Travelling with children
Family travel made easy
When you travel with your family, we know that you would like some extra help from us, from planning your trip to actually taking it. Here are some things to help you.
Please note : Children's services and discounts are not available on flight numbers BA001, BA002, BA003 and BA004 (Club World London City).
- Discounted fares for children
- Booking a child into a different cabin from yourself
- Infants who become children during travelling
- Making a forward booking if you are pregnant
- Children’s baggage allowances
- Child seats and carrycots
- Children’s meals
- Family check-in
Discounted fares for children
Children are those aged over two years old and under twelve years old at the time of travel.
We offer a limited number of discounts for selected shorthaul routes. On longhaul routes we offer some discounted fares. However they do vary, so please check your price quote for full details.
Infants
Infants are those aged under two years at the time of travel. New born infants must be at least 48 hours old before they travel and we also advise that you ensure that the treating doctor agrees to the infant travelling.
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An infant fare is charged at 10% of the adult fare when the infant does not have his/her own seat, but sits on an adult’s lap.
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If you would like your infant to sit in his/her own seat (they must be between 6 and 23 months), you will be charged the child fare. This cannot be booked online, so please contact your local British Airways office.
There must be one adult accompanying each infant, however:
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if one adult wishes to travel with a second infant, this is only possible if the second infant is aged between 6 and 23 months. He or she must be seated in an approved car-type seat and we will charge the child fare
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if the second infant is under 6 months you must travel with a second accompanying adult or a British Airways escort, for which there is a charge.
Booking a child into a different cabin from yourself
You may book your child to travel in a different cabin from you when you travel on the same flight.
No special booking procedure is required for children who are 12 years of age or over.
For children under 12 years of age, please note the following:
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The child must be at least 5 years old.
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The child can be booked into any cabin once you are booked to travel on the same flight.
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The child must be checked in with you at a check-in desk and remain with you until they are taken into the care of British Airways’ staff at the boarding gate.
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Silver or Gold Executive Club members may take their child as a guest into the lounge. However Club World, Club Europe and First class customers may only use the lounge for themselves.
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Whilst we retain overall Duty of Care after your child is checked in, you are requested to remain responsible for their health, well-being and behaviour both on the ground and on board.
Infants who become children during travelling
If you are travelling with an infant who reaches the age of two during their journey, you must book a separate seat for them for any flights on and after their birthday.
The fare charged will remain at the infant rate for the entire journey, regardless that a seat has been booked for some flights.
Bookings should be made according to the age of the infant at the time of travel. You will need to contact us so we can ensure that your child has a seat after their 2nd birthday.
Making a forward booking if you are pregnant
If you want to make a booking for travel after you have given birth, you only need to book for yourself.
Once your baby has been born, please contact your local British Airways office and we will arrange to take payment and issue a ticket for your baby. You will then receive a ticket in your baby's name.
You cannot make this kind of booking on ba.com.
Children’s baggage allowances
A child is entitled to the same hand and checked baggage allowance as an adult, however there are different allowances for infants.
Child seats and carrycots
Extension seat belts and extra seats
An infant aged 0 to less than 2 years may sit on the parent or guardian's lap using an extension seat belt.
Alternatively, if an extra seat is purchased, an acceptable forward facing car seat may be used for an infant aged 6 months to less than 3 years. The infant child restraint device AmSafe System can be used for a child aged 12 months to 4 years.
For children over 2 years an individual seat is required.
Infant seats and carrycots
We can supply specially designed carrycots so that your infant can sleep on board, particularly useful for longhaul flights. We can also supply an on-board infant seat that attaches to the carrycot positions.
The carrycots and infant seats cannot be used when the seat belt signs are on.
We have a limited number of carrycots and infant seats, which are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Please request them from the cabin crew on board the aircraft.
The infants seats supplied by British Airways are:
- ideal for ages from 6 months to 2 years, but can also be used from birth
- adjustable to a variety of positions from horizontal to vertical
- available for infants who weigh no more than 13kgs (29lbs)
- available on all longhaul flights, except in First Class on Boeing 777 aircraft, where only carrycots are available
Car type safety seats
You may prefer to use your own car type seat for use by infants with a minimum age of six months to a maximum age of three years.
The seat 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.
Infant or child restraint device (AmSafe System)
You can use your own AmSafe System, which is an approved child restraint device, consisting of an additional belt and shoulder harness that encircles the aircraft seat back and attaches to the passenger lap belt.
- It can be used for infants from 12 months to children of 4 years of age.
- The AmSafe System is not suitable for use on First class or Club World sleeper seats, or World Traveller Plus seats.
- It cannot be used in the same row as the emergency exit or the row in front or behind the emergency exit.
- We do not supply the AmSafe System, but you can bring your own with you.
Children’s meals
We have created a tasty range of children’s meals that are both healthy and delicious. Our Kids’ Council have advised us what they enjoy eating, and we’ve developed these dishes to satisfy their sense of fun as well as their hunger.
Furthermore, because our children’s meals are nutritionally balanced, you don’t have to worry about what they eat onboard.
And our ‘Feed Kids First’ policy also means that you can make sure that your little ones are happy before enjoying your own meal in peace.
Infants
We offer on-board bottle and baby-food warming facilities on our longhaul flights - you may only bring un-opened food in a sealed jar with you.
We carry a limited number of tinned baby food products on our longhaul services, however we recommend that you carry your own baby food and equipment (liquids and sufficient supplies of sterilised bottles) in your hand baggage
We are not able to sterilise bottles or provide sterilised water.
Family check-in
Take the stress out of travelling and check in on ba.com.
Check in your entire family - up to six people at a time - on ba.com from 24 hours before your flight's scheduled departure, choose your seats and print your Boarding Passes.
At the airport
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Take your baggage to the Fast Bag Drop desk where it will be tagged and accepted for the flight.
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Go straight through Security to Departures.
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Make sure you get to the boarding gate at least 20 minutes before your flight’s scheduled departure.
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You can take your own small folding type buggy right to the aircraft door at most airports.
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We will board families before other passengers so that you can get settled.