Travel to Aussie

Hey everyone,

I'm travelling to Australia in a couple of weeks with DD (nearly 8 months) for five days. I know there have been a couple of people who have travelled with babies recently, so was hoping for some tips!
Also, when I asked about getting the bassinet from Air NZ for the trip the booking guy on the phone told me that they don't reserve them in advance, it was just first come first served at check in time. I thought I read somewhere here that you could book them in advance - is it worth me calling back and trying someone else? Will DD even fit in the bassinet at her age?
TIA for your help!

I HAVE travelled all the way to Uk and yet to do the trip back in 4 weeks time.
The bassinets you can pre book but only if your child is under 8 months. they are on the small size (this is airnz)extra blanket for the bassinet as they said they provide it but they didn't. I also took my play arch from his pram to hang over the bassinet.
extra nappies - they only gave me one and it was extra large so couldn't use.
\disposable change mat.dummy was great for taking off and landing.
will have more tips but going out for dinner so better get ready (its 6.26pm here)

usually they book them in advance but I know when we booked ours with JAL they couldn't guarantee it, as it was also first come first served.

one tip i would recommend iis that often you are able to board the plane first. i would avoid doing so. Just that you get on the plane, organise yuourself, and then wait and wait and wait for everyone else to do the same....meanwhile baby is getting really annoyed at being confined. I ended boarding last with Jake and just letting him run around until the ;ast minute, then the staff helped me on and to get organised (was 8 months pregnant at the time)...we had to wait a lot less time and Jake was better behaved.

taking food is a must, it is surprising what consitutes "baby food" on the plane. when we went to Thailand - jake's meal was a HOT HOT HOT prawn curry - he was 8 months old at the time.... Buyt remember to either chuck it out or declare it before you get through customs cause they'll sting you for it.

When you pack, write a list of all medications and food products you have in your bag. Then when they ask you, instead of searching through yous stuff you can hand over the list and they can tell you to go through. i ALWAYS do this now and it cuts down how long I have to wait...usually (bloody Palmerston North airport!!!)

Fantastic idea about the food/medicine list Lizzle, I will definitely do that.
Thanks everyone for your tips, I am making a list of them all and will be calling Air NZ today to see if we have any better luck booking the bassinette.
Unfortunately DD's passport application has been held up, just found out this morning, so we have to pay heaps more to rush it through!

[QUOTE=lizzle]

one tip i would recommend iis that often you are able to board the plane first. i would avoid doing so. Just that you get on the plane, organise yuourself, and then wait and wait and wait for everyone else to do the same....meanwhile baby is getting really annoyed at being confined. I ended boarding last with Jake and just letting him run around until the ;ast minute, then the staff helped me on and to get organised (was 8 months pregnant at the time)...we had to wait a lot less time and Jake was better behaved.

QUOTE]

Not to go against you Lizze but I found getting on the plane first best as you have the over head lockers to put your stuff in first if you get on last you run the risk of your carry on bags being stored a few rows behind or in front of you as there is no room above you. and getting off first or close to first was good although I had plenty of 'adult' hands to help out.

Oh, where in oz are you going. I am a native to Melbourne, will actually be travelling on Thur 17th over (be really wierd if this is the same day.... I'll help if it is!!!!) AM travelling Air NZ too, gotta love that cheap flight promo!

Edited by Bee

To get from Airport to Laverton Station or Altona Station, via public transport (Which sounds hard, but in reality will be easy - Better transport system)

Take the Sky Bus from Arrivals to into the city.
Sky bus info here

Get off the bus at Southern Cross Satation Bus Interchange (Also known as Spencer Street Station)

Proceed to enter the Train Station Map Here

Not too sure which platform, you will be looking for the "Werribee" line.

Purchase a Zone 1 Ticket if getting off at Laverton or Altona. If getting off at the next stop Airport, get Zone 1 & 2.

Metro train info here

Get your parents to meet you at the station.

If the flight is your "moving there" flight, get a taxi, will be heaps easier if you have lots of stuff. Should only be about a 20 - 30min taxi journey. Which probably wont enter into the city at all..

Thanks Bee - we are going to Brisbane, not Melbourne, leaving on the 18th so pretty close to when you are going. That would have been pretty cool if we were leaving on the same day, I would have looked for you in the airport!
Passport hopefully sorted today, I'm beginning to get nervous about it. Off topic slightly, but the passport office people on the phone are so helpful, the best customer service I've had over the phone in ages!

Well, we are back (in case you couldn't tell from my posting frenzy today ). I thought I'd update how the plane trips went. In short, because I think below will be a novel, try to book on a big plane and if things aren't right make yourself known - the other passengers will thank you for it.

THERE:
Not too bad. We checked our massive stroller in and Air NZ gave us a loan one to use until we boarded, which was really helpful. DD was making full use of her new noise - a very loud, very high pitched squeal, so there were many passengers in the terminal obviously hoping she wasn't on their flight. We bought her some new toys to play with just for flying. We ended up boarding when everyone else did as there was a wee nappy change emergency just before the boarding call so we missed the 'passengers with babies board first' anyway. The plane was quite a big one and the bassinette was a perfect size, easy to use and came with a free bib, packet of baby wipes and they gave us a free jar of organic baby food. Nice! DD didn't sleep the whole way over as she's way too nosey, but was happy and playful the whole way. The bassinette was great to sit her in so she could play and not get too sick of being held for three hours. And it gave us a break! So overall, the flight there was pretty great.

HOME:
Not so great. While we got to take our stroller to the departure gate, which was great, we were on a smaller plane, the new airbus I think? The bassinette wasn't attached to the bulkhead as a permanent fixture (the one on the way there simply folded up onto the wall and was permanently fixed). It was boiling hot on the plane and they delayed take off after we had all boarded for about 1/2 an hour so DD was well over it by then. Once we were airborne we had to ask three times for the bassinette to be brought out and attached, but it was useless. It was at a really awkward height so it was difficult to get DD in and out of it, and some genius plane designer had decided to place it right under the tv screen on the bulkhead (there for the six rows behind us - other flight had individual screens). So there was no way she was going to settle with that there. The heat didn't get any better in our seats as the bulkhead seemed to interrupt the flow of air, so while the rest of the plane was cool and dim we were hot and in bright lights for some dumb reason. After two hours of crying and fussing from an extremely overtired baby (it was 11pm) I moved down the back to find a spare seat and finally managed to get her settled...in time for landing. No baby food or freebies on this flight either. Possibly we were spoiled for the first one, but man, that flight home was a horror.

Good thing about NZ customs is that they have a seperate line for passengers with children under 5 - woohoo! And all the airport and most of the airline staff were extremely helpful to us when they saw we had a baby. We are very glad to be home, it was an experience and the trip was pretty good, but NZ is just a lovely place to be.

Sorry for the novel - I have missed Oh Baby! Addict anyone?

Welcome home.
Pity your trip home wasnt as comfortable as on way over.
How was brissie? nice and hot I bet.


yeah we are going to book haleigh in as a 2yr old so she can have ehr own seat (it not going to cost all that much to fly haleigh over as a 2yr old and she'll be close enough to 2 anyway), and look at the bassinette possibility for James like Mazzy said used.
we were going to book online but because we ahve alot of stuff i told DF to go throguh an agent so we may be paying a little extra than we wated but I think Id like to know that we are organised.

Is there changing facilities on planes for babies/ toddlers??
Id hate for my minis do leave a wee pressie in their nappies and me not being able to change them
Would I be best to use sposies rather than cloth nappies while on plane?