What should I pay attention to when flying with an infant?

When you fly with ITA Airways with an infant, they’re in great hands, because our support services are designed for your well-being.

An infant (child up to 23 months) can travel by plane:

In the guardian’s arms;
Purchasing an extra seat for flight-approved car seats.

In the case of the latter:

the car seat must fit between the arms of the passenger seat (42 cm/16.5 inches);
the car seat must be installed on board by the accompanying adult, according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. This should be either in the direction of travel or with the back facing the direction of travel;
the car seat can be secured with the safety belt. Car seats composed of two separate parts, with three anchorage points or metal bar attachments are not permitted;
the car seat must be in good working order, without defects, and have a visible European approval mark or other mark of an official public body.

You can only book your child’s seat on certain flights, up to 48 hours before departure, by contacting the service center.

At the Service Center

Important information to prepare for a flight with an infant

Night flights are particularly recommended for traveling with an infant, as they preserve the sleep-wake rhythm and thus allow for greater relaxation.
During take-off and landing, you can help your child compensate for air pressure with a soother or bottle.
Onboard toilets are equipped with changing rooms.

At most airports, you can use a stroller or folding pram¹, which you will need to hand in shortly before boarding and will be returned to you immediately after landing.

When checking in your baggage, we recommend that you ask if you can take your stroller with you and hand it over directly at the gate. Also don’t forget to tell the crew if you need the stroller or pram¹ for your connection.

At the departure gate, our staff will load your stroller or pram¹ on board.

Once the aircraft is parked, the stroller will be returned to you at the jet bridge or at the feet of the staircase, if the transfer is made by bus.

If you do not receive your stroller upon arrival, please contact our staff at the gate or at the nearest Service Center. Please note that it may take a few minutes to return your stroller.

Transportation of a stroller or pram¹ is free of charge.

Here you can find information about the baggage allowance for infants.

Baggage allowance information

¹ This must be a fully foldable travel stroller/pram.

Yes, but it is still advisable to bring your baby’s favorite food or bottle with you, because there is limited stock of baby food onboard ITA Airways flights. You can request the meal that best suits their age at the time of booking: for infants, homogenized products include lean meats, vegetables, fruits, and desserts.

Children from two years of age or turning two years of age during travel must have their own seat. In the latter case, the child fare applies for the entire journey. Please note that only one infant per adult is allowed for safety reasons on board. If you are traveling with another child under two years of age, you have the option to reserve a seat and bring an approved car seat for children. You must ask in advance, because not all car seats are allowed on board. The child seat must only be secured using the seat’s abdominal belt. ISOFIX systems are not authorized.

Approved certification marks:

UN standard for the approval of ECE R129 car seats replacing the previous ECE R44/04.
US FMVS safety standard no. 213*
Canadian safety standard CMVSS 213/213.1
German TUV/958-01/2001
car seats approved for use in cars and tested according to the above indicated standards by the Canadian transport authority, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Joint Civil Aviation Authority (JAA).

Some long-haul flights offer an onboard ‘Cot’ service for children under 76 cm who weigh no more than 11 kg; this can be requested at the time of booking. For operational reasons, even if you have booked in advance, the onboard service cannot be guaranteed. Should this occur, the child will have to travel in the arms of the adult.

For safety reasons, only one infant per adult are permitted to travel, even if the child has their own assigned seat.

At the Service Center