How to get a free bassinet on a plane!

Having a bassinet on board has been such a great perk for us as it means that our baby can have his own space to sleep and we can be hands free! And the best of all is every airline we've flown with has offered this to us for free! Some do charge but here is how to check if you're entitled to one:

Baby in bassinet, Plane Bassinet, Flying with a baby, Flying with a baby tips, Travel with a baby tips, Travel with a baby, Infant travel, Baby-friendly destinations, Traveling with a newborn, Baby gear for travel, Tips for traveling with a baby

1. Book your tickets

First of all you need to dow hat you would normally do which is to book your tickets for you and your baby. Your baby can only get a bassinet (if they're available) if they're flying as a lap infant and not if you've paid for a seat for them.

2. Check on your airline's website if they offer bassinets for long haul flights and what the restrictions are

Every airline has a different type of bassinets so unfortunately they all have different restrictions! These are the likely restrictions:

Age - the ones we've flown with have an age restrictions of 2 years old
Height - one of the airlines we've flown with (British Airways) doesn't have a heigh restriction as their "bassinet" is more like a reclined seat
Weight - this can vary but the biggest ones we've had were for up to 12.5 kilos

3. Call the airline

You then need to call the airline and let them know that you'd like the bassinet seats on board. This is when they'll tell you if you can change seats for free or if they need to charge you. Also, even if your baby doesn't fit in the bassinet you might still be able to get the seats and benefit from the extra legroom!

4. Mention it during check in

Even if you've made the seat change over the phone you still need to bring it up during check in just in case! Usually they say that there's a note next to our name on the system anyway and they know but it's always worth checking! A couple of times they did have to change ours there and then. Also, even though it's not happened to us in theory it's also possible that the seats aren't available anymore because someone else needed them more.

5. Let the cabin crew know

Since you're at the bassinet seats the cabin crew will most likely know you're expecting a bassinet but do bring it up just in case they forget! They'll usually bring it straight after take off and will install it for you!

I hope you get to use this great perk for parents and that your baby sleeps longer than they would've in your arms!

For baby travel tips and inspiration follow: https://www.instagram.com/sophiefamilytravel/