Travelling to Australia with a 14 month old baby

We are about to travel to Australia, first time parents with our, going to be 14 month old. Ive tried to read as much as i can but doing so im confused myself!

And i would love to know if any one can tell me, when travelling with a child under 2 years old you dont buy a ticket, does this mean we dont have a seat?

Do we need to take a car seat? I would prefer less bulk really.

And when we arrive would we need to pre-arrange, to hire a car seat with the taxi?

any other advice about travelling with a baby
would be great help....

ie. food, entertainment, buggy or backpack?

I recently travelled to Bali with my daughter who was 22months at the time. You don't get a seat, so if the plane is full then your child will sit on your lap. However, when you check in ask them if the plane is full. If they say no then ask if it would be possible to have a spare seat next to you. They did this for us on both the outward and inward journey which made it much more bareable. You can contact the airline in advance and they may provide baby food. You can only take milk you are prepared to taste on long haul flights, so take powder if your child will want it.

We have a 13 months old baby and we have been travelling with him around the world including Australia, answering your questions NO you don't have a seat for your baby unless you pay for it, you can take as much foos as you need for your baby (for the OZ trip we took 6 sachets of ella's fruit, 6 of savory milk powder and water) but they make you to try 50% of the food and also you can call the airline and reserve some food for the baby but in my experience it's awful (adults food is far away better) If you don't have a car seat you should arrange a taxi with a car seat. To entertain the baby the airline give them some toys but we also got took with us some toys, little books and the Ipad with Peppa pig and Dora the explorer episodes. We also prefer travelling less bulky but children need to many things. Good luck

Hi you wont need to pay for a seat until the baby is over 2. And as for carseat, just hire it out there, they are pretty slow drivers out there in comparison to us.

I went to Australia this time last year, it was great. Its pretty hot in Australia right now, and the sun is really strong, keep the baby protected from the sun at all times. I used a pram curtain thing that I bought from the baby show I went to, it was fantastic, I attached it to my stroller, even though I used it on a pram at home, and it was uv protective, it meant when it was super hot, I protected my son from the rays whilst he slept.

Enjoy your holiday to Australia.
Best regards

You only get a guaranteed seat for child under 2 if you pay for it, but phone the airline prior to departure and book a bulkhead seat - more legroom and access to a bassinet - a kind of bed that attaches to wall for baby to sleep in. Have flown twice to australia with baby under 2.
We took a carseat with us as the cost of hiring one for a month was high. Car seat and buggy are allowed on top of your standard baggage allowance. Good to take your own as familiar to child and you know it's not been in accident.
Have fun, it was easier than i expected. Take a baby bjorn for airport - lifesaver. And twice as many changes of clothes as you expext to need:-)

Airplane
If I'm not too late, I'm a little alarmed you say you don't have a ticket for your baby. Even if you don't have a seat for them, you still need to have a ticket!! and have you done your online visas? There should be room on your online booking for adding in babyfood requests/bassinette requests, but most passengers will have requested these long in advance, so will be surprised if there are any left. If you ahve done this through a travel agent, they should've done all this with you. Call the airline asap to clarify your position.
PS Bassinette also depending on the size of your child, one of my kids didn't fit after a year old on Qantas, another fitted at 18 months on Cathay Pacific. Look at their sizes online.
Make sure you take extra clothes for you, not just your baby... the first time (of over a dozen trips) with a baby/toddler I had changed my t-shirt before we even took off :-)
As to heat, depends where you are going - it is currently 77oC in Sydney and 99oC in Adelaide. Having said that - the UV is ALWAYS an issue, so even if you think it's just about to rain, still make sure you're child is covered/lotioned/both.
I hope you made it!

Well, my lo travelled long haul for the 1st time when he was 16 months, on our lap cos we didn't pay for a seat for him. We took new toys, books, games, but... Honestly? It's something so overwhelming for them, that they just need ur attention and reassuring at 120 per cent! Just try and make it as fun as u can! Just pack with some extras in a bagpack for ur lo cos shoulder bags n airports didnt work for us!Oh! Lots of water or non sugary juice! You'll be fine!

We are travelling to Australia very shortly with 3 children (8 years, 6 years and 7 months) and I have managed to hire car seats, cot and a high chiar from a company in Sydney, this is saving me taking lots of these necessities with me. Have also hired the car seats from them as I feel that they will be of a higher quality than what you get with car hire companies. Like other people have said, our lo doesn't have a seat but she does have a ticket and we have paid taxes for her and she also has her own visa so I think you need to look into that. We are taking an umbrella buggy for on the plane which will be taken off us when we board and will be given to us when we land at each airport (so I'm told) as we have 2 stop overs for 3 hours and we wouldn't be able to hold lo for all that time again. I hope that this helps and I must say that the replies have been helping me too. Enjoy Oz :-)

you need to purchase an infant ticket for which you get no seat. You need to request a bassinette. You can check in car seats and a pushchair for an infant on top of your luggage allowance. We always had a separate lightweightbuggy for travelling, and always booked a child meal, much better than post weaning meals.Depending on the airline, there is always inflight entertainment, but I took 1 or 2 small books and a few small toys. But take lots of spare clothing!!

Don't forget the visa, and if you are not taking a car seat, inform the taxi company or hire car company. If you take any baby food with you declare it on your customs form.

Good luck, I travelled to Australia when my 2 sons aged 8 months and 2 years old!!

UK car seats aren't legal in Aus so it might not be worth carrying one all that way. I don't think Isofix is in use there so you might have to use an Aus car seat as it may have implications for insurance etc.

