Air Travel With Babies
Air travel with babies can be an exercise in frustration, especially with health concerns and tight airport security. You have to keep an eye on small children and get them and all their belongings, such as strollers and car-carriers, through security checkpoints and onto the plane.
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TSA Requirements
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The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) states that security officers will not to anything to separate a child from his or her parent during the security process, and that security officers are specially trained to treat children gently and with respect.
Parents must prepare for the security X-ray and metal detector and abide by the many rules and regulations regarding what items can be carried on, and the amount of liquids, such as formula or medicine, that can come through the security checkpoint. According to the TSA, all carry-on baggage, including but not limited to strollers, diaper bags and toys, must go through the X-ray machine. If larger items, such as car and booster seats, do not fit through the x-ray machine, a security officer will manually inspect it. Security officers are prepared to help parents with security screening. Medications, baby formula, and food and juices are allowed in quantities larger than 3.4 oz (100 ml). They are also not required to fit into one quart size bag. But you must declare these items at the security checkpoint.
The TSA recommends that children who can walk independently of their parent(s) do so, but smaller babies and children who cannot walk can be held through the metal detector. If the alarm sounds, the security officer must screen both the parent and the child.
Boarding
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Most airlines allow parents with small children to board the plane before the general public. Boarding first allows parents to check items that may have made it past security but do not fit in carry-on overhead bins, such as strollers and pack-and-plays. Boarding first also gives parents the ability to fasten babies in car seats, give flight attendants special instructions and/or make arrangements to make their flight as comfortable as possible.
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Considerations
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US law does not currently require a car seat for an infant in flight, but the FAA does recommend that a parent use a car seat until a child reaches the age of 4, at which time he can use the seat belts attached to the seat of the plane.
Travel Tips
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TSA will never ask parents or their children to "test" the safety of the liquids he or she carry on for the children, such as milk, juice or baby formula/food. More than 3 oz. of these liquids are permitted through security in reasonable amounts, as determined by the length of your travel itinerary. These items will be screened separately once reaching the X-ray machine, and may be tested for explosive chemicals by security officers. Mothers flying without their children are allowed to bring breast milk on board a flight, provided they declare the breast milk at the security checkpoint.
Health
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According to Dr. Jay Hoecker, air travel is fine for most infants. Air travel does not seem to have any harmful health effects on infants and small children, with the exception of emotional duress in the case of turbulence or the unlikely chance that a catastrophe, such as emergency landing, could occur. However, Dr. Hoecker notes that some factors do make infants uncomfortable, such as cabin air pressure on baby's ears or simple boredom. He suggests planning on how to occupy an infant or toddler during a flight before the flight takes off.
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References
- Photo Credit airplane image by Clarence Alford from Fotolia.com
