Booking a flight for an unborn child?

luketitz

Hi folks, this quite possibly belongs in the Parenting forum so mod replacement possible, but it's travel-related so I'm torn!

Just wondering if anyone has ever booked a trip in advance of an expectant child being born, and if so, how did they go about it?

We're due our second kiddo in June and are looking to book a family trip to Thailand in July/August (don't ask!)

I'm thinking that if we selected a name for the child now (we know the sex), we could just book it and then get a passport made soon after birth and proceed with the plan, but I've a feeling there's potential for more kerfuffle with the whole process, seeing as the child is not yet a living, independent entity in the eyes of the fiscal state and, by virtue of this, the airlines.

Contacting the airlines directly is the obvious path of action, but just thought I'd run it by here for some views or advice before I spend any segment of my life jumping through automated telephony systems employed by said airlines.

Boom_Bap

As far as I remember when flying with our children when they were young, the boarding pass just says INFANT.
But this may vary from airline to airline.

another question

children under two do not require a set on their own - well thats the case with emirates anyway and etihad as far as I know. You could book you an extra set in your own name and then just change detail (name) when the child is born

schemingbohemia

Well i'd ask on the parenting forum anyway as to the whole idea of bringing a 2 month old to Thailand - what about shots/malaria etc?

Have you really thought that part through?

With your first child how did the first 2 months go? Were there not a lot of follow up medical/nurse appointments/check-ups?

munchkin_utd

Boom_Bap wrote: »

As far as I remember when flying with our children when they were young, the boarding pass just says INFANT.
But this may vary from airline to airline.

indeed

theres info on what goes on the booking on the aer lingus website and probably other friendly airlines websites.
We did it for our second child and had no problems (with aeringus) changing the name after the birth.

luketitz

Thanks guys

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Well i'd ask on the parenting forum anyway as to the whole idea of bringing a 2 month old to Thailand - what about shots/malaria etc?

Have you really thought that part through?

With your first child how did the first 2 months go? Were there not a lot of follow up medical/nurse appointments/check-ups?

Yes, I have thought it through and took our first kid there too at around 3 months of age, without issue (my missus is Thai and we're visiting her family, not going on a wild adventure - unfortunately!)

The only difference is we booked that flight after the kid was born and had a passport - this time I want to book the trip now, while our second child is still in the womb!

schemingbohemia

ah fair enough so.

TingTong

We are expecting in June as well and purchased our tickets to the US a month back. We were on the phone to Air France who are the code share partners with Delta, whom we are flying with. We are at the moment 2 adults and 2 kids under 11. They said to purchase the four tickets, as you would normally, and when the baby arrives in June phone them and purchase a ticket for the new arrival which will be about 10% of the adult fare.......simple.

luketitz

That's great TingTong, thanks.. I sense a Thai connection in the username! :-)

Hourglass

Boom_Bap wrote: »

As far as I remember when flying with our children when they were young, the boarding pass just says INFANT.
But this may vary from airline to airline.

This is correct. I booked a flight for my daughter when pregnant with her. Once she was born I just rang Ryanair and they amended her name from 'infant' to her actual name.

luketitz

Cheers Hourglass, Christ, if Ryanair will do it for you, it must be fairly common practice! You mean they didn't even charge you for the privilege of having a 'frill'?

ScouseMouse

I remember this coming up before.

If you book first name "baby", they change it when you ring them.