude!! :rolleyes:

[MoOaNdLiTtLePoPpEt]

We had our ds in a sling when we travelled when he was 3 months and we were asked to take him out and only use the seatbelt.:thumbsdown: So I popped a pillow on my lap under him, with the seatbelt around him (it's actually a seatbelt which loops onto your seatbelt strap, not a big one that goes around you both) connected to my belt. The flight attendant asked us to remove the pillow as you can't hold things on your lap. I argued it was there to help me breastfeed but the narky woman just said "Well I'm sure you don't really need it, & it's protocol." :mad:

So I had to remove it, but I bf Phoenix anyhow. Remember to either breastfeed your baby, or give him a bottle, or have a drink for him to drink (or a dummy if you use one) that he will suck on as you take off and land- otherwise babies get ear pressure and can't relieve it, whic is why so often pre-baby you sat on a plane going :banghead: as a baby cried over and over. They can't equalise ear pressure like we can so use something your baby will suck to help prevent that! :thumbsup:

Thanks....so a dummy would be ok to help with the ear pressure? he has a dummy.
And what about heating bottles on a plne? will they do this? Just heat the water?

[Phoenix's Mum]

Yep yep, dummy would be fine, but if you bf it would be more ideal during takeoff and landing as he is constantly sucking, whereas with a dummy sometimes they kinda just let it sit there and suck occasionally IYKWIM Or if he's bottlefed, I'd try getting it warmed up before you fly at an airport cafe or something. Remember it's ok for a baby to have a unheated bottle! But they might heat it for landing, but might be hard for takeoff as usually all the food stuff is secured.

Phoenix bf for almost the entire 3 hr plane ride we had, and slept the whole time too. Make it easy. Not one whimper, which was good cause we got those "Oh god here comes a baby" look from everyone. But halfway through the flight, people were commenting on how quiet he was! And usually they'll give you a spare seat if there is one if you explain you bf (I said "Oh, I don't want to offend anyone, or get breastmilk on them" :laughing: Not that I was worried about either but it guaranteed us a seat both times!)

I'd take the sling if it fits in your bag to use while waiting for boarding, checkin etc. Just pop it in your nappy bag once you're onboard and stow it. Plus you have to wait a while to get your bags sometimes and a sling will come in handy!

[MoOaNdLiTtLePoPpEt]

Thankyou for that information Phoenix's Mum

I sadly had to stop b/f at 4 months, so we are bottle feeding, i will get it heated before i go on the plane....great tip. Thanks!!!

And yeh i will take the sling for the purpose you mentioned. Thankyou once again, your tips were great as were all the others.
Thanks...hopefully our trip will be much easier with all these tips :)

[scorpio83]

Also, pack a couple of nappies and a small pack of wipes in a toiletries bag. Then you don't have to take a huge bag to the toilets with you if your baby needs changing.

[MoOaNdLiTtLePoPpEt]

wow. some awesum tips....wudn't have thought of that last one :)

[gremily]

typing as i bf so this will be short!

you are aallowed an extra bag onboard 4 baby.

all flights i've been on, and these are all with virgin, they've let me walk around up the back with dd2 (they tend to sit parents with bubs up the back).

last flight, the attendant took dd2 with him for about 20 mins while he did his job. he said he likes to offer it to all parents on his flights, just to give them a break. his name was kerry, :fingerscrossed: you have someone like him!

i find it much easier without the sling. i think it would be difficult to get the seatbelt on anyway.

someone else mentioned you can't do the quick checkins or web checks as a baby is classified as an extra or something like that. so allow a little bit more time.

i've only been on 1 flight where they've sat someone else next to us. generally they will keep the seat spare for you - but ask for one just in case. if the flights not full you should be right though.

i've flown about 6-7 times with dd2 (Sydney-Adelaide route), and a few more with dd1. Most of the time that's been without df aswell, just me and the girls!

dummies are good if you don't have a bottle (seeing as you're not bf anymore). You just want something to give the sucking/swallowing action.

[MoOaNdLiTtLePoPpEt]

gremily - hope that is the case with us....lol
:fingerscrossed:

[jgirl77]

I just wanted to add that I second the nappies and wipes tip and would recommend a spare outift. We flew to melbourne at easter and DS did the biggest poo ever and it leaked :eek: Unfortunately we had to wait to land as the plane was in descent but I didn't have spare clothes in my carryon so had him naked in a wrap and had to clean it all with 3 wipes! Be prepared!