What should I pay attention to when flying with a small child?
We are delighted that you are planning your next flight with your child. We would like to provide you with some tips that may help you better prepare and enjoy your time on board.
Information for flying with a baby
- Children under the age of two can travel on the lap of the accompanying adult. In this case, the cabin crew will give the person a seat belt for the child before take-off. The child can also travel in a separate seat. In this case, the adult must ensure the child's safety with a special restraint system that they have brought on board.
- Please bring some food for your child as well. Of course, we offer snacks on board for our youngest customers, but there’s nothing they like as much as their favorite foods.
- The different temperature conditions at the departure airport, on board (air-conditioning), and at the destination can be optimally managed by dressing in layers: dress your child in multiple layers that can be removed and put on as needed.
- Don’t forget a pair of thick socks too. At cruising altitude, the child’s feet may swell slightly, so it is advisable to remove their shoes on board.
- Special meals may be ordered separately for children aged two and over at the time of booking.
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, ask if you can take your stroller or pram1with you and hand it over directly at the gate. In case of connecting flights, please inform the staff at the time of departure if you only need the stroller or pram upon arrival at the final destination (recommended in case of short transit times) or also at the transit airport.
At the departure gate, our staff will load your stroller or pram1 on board.
Upon arrival at the terminal, your stroller or pram1will be returned to you at the jet bridge or at the foot of the aircraft steps if the transfer to the terminal is 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 or pram1.
The following airports do not offer direct drop-off at the gate:
Addis Ababa, Hamburg, Asmara, Bari, Biarritz, Billund, Birmingham, Bordeaux, Bremen, Cagliari, Catania, Copenhagen, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Gothenburg, Hannover, London Heathrow, Lyon, Manchester, Marseille, Nice, Nuremberg, Olbia, Palermo, Riyadh, Stuttgart, Stockholm, Toulouse, Trieste, Valencia.
Transportation of a stroller or pram1 is free of charge.
1 Keep in mind that this must be a fully foldable travel stroller/pram.
If your child has a cold, the air pressure may be partially compensated for by administering nasal drops. Ideally, drops should be used half an hour before departure and half an hour before landing.
It is important to us that our youngest passengers do not get bored during the flight. That’s why we offer a rich entertainment program on board our flights for children of all ages. The cabin crew distributes fun games to them, such as coloring books and puzzles.
The Inflight Entertainment program offers entertainment designed specifically for children, such as documentaries and movies for them, audio games and more. You can find more information about the Inflight Entertainment program, including for older children and teenagers, on the following page:
Another wonderful opportunity: If your child is flying for the first time, we offer the chance to celebrate this event with a ‘First-Time Flyer’ certificate that commemorates their first experience as a passenger on an ITA Airways flight!