Wedding Forum | My Groovy Wedding - View Single Post

Ffi · #8 (**permalink**) 19-02-2008, 04:23 PM

Hi Claire,

The sling was my godsend when I flew alone with M, especially on the way back, as the pram wasn't at the bottom of the plane steps when we landed, as I'd expected and I had to go on the shuttle bus to the terminal, the sling really was better than carrying her all that time.

I'd say travel as lightly as you can hand luggage wise and ask for help, I've found other passangers to be very helpful as well as staff. If your hand luggage fairly small, you can put it under your feet, if not, put it on the seat beside you and ask one of the crew or neighbouring passenger to put it up for you. Maybe take a rucksack of bare minimum stuff for you and C arys for the hold and get Simon to bring the rest, so it's easier to push the pram. You can hang your hand luggage on the pram arms or put stuff under the pram.

Also, make sure you arrive with plenty of time to check in and go through security. If security want you to test anything, they do it after everything's gone through the machines, so you have plenty of time to get your pram and put Carys in the pram before doing so. I've been asked to taste food in sealed jars once but not the other 2 times! As you probably know, there's a B oots after security in most airports and they all sell jars of baby food and basics for a baby.

Also, I try to make sure that I'm either first or last on the plane and always last off it. Some airlines (usually the cheaper airlines) expect you to pay to get on first, others let parents with young children on first anyway - ask at check in (the people at check in are usually the same people that are on the gate).

To be honest, I don't think asking for the pram at the end of the flight will work but no harm asking at check in, at least they'll tell you when to expect it.

I've always seen prams coming on the carousel first, so prioritise getting yours and putting Carys in it - there'll probably be other parents standing beside you so perhaps ask someone standing by you to get it off for you. Then you can concentrate on getting your bag - again ask someone to help you take it off. Don't rush or panic, bags go round more than once so I waited until most of the crowd had gone, had M beside me in the pram and lugged the case off.

Hope this helps, sorry for rambling on but I sympathise, it's not the easiest task and a time when you could really do with more that 2 arms! Good luck.