(French version of this post published 10/08/12). So here I am, I really thought I knew how to travel with Ryanair… I was wrong! There is always something. I mean… it really goes on my nerves : there are so many boxes to tick or un-tick when you make a booking; they always end up to charge me for something I don’t need. My last (unpleasant) adventure? A trip to the South of France with my one year old son. This time will I outdo them?
Well some may think I am a bit mad to travel solo with a one year old but I beg to differ, I am just adventurous. So I decided – drum roll – to travel with one hand luggage for the two of us for two weeks. I simply do not want (and can’t afford) paying £50 for my suitcase to travel with me. it is more that I pay for our ticket. One thing worth knowing though: the pushchair is free (which help… a lot!)
So it took me 3 hours to methodically pack my suitcase:
– “He & She” samples : baby (nappy cream, shampoo etc…) and mum (shampoo, make up, moisturizer etc…). The 100 ml rule – although of course necessary – is making my life hell!
– All my summer dresses (6/7)
– All my son’s dungarees and t-shirts (6/7 too)
– Our swimsuits
– A pair of heals (for me)
– My son’s favourite “pocket” toys
– Our passports & boarding passes …
How good am I? I manage to pack everything HURRAH !!! Oh no… I kind of forgot something: nappies and bottles. Damned! I refuse to be defeated by Ryanair. Let’s put my (creative) thinking hat on!
Oh yes… easy. I am going to use my pushchair as a Troyan horse. My ancient Greek and Latin teacher would be proud of me, she always tried to convince me it was a useful course (I really wasn’t that convinced!) Got a lovely wallet from Sotrksak, I can fit everything in it (nappies, wipes, changing mat…) and then clip it to the pushchair since it doesn’t fit in my suitcase. That should be fine. What about the bottles… Let’s put them in the pushchair basket . That’s it : everything fit in one hand luggage (and the pushchair) I’m brilliant, aren’t I?!
I’ll spare you the details of an interesting shuttle bus trip to the airport (travelling at 4.30 in the morning to the airport is a bit stressful. The driver wasn’t very impressed with me!). So I get to the airport, now customs… They ask me to fold the pushchair. What do I do with my son?! Well I hand him over to the security guys so he can stare at the X rays of people suitcases. He seems happy. I am not very proud of handing over mys on to stranger but… no choices. I’m being asked to remove my shoes . Right… Thanks god My son can keep his, it can take a while to put them on – especially in an unusual environment. I am also asked to taste the formula milk… Fine as long as I can take it with me, I don’t mind.
I finally get to the boarding area and I go straight to the priority queue. I have a baby, a hand luggage and a pushchair: surely they are not going to make me stand in line forever? How wrong was I! Back to the end of the queue. I’m seriously stressed and tired. About to finally get on board when I’m being asked if I have checked in the pushchair. Ohoh… was I supposed to? I’m nervous. I don’t want to miss my flight. I didn’t know… Does she know how stressful travelling solo with a baby is? I mean surely if she knew she would smile and be re-insuring. She is not BUT… she checks in my pushchair and tie a sticker to it. We are finally boarding! Wouhou!!! I just want to seat down and nap for 2 hours. I that too much to ask? Maybe!
Because two minutes later here I am : standing in front of the stairs on the airport tarmac with my son in the pushchair AND my hand luggage. I mean how am I supposed to do? Put my son on the ground and pray he doesn’t run the opposite way whilst I am folding the pushchair? I stand there quietly staring at the plane. Really want to cry. I mean it seven in the morning and my son and I have been awake for three hours. One of the passenger – who sees me in distress saves me – he says he’ll carry my son. Second time in an hour that I asked a stranger to look after my son… Apparently the crew can not do so I guess if there is no helpful passenger you just have to do two trips? Drop your child on the airplane seat and fasten their belt as fast as possible so he can’t escape then run back to the tarmac to fold your pushchair ? Fortunately, I don’t have to . I slowly empty my pushchair basket and put everything in its now empty seat, then I fold it and check it is secured. People are looking at me half amused/half bemused. The gentleman waits for me patiently and hand me over my son. We take our seat in the plane and take off.
OK my brilliant tips only work if you are going to visit friends and family and you have baby food, toys and a full medicine cupboard waiting for you (no calpol in travel size I believe?) My son was teething during the trip and my first stop was the local chemist to sooth his pain. Bless him! It also means that you can’t go shopping or it will cost you extra luggage. It happened to me coming back after the Christmas holidays. I wasn’t happy… No matter how prepared you think you are, Ryanair always find the way to get you to pay that little bit more… I mean maybe – just maybe – peace of mind worth spending a few more dozen pounds? Just a thought …
NB: I wrote this article in 2012. Ryanair now allows two hand luggage (one suitcase and one handbag I think). No idea about priority boarding for people with kids. I haven’t traveled with Ryanair in a few years…
