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Flying to UK with 2year old + buggy?

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  • 10-02-2013 2:00pm
    #1
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭


    As the title suggests I'm hoping to go to London for the weekend in March. My son has just turned 2 so I'll have to buy him a seat which is fine. I'm not planning on bringing any check in luggage as we are only staying a night but I do want to bring the buggy for him. They are carried free with a infant ticket but has anyone any experience of bringing a buggy with a slightly older child?


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    #2
    meeeeh
    Registered Users Posts: 11,624 ✭✭✭✭meeeeh


    It's free. If you are going alone bring something light and possibly even check in the luggage.


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    #3
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭lonestargirl


    meeeeh wrote: »
    It's free. If you are going alone bring something light and possibly even check in the luggage.

    Thanks, I have a 2nd hand Maclaren stroller that we've brought on loads of flights, I've just never flown with a 'child' ticket as opposed to an 'infant' one. As we are only going for a night I wasn't planning on anything more than a rucksack (we are visiting my sister). However they usually put a tag on the buggy so I guess I need to go the check-in desk even if I don't have any baggage?


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    #4
    meeeeh
    Registered Users Posts: 11,624 ✭✭✭✭meeeeh


    I can't remeber. Maybe ask in the airport or with the aeline you are flying with. But Rucksack is a good idea. Btw your son is now also entitled to a piece of luggage which could make some tings a bit easier.


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    #5
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Who are you planning on flying with ? With Aer Lingus you can't check in online if you have a child as part of your booking so you need to go to the check in desk. You'll get a tag for your buggy then.

    With Ryanair you can check in online and I've managed to get to the airplane steps and handing the buggy over without getting a tag for it. Other times the pram was tagged as we queued to board.


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    #6
    Gloomtastic!
    Registered Users Posts: 8,497 ✭✭✭Gloomtastic!


    We used to have a buggy like this (without the hood) that folds up to nothing that we used just for flying. It makes getting into cabs etc so much easier than trying to squeeze your normal buggy that holds eveything.

    https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRVa6J3Ia57HWs_NPWjHj6-37jXyZS4xd1Ny_yJU3HApn-8W7rAjg


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    #7
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭lonestargirl


    ThisRegard wrote: »
    Who are you planning on flying with ? With Aer Lingus you can't check in online if you have a child as part of your booking so you need to go to the check in desk. You'll get a tag for your buggy then.

    With Ryanair you can check in online and I've managed to get to the airplane steps and handing the buggy over without getting a tag for it. Other times the pram was tagged as we queued to board.
    Thank you.
    Probably Ryanair as it's €80 cheaper. I just wanted to make sure they weren't going to hit me with a hefty charge for the buggy.

    Gloomtastic! wrote: »
    We used to have a buggy like this (without the hood) that folds up to nothing that we used just for flying. It makes getting into cabs etc so much easier than trying to squeeze your normal buggy that holds eveything.

    https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRVa6J3Ia57HWs_NPWjHj6-37jXyZS4xd1Ny_yJU3HApn-8W7rAjg
    The Maclaren is my 'small' buggy (I'd never get the BOB through an airport) and it's pretty light and neat when folded. It's been though a few of my relatives already so I don't mind if it gets bashed.


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    #8
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭lonestargirl


    A little update on my trip. I went Ryanair as it was cheaper and Aer Lingus explicitly state on their website that buggys are free with an infant only. On the way out I brought my buggy to the desk and they didn't even tag it - just told me to leave it at the bottom of the aircraft steps. On arrival in Gatwick it was on the baggage carousel - this was a bit of a pain as it's quite a walk through the terminal. On the way home the buggy was tagged at the gate but available at the bottom of the aircraft steps once we arrived in Dublin.

    The other advantage of travelling Ryaniar is that everyone is afraid that the child will cry and doesn't sit beside you, giving us three seats to ourselves on the way home. Interestingly in Gatwick I was asked if I had any proof that my son was mine (different surnames) - once the supervisor realised it was a child rather than infant booking she let me through. I've never had that before, either travelling with my son or in the past with me being the child having a different surname from my own mother. I guess times have changed and I'll have a copy of his birth cert in future just to be safe.


    *i also learned that if you bring one pair of jeans for yourself for the weekend you will get puked on*


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