Travel Checklist for Your Baby’s First Flight

• Never, Overload your Baggage, But Do Pack All the Essentials

Avoid the hassle and frustration of getting the entire kitchen stock checked at security points, and limit your packing only to essentials. And with essentials, we primarily mean diapers, food, and formula/milk. Do double the quantity of these three items, as you might suffer a delayed flight and cranky baby at the same time.

• Provision for Kid’s Entertainment

It is not easy for an infant to cordially accept the new limited surroundings with strange people around, so be prepared to keep your baby engaged and entertained. Carry a few toys or items, they love to play with. In case your baby gets saturated very quickly, carry them to walk in the aisle without disturbing co-passengers and flight attendants.

• Essential Documents

The essential documents which need to be carried along during the baby’s first flight are the birth proof like the birth certificate of your child, baby passport for kids of less than five years of age, immunization record, photo identity documents and if your little one has any medical story, do carry the proof for the same.

For international travel, if the baby is accompanied by only one parent, there might be the need for a notarized letter of consent from the other parent, stating the approval of both parents for the flight travel. Maintain the record of digital photocopies of all the documents in your airplane packing list.

• Baby Check-In Baggage Cost

Do check with the terms and conditions of the airlines, regarding the cost they might incur for bringing along the baby gear like the car seat, buggy-stroller, or travel cot. It is wise to pay some extra for a safe and happy trip.

• Avoid Last-Minute Destination Arrival:

When traveling with infants, the situation does get a little stressed and delays might occur. But still, try and avoid any delay in reaching the airport, as you will require little extra time as compared to co-travelers, in passing through all the screening and settling down in the flight.

• Maintain Surrounding Sanitation:

Considering the pandemic situations like Covid-19, it is essential to be self-dependent for your infant, when it comes to sanitization. Carry your sanitizer and antibacterial wipes to clean any surface your naughty infant can touch during the long hours of the journey.

• Privacy and Seating Arrangement:

When traveling with an infant (especially one who is breastfed), you won’t prefer to give way to your adjacent passenger for walking in and out. So when booking a flight, give your preference for a window seat, which will also give you the privacy of feeding the baby if required.

What do you Need in Your Hand Luggage?

The hand luggage checklist during the baby’s first flight is as follows:

1. Diapers and diaper rash cream
2. Sanitizing wipes for surface cleaning
3. Plastic bags for disposing of soiled diapers and clothes
4. Burp cloths and bibs
5. Nursing cover
6. Small and medium-sized blankets
7. Baby carrier
8. Two sets of clothes
9. Pacifiers and teethers
10. Snacks, cereals, and formula milk
11. Container for heating milk on board
12. Canned or jarred baby food
13. Infant medication kit
14. Nasal aspirator and saline solution

In case, you still miss any of the items when on the flight, don’t panic. You may take assistance from flight attendants or take favor from any of the co-passenger who is a new parents too. A baby’s first flight may not be an easy task to think about but at the same time, it is nothing impossible. A balance of patience and wisdom is all you need for a successful and safe journey on your baby’s first flight.