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| Section:
toddlers |
| Making toddler travel in the UK easy |
| Posted by Fiona Cambouropoulos on 20 Jul 2011 |
| Toddlers soon get bored in the car. Portable DVD's, colouring, audio books or simple car games like I spy are much better than bordom tears. Try and travel between meal times to aviod stopping and prolonging the journey. Travel off peak to avoid traffic for a faster stress free journey. Much easier to arrive early and explore locally than worry about being late. Simple steps to help a relaxed start your family holiday! |
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| Section:
by plane |
| Ask when getting onboard if the plane is full |
| Posted by emmajradcliffe on 15 Jul 2010 |
| We have found that rather than just grabbing the aisle and window seat and hoping nobody else sits in the middle, the staff greeting you as you get on will usually tell you if the plane is full. That way, once you are on, you can get the family sorted without worrying about whether you will need to move up. |
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| Section:
hotels |
| Adult time without leaving the baby |
| Posted by Michelle Webber on 04 Feb 2010 |
| If like us, you didnt feel comfortable leaving your young baby with a sitter, get a room with a large sun-facing balcony/terrace, or on the ground floor with easy pool access. Durng the day your baby can sleep in the cot while you relax outside on the terrace or balcony and in the evenings you can do the same, enjoying some adult time without having to sit in the room with the baby in the dark. |
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| Section:
airlines |
| British Airways... not bad but cabin crew have no idea about regulations |
| Posted by salome2001 on 12 Jan 2010 |
We flew with BA out of London City Airport (so Cityflyer, so be exact) just before Christmas 2009 to Europe (short haul) with our 19 month old. Although he is entitled to fly on our laps for a nonimal fee, we elected to buy him a seat for our own sanity (full fare as we had "very cheap fares"- only the fully flexible fare has a child discount).
We were allowed to take the pushchair to the gate (Quinny Zapp) which was appreciated. We took our own car seat onboard and settled DS into it. As soon as we were seated, the flight attendant challenged the fact that our son was sitting in his own seat on a full flight (that's because we PAID for it!) and then insisted that he had to come out of the seat and sit on my lap for take-off and landing (the most risky parts of the flight- go figure)
On our return, we were first challenged about using the car seat at all (we pointed out that BA mandated the use of one if an under-2 occupied a seat), was then told that we couldn't have it in the middle of the row of three (where it had been on the outbound flight) and that it had to be at the window. The flight attendant then said that the captain had said that if a single adult is travelling with two children, they could sit in the window and aisle seats with the adult in between, so he could sit in the aisle, but I had to sit on the other side on my own!
And nothing at all said about having him on my lap for take-off and landing!!
I will give them credit for being very apologetic about it all, but some consistency would have been appreciated!
By the way- we were given an activity pack (pencils and colouring book) on the return flight only, and neither had toddler-appropriate snacks. We also had to ask specifically for a juice for my son when the drinks came around as none was offered- remember, his seat was paid for at adult prices! |
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| Section:
self catering |
| self catering with a bit extra.. |
| Posted by sophie morgan on 18 Feb 2009 |
| we go to Caserio del Mirador in spain, everyone there (4 other families our week) had little ones and meals were available but we also had our own kitchen with all the baby gear. we all ate together a couple of nights and the babies all ate together most of the time, i would really recommend it. if you can get in. its at www.villajalon.com |
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| Section:
europe |
| Baby Equipment Hire |
| Posted by jodiel on 22 Jan 2009 |
Travelling to england with babies and children doesn't have to be as stresful as we once thought!
Baby equipment including car seats, strollers, travel cots, sterilisers, bottle warmers and anything else you will need are all available for hire.
Some of the hirers offer a service in which they great you at the airport with your desired equipment and meet you again when its time to go home!
A listing of all the hirers is available on the Baby Equipment Hirers Association website!
Happy travelling! (from now on!) |
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| Section:
airlines |
| Easyjet to and from Malaga |
| Posted by katy on 01 Nov 2008 |
| I took my eight week old daughter to and from Malaga and Easyjet was actually very good. I breast fed so I don't know if they would havce warmed a bottle, but we took the pushchair right up to the plane, had a seatbelt of sorts and the air hostesses were very very helpful for the entire flight (there were loads of babies & children on board) |
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| Section:
airlines |
| flying again! this time with qatar |
| Posted by Katharine Rosenstiel on 26 Jun 2008 |
| was impressed when flying with qatar to hong kong via doha that i was given the bulkhead seat (window) and spare seat despite fact that daughter is now at 20 months far too big for basinet, was impressed with qatar they had soft toy planes for under twos as well as stuff for children, one older sibling was more interested in the baby toy! flying home was bit of nightmare as flight was full from hong kong and my lil girl was only infant on flight people werent too happy with her crying... flight from doha to london was half empty so asked instead of going on bulkhead to be seated further back as armrests to not lift up on the bulkhead, slight mistake was made when got seated in exit row but it made it easier for little one who fell asleep before plane had taken off, qatar is one of best airlines have flown with and would more than happily fly with them again, they were able to provide juice and baby food and also gave me a pack with nappies, wipes and talcum powder! also doha airport had good play area with soft play made good use of that on way out with a 5 hour stopover, would recommend them to anyone flying to middle east/far east with a baby! |
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| Section:
airlines |
| First Choice (May 2008) |
| Posted by Hilary Roch on 21 May 2008 |
This was the first time that I had flown with a baby who was 8 months. We flew to Menorca.
Lets just say I have had more pleasant experiences! On checking in I asked if the flight was full and yes it was, so no chance of having a spare seat next to us! So, I asked if we could possibly have the bulk head seat of which I was told that our seats were preallocated already and could not be changed.
When we boarded it was a total free for all. No priority boarding for children. In the end we just waited until everybody had boarded.
The aircraft had three seats and then another three seats across. We saw an enormous woman sat in the aisle seat and just knew that it was where we were to sit!!! I got in the window seat with baby on knee and 6ft 6 husband squashed himself into the middle seat.
There was no room whatsoever! Hand luggage was in front of my feet and every time I needed something out for baby it just couldn't be done. Poor baby was literally face to face with the back of the person seat in front. The amount of room really was disgusting for a person without a baby, never mind having a baby on your knee.
In the end, my husband stood most of the way, so that I could have some room with baby.
I was advised to bottle feed baby upon descent to help with ears. I asked air hostess to warm up bottle in preparation and she was really snotty. In the end another air hostess came over and said that it wasn't a problem and she would do it for us.
All in all I am glad the flight was only 2 hours 15 minutes.
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| Section:
uk |
| Hotels |
| Posted by tanacey1 on 28 Mar 2008 |
we have stayed at several hotels with our little ones and have found that premier inn offer good services.
they will erect cots, warm bottles and provide highchairs and toddler cutlery when in the restaurant. Kids eat breakfast free which is another bonus |
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