[pintpot]

Hello Everyone!
Just a simlpe question really. Does anyone know what the minimum age a child has to be to fly to NZ e.g. 3 months, 6 months 1yr? We're expecting our 3rd child this year (mad I know!) so wanted to know how long we would have to wait to fly over.

Cheers
Paul

[jubjub]

As far as I know there is no minimum age, but I would have thought it would be sensible to wait until at least the 6 weeks checks are done, and maybe even the first immunisations.

The restrictions just apply while still pregnant, think its 28 weeks that the airlines start to get fussy.

[pintpot]

Thanks for the information. Angela is currently 18 weeks pregnant so could fly now, but doesn't fancy it! I will probably be heading out in May for a 3 weeks visit to see what NZ is like and get a feel for the place.

[sizzlingbadger]

Yep, airlines get fussy at 28 weeks although we managed to fly while I was 32 to weeks short haul, think it's a lot tighter long haul.

Have known of a three week old fly before now but wouldn't recommend it especially if you've got 2 other children to look after. Probably best waiting until the baby has settled into a routine. We flew with a 13mth, 2year old and 4 year old :D So don't worry you're not the only made ones flying with three kids !

[veronica]

I flew with one of ours to Australia when she was 6 weeks old, no problems, just get the passport organised as quick as possible and make sure that Angela will be comfortable. its a long flight. the other thing to take into consideration is that flying out and starting a new life is hard and it may be that you still feel the need for family/friends around you at that time., especially with two other children to take care of. New babies can be very tiring.

[K&CS]

As far as I'm aware, they can fly the day they're born if they've got all the correct paperwork etc! Don't worry - you're not mad. I flew here with 3 kids, including a 6 month old baby!

Kate

[sarahw]

Yep think that's right - my friend took her 3 week old son on a flight. PS try and get basinette seats if you have a baby under 11kg - its well worth it especially for a long-haul flight - we just flew to Australia for Xmas (only a 4 hour flight) with our 6 month old & rather than having her on my knee grabbing at all my food she slept the whole way whilst we watched a movie & enjoyed dinner!

[nippa&pippa]

Yep think that's right - my friend took her 3 week old son on a flight. PS try and get basinette seats if you have a baby under 11kg - its well worth it especially for a long-haul flight - we just flew to Australia for Xmas (only a 4 hour flight) with our 6 month old & rather than having her on my knee grabbing at all my food she slept the whole way whilst we watched a movie & enjoyed dinner!

Flew out to NZ when she was 9wks old, came back to UK at 12wks, and flew out again for good to NZ at 9months, no problem. Get bassinet as it is worth it!!! If not available, keep ringing airline! we did and got it as my seat went to people 'require extra leg room' first before we got as family have high priorty over 'extra leg room'

[pintpot]

Thanks for all your responses. Makes me feel better that other people seem as made as us! Good point raised by veronica about having family and friends near with a new born and I wil insist on having a basinette too.

Thanks
Paul

[marcia]

The restrictions just apply while still pregnant, think its 28 weeks that the airlines start to get fussy.

CHECK THIS VERY CAREFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!

You can actually fly with some airlines up to 35 weeks but you must have a 'fit to fly' certificate - don't be caught out with this do all the checks yourself and don't believe anything you are told verbally unless you see it written down - I warn you from my experience which was very stressful - we had been to Tenerife when I was expecting Emerson - flown out at 27 weeks flew back three weeks later at 30 weeks - I had been told by the travel agent it was ok - but the airline would not let me fly until i had a doctors certificate - we found this out 2 hours before we were due to fly home!!!!! - luckily for us my parents were with us and they took our oldest two through check and said don't worry about them - (we had changed them onto their own passports before that holiday too whcih was lucky!) We had to do a mad dash at 9.30 in the evening to the hospital to try and find a gynacologist to do an internal scan and get a fit to fly certificate - we were very lucky that we managed to get it sorted but it cost a lot too - good job we had the plastic!!

So please do check the small print yourself and don't rely on a verbal confirmation!

[K&CS]

I had to get a doctor's certificate when we flew to Ibiza a couple of years ago. I was 28 weeks when we left and 29 when we returned a week later. I asked the question to the tour operator when we booked because I didn't want to be caught out. Incidentally, no-one ever asked to see the certificate!

Kate