Flying with babies and toddlers can be a stressful process. From priority boarding to extra costs, it can sometimes be confusing just which airline to pick.
With this in mind, Skyscanner has launched a guide to stress-free flying with babies (see below).
The travel search company researched 40 international airlines’ policies for travelling with children under two, from infant charge costs to whether the airline offers free priority boarding as standard for those travelling with young children.
The research revealed that one area that differs greatly between airlines is the infant charge - while some airlines charge a set fee (from £19 per sector with Aer Lingus), others charge a percentage of the full fare, which can be up to 20%.
The survey found that families travelling on an airline which charges a set fee may find that it is not that much more expensive to actually pay for an additional seat for their infant.
Many parents may not be aware that most airlines allow them to purchase an additional seat for infants, so the guide highlights the different charges levied, which range from the full adult fare with Ryanair, Thomson and Easyjet to just 15% of the adult fare with Air France.
The guide also looks at the number of items that can be carried free of charge, which ranges from just one with Aer Lingus and Qatar, while Easyjet, Monarch and Virgin Atlantic allows up to three items free of charge, pretty important considering how much stuff you actually need when travelling with a baby.
But 25% of the airlines included in the guide don't offer a luggage allowance for infants.
Skyscanner’s Mary Porter said, ‘Flying with infants can be a little daunting, especially for first time parents, and we felt there was a real need to simplify the process.
‘We hope this guide will arm parents with all the information they need, to either decide which is the best airline for them to book with or indeed to check the various policies of the airline they have already booked with so there are no nasty surprises.’
What are your trips for taking the stress out of flying with little ones? Let us know in the comments box below.
Skyscanner Airline Guide