AIRLINE QUESTIONS

I flew from Japan to NZ with JAL/Air nz code share - although primarily JAL. I would ring them about baby formula. when i flew I had some bottled water, bu8t I have a funny feeling you can't take it on board now. I took my HUGE stroller to the gate and then had to check it. they were really good about that (and it weighed a TON). This was over a year ago though and laws have got MUCH stricter.

Last time we travelled to Aussie they checked the stroller in with our bags so it had a tag on it for the destination and we could use it until we boarded the plane. Worked really well.

Re feeding, double check as it probably depends where you're travelling but you should be able to buy bottled water once you've gone through security and maybe get formula sachets??? We had no trouble with this to Aussie but it does depend where you are travelling to

With umbrella strollers they let you take them to the plane and then take them off you as you board. You don't get them back at the other end till you get to the baggage claim area, so I've always used a sling/frontpack to get from the plane to the baggage claim coz in some airports it is a bit of a hike.

The check in staff might tell you that you have to check the stroller in, but put your foot down coz they don't know what they are talking about. As long as it is am umbrella fold it can be taken as far as the gate. I even take my twin umbrella stroller to the gate.

The liquids thing is dictated by where you are going as SB said. The States and the UK are both super strict. In some instances mothers have been made to taste their babies formula to prove that it is safe and not contaminated with potential explosives etc. I would take the water separately, that way if they take it off you, you can always get more boiled water from the airline staff. Then take either a sealed new tin of formula or enough sealed sachets to last the flight, and I would also take enough formula to last while you are away as you might not be able to get bubs usual brand overseas.

Also, if you are still sterilising bottles you'll need to take enough sterile bottles to last the flight as there are no facilities on board to sterilise.

You shouldn't have to pay full price. I think its around 30% for an over 2 year old and 10% for an under 2 year old. But if you want to make sure you have a seat for them then yes you will have to pay and adult fare.

Does $900 sound like a reasonable aproximate price for return to aussie???(per adult) (i know - lazy! i could just ring!) im just trying to work out roughly how much il need to start putting away each week till we leave (at the end of september hopefully) iv got 7 more weeks of buying all the baby stuff then 7ish weeks to save what we need and iv worked it out that we'll roughly need/want $4000 spending and $2000 flights...as you can tell i havnt traveled in a few years and not with my family You all sound like traveling pros

We are flying Emirates to Oz (Brisbane/Surfers) return in May and for the flights and accom is costing us $2018 for me and hubby for 10 days. It's our belated honeymoon so not taking Arna but just to give you an idea. If you want to go to a flight centre type place be prepared to go for about an hour to sort it out!! Double check passports too, ie if under 5's can go on your passport or if they need their own. I'm not sure about that one.

With regards to bottles on flight check with Customs (ring them) and ask what the rules are to bottled water and formula. If you want to make them on flight maybe buy the mini pump bottles and leave them sealed until you go on board?

Geez! prices seem to differ depending on alot of things! I just went on to the house of travel website to look up flights and they reckon that for the time of year we are going + flying air NZ + flying into Brisbane will cost us just over $1000 for the 4 of us! (way better than my ma told me!) + travel tax thingys! does this sound right or did i may be look it up wrong???
Im getting all excited even though its quite a while away! LOL
Plus my passport has expired and DH and kids dont have one so will have to get all 4 done! and a friend said that they will cost us a couple of hundred each but my ma said that they should only be around $80 each...Is this correct for all the people who have just had theirs done???
I should maybe start up a thread about the best airline too cos i cant find the last one and i want to weigh up the best one to go on...

Haha i took 3 tins of Pepti to Aussie and they inspected my bag to make sure thats all it was and that it was sealed LOL

oh and Maya - wow you must of had a suitcase just for your formula :-)