BA - Questions, Comments, Bouquets & Brickbats (Merged) I

[ceeb]

BA Shared baggage allowance

Hi Folks,

I have searched the BA site but can't find an answer. Just wondering if two people travelling LGW-AMS can have one checked in bag but share the allowance (i.e possibly 1 28kg bag rather than 2 23kg ones)

Thanks in advance!

[fincastle84]

I think you may get charged an exess for having an overweight bag.

[ExXB]

From here I'd say you would be liable for the £40 heavy bag charge, unless you are a BA Gold or Silver Executive Club or AA Executive Platinum or Iberia Plus Platinum member.

[ceeb]

Thanks for that, 2 bags it is then!

[Espada III]

Most airlines will let you share weight but you still cannot have a single bag over a specific weight (I think 23kg or 25kg) depending on airline and country of departure.

Some low cost airlines don't even let you do that with family members. If there are two people travelling, each with say 22kg allowance (total 44kg), and one case is 23kg and one 17kg (total 40kg), they will charge for the bag 1kg overweight.

[Zetlandia]

Bewildered by BA, not a first.

Hello folks,

as I sit here wondering how we'll afford to eat after booking flights from BOS-LHR-EDI-LSI. with BA and FlyBe/Loganair.

I am trying in great desperation to discover what exactely are the hoops one must jump to get the acceptable size of infant car seat into a passenger seat.
The restrictions are such that there are no exsisting seats which would fit them?
Where can I find reliable, realistic and accurate info on how to seat my 6month old in her own car seat in the plane seat.

The FAA are all about this for safety reasons, but I don't see much info coming from BAA, perhaps I'm barking up the wrong tree here too.

goggokids travel mate + car seat = a much easier life for me at least.

any pointers, tips or advice greatly appreciated.

[Pitts2112]

The short answer is, you don't. You carry the infant TO the airplane in the carrier, staff take if off you, and you then put the baby in the bassinet you have previously arranged to have in place with the carrier when you booked your ticket. Bassinet mounts on the bulkhead in front of the front row of seats. Works quite well, actually. Gives you a bit of space, the baby tucks in nicely and has at least a fighting chance of getting some kip. And, oddly enough, the armrest height is such that it supports your arm holding the baby quite well for feeding and cuddling.

[empacher48]

The best device I've used for my son is this:

Safe Airplane Travel for Kids - CARES Child Aviation Restraint System | Kids Fly Safe - CARES | Kids Fly Safe

It is very cheap, works well and from their website you are able to download the approvals for most Aviation Authorities.

I have been challenged by certain airlines, but providing either FAA (or whatever country's authority) letter has usually satisfied those who question it.

It should be noted that this device is designed for children over 22 pounds or about 10kg, My son was that weight at 6 months.

[parabellum]

Zetlandia - Not sure if it is still the case but as the child is only six months old it would normally travel for free. If you want to use a car seat in the aircraft you will first have to buy a seat for the baby so that the car seat can be attached. The bassinet solution suggested above may do it for you? You will have to reserve those bulkhead seats though.

Some information here:

Google

[scr1]

the baby will have to go your knee for the edi-lsi sector, a/c is small and has no bulkhead seats or room for car seat in cabin.

i know you are not flying with them but easy jets policy is hear

Can I take a car seat on board?

would think that ba will be the same

[handsfree]

From the BA website

British Airways - Travelling with children

Car type safety seats

You may prefer to use your own car type safety seat, which must meet the following standards:

• The seat must be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap and face the same direction as the passenger seat on which it is positioned.
• A purpose-designed children's car seat must have a 5-point restraining harness.
• The car seat must not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat.
• The maximum dimensions of the seat must fit into an area of 45cm x 45cm (17.5ins x 17.5ins).

Please note: Two part car seats, where there is the seat and a base are not suitable for use on aircraft seats.

[Pitts2112]

Oh, forgot a couple of details.

For take-off and landing, the cabin crew will give you a seat belt loop that goes through your seat belt and then around the baby. The baby has to be in your lap and so belted in for takeoff and landing.

The bassinet solution means you only buy your seat. Children under, I think 2 or 3 or so, travel for free but they have to be on your lap.

It's not as inconvenient as it all sounds. For short sectors, having the baby in your lap isn't really that much of a problem and, on long sectors, having the baby in the bassinet is actually a godsend. Ours slept almost all the way from London to Sao Paulo but, when she did need handling, getting her in and out of the bassinet was far easier than trying to get her in and our of a carseat.

The best baby-survival tip I ever saw was the dad who, when both he and his wife tried half-heartedly for a half hour to quiet their spoiled, hollering, tantrumming 3 year old, stood up, extracted a small box out of the overhead bin, opened it, and then proceeded to offer everyone around them a set of foam earplugs. That act alone not only cracked us all up but also relieved the tension caused by 20 or so passengers getting really annoyed because Mom and Dad seemed oblivious, or unable to control, their screaming kid. Both parents were useless at controlling the kid, but at least Dad was under no illusions about his darling little monster.

[Zetlandia]

Kangaroo Belts.

Thank you for your responses.

I'm really trying to figure out which of the zillions of car seats will be permitted on board, the guidlines are sparse.

I'm not a fan of the old kangaroo belt systems, and as I'm travelling alone with baby will appreciate her own seat for the extra room.
NB: All bulkhead/cot seats are already booked on both cross-pond flights.

Shouldv'e flown world traveller plus,but at almost $2000 extra it's hard to know what's ever best.

[Pitts2112]

For an extra $2,000 another carrier or a different flight would be my guess.

I know this seems obvious but BA is not the only, and not even the best, carrier, depending on where you're flying from (and I used to work for BA).

If all else fails, give them a call on the phone. Hopefully they'd be able to give you better info than you're getting online.

[frontcheck]

Dont forget that if using a car seat you will have to pay a child fare as you are effectively using a seat that could be sold at a higher fare.

[aligee]

All too often airlines are criticised for poor service.To redress the balance i would like to publicly thank BA for the outstanding service my party of four experienced recently.

On april 29th we were flying on the BA 18:10 from malaga and arrived at gatwick late enough to miss our connecting flight (the last flight) to glasgow.On arrival BA had already organised a hotel and meals along with boarding passes for the first flight in the morning.What great service.

I would like to publicly thank the BA service agent at flight connections at gatwick for his outstanding service and attitude, It's people like this gentleman that restore my faith in our airline industry. I know which airline gets my business from now on.
Thanks British Airways

[PleasureFlyer]

There always has to be someone with an axe to grind when anyone comes on here to praise great service from BA.

I will add my sentiments alongside aligee's. Whether LGW or LHR, if I've missed a connection (for whatever reason) the ground staff have always been excellent in rearranging flights, hotel, or whatever else is required.

[Betty girl]

Thanks for comming on hear with your lovely praise.

BA is very good at providing accommodation and re-booking passengers on flights when a delay is due to them.

Even when the delay is not the fault of BA, they are very good at re-booking through booked passengers and our flight connection centre staff will meet an aircraft whenever possible.

I would recommend to all passengers to book your flights as one journey and then like this example, your forward travel will be looked after by BA if a problem arises.

[WHBM]

I've found BA a great operator, as pax all along from back in the days of their constituents in the 1960s, and up to 2 days ago.

There's also nothing like being in some airport on the other side of the world, walking down the pier on your homeward journey, and among all the local fleet seeing THAT tailfin livery

[jethrobee]

Its nice to hear something positive about BA, I would suggest that you do something that I always take the time to do, and fill in the form on the BA website to pass the compliment back.

Its always nice to let the people on the ground hear positive feedback rather than the negative stuff.