I would have booked a seat as long haul it would be a nightmare to hold a baby all that way or see if you can use a bassinet - take plenty of changes of clothes - wipes and nappies - and favorite food or drink - give baby something to suck on take off and landing wether its boob - bottle - cup or dummy doesnt matter but it helps with ear pressure - dont get anxious - easier said than done - especialy if you think you are annoying people with a crying baby - but baby will feel your anxiety. take some favorite foods snacks and toys - enjoy the flight - I used to have a really good book called "have baby will travel" dont know if its still available but really helpful travel advice for different countries and modes of transport. good luck and enjoy !!

I recently travelled with my 7 month old baby and we didn't have a separate seat for the baby as the plane was full. The baby had to sit on the lap.Very important that the baby should suck on something while the plane is taking off and while landing. This is because of the high air pressure.Even during the journey, the baby might feel uncomfortable . keep giving the baby to sip on water as helps release the air from ears.Deer baby bib

Travelled to Australia with my granddaughter when she was 10 months old and again a year later when 22 months old. No separate seat for her but airline had automatically reserved a bulkhead seat and bassinette (first time). To be fair she slept for the first leg from London to Singapore....we had a few minutes of crying when waiting to board in Singapore for Cairns but once we were up in the air she slept again waking just a couple of hours before landing. Second time, she still slept well for the first flight as coincided with normal bedtime and she just accepted it as an adventure (we didn't get much sleep), then she was happy to read books, or watch the childrens channel on the TV which are all on the seat backs. First time around we took plenty of milk and jars of food for the plane but the "liquid" rules werent in force then...I know now you have to taste it to show its okay! Second time we packed lots of snacks, favourite cuddly toy and pjs so it felt like a bedtime routine. Musts for us were plenty of wipes, lots of layers and planes can be hot and/or cold (as can the airports when air-conditioned). A lightweight buggy which we handed in at the gate and then got straight away when we landed, as previous contributors have highlighted carrying a little one around for a few hours when you are tired (they sleep...doesnt mean you do) is impossible. If a long stopover in Singapore you can book a room at the airport hotel by the hour (we did this the second time as we had a six hour wait between flights), this meant we werent walking the floors, could have a shower and rest and it was really inexpensive...you can also just pay to have a shower there. We were lucky in relation to travel cots and car seats as visiting family and they had bought or borrowed for us. If I'm honest it was absolutely fine, our first experience was what led us to repeating it the following year...we wouldnt have done so if it had been awful. Again to repeat an earlier contributor, if you land food for the baby just remember to declare it...but anything and everything you could possibly need is available including a number of much better items, for example first time the little one had an upset tummy the first day we arrived and the range of medication at the pharmacy was incredible, most of it natural remedies too. Embrace it and enjoy it, its an amazing country.

We took A LOT of bananas with us, which were really useful fast food for our little boy, though the nappy was a little unpleasant the day after! We took a blanket that smelt of him and of me, which was great for helping him sleep, and headphones, which he accepted wearing for some of the journey. We also took some of his old toys and some new ones (all cheap/disposable), wrapped in bright wrapping paper, which worked wonders to distract him for really quite a long time. We took a photo album of favourite people and places at home and where he was going. We took everything to do the usual bedtime routine. We took sachets of Calpol - didn't need them, but you never know...! He loved a V-tech toy "laptop" (orange/yellow), which he played with for nearly 3 hours in total. Finally, his "blankie" was in my bag with the passports! Be nice to the people near you and they might look after the baby for a few minutes so you can go to the loo! Good luck! If it all gets too much, the mantra "all things will pass, even this..." is helpful!

hehe thanks!

[Deleted by the author on 16 Aug 2012 20:58:46 BDT]

do they heat food up on flights?

[Deleted by the author on 18 Aug 2012 15:43:28 BDT]

It is NOT 77 degrees C in Sydney. It is 24 Degrees C.

Australia has had had the safest Baby Car seats in the world for years & years.
All three children now require safety seats in Australia.

Offer the breast at take off and decent is the best as this helps make babies ears pop. It is very painful.

Yes, the Flight Attendants heat food/milk for. Normally Flight Attendants will do all they can to help you.
Take some sort of calming/sleep medication (you may NOT use it but better safe than sorry). There is nothing worse than a screaming baby for everyone ...... Mum, Dad. Flight Attendants and the other passengers. I have had friend on flights from US to Aust and baby SCREAMED the whole way. Every person (Flight Attendants & passengers) on the flight was so angry and were very vocal to the parents of the baby.

take some calming/sleep medication as the previous poster suggests but for God's sake don't give it to the baby as it's unhealthy for him/her. instead, offer it to selfish passengers who complain about the baby's crying.

I like this! :)

Hi, I'm an ex flight attendant and now a mummy and i frequently get asked such questions. Please read my blog www.flyingwithababy.com for many tips and info for all things related.

In answer to your questions ( but I think you have left and come back by now!)
Do we need to take a car seat? In Australia a UK car seat and others are not valid. You need an Australian approved one- best to hire from over there, which is very easy to do.

Do you need to prearrange with a taxi? Generally yes you do but if you ring up this can be organised for you.

Food- they have all sorts of food and milki, a lot different than UK- no Aptamil etc/ Take a few for your journey but otherwise it helps toddler/baby be more adventurous with other tastes. At the end of the day, carrots, brocolli, chicke, fish , bananas etc are available in most places.

Buggy- you can take yours or hire when out there. Most Australian airports if you fly Qantas will let you use of their ones whilst in the terminal and transiting etc. A baby carrier Ergo etc is usefull for when you can't use your pram and have a sleepy toddler and heaps of luggage.
Entertainment- new toys wrapped up entertain well and also apps on ipad/iphone, a few familiar items. and of course walks up and down the plane! Please see the blog for more detailed info on all of the above.

Thanks!