Traveling with 7 month old twins

Hi All,

I was hoping someone has had experience with traveling out of the US with twins. My family is going to Aruba in March 2010 at which time our twins will be 7 months old. I'm being told that we need to get passports for the twins...seems silly to get a baby picture on a passport because they will change so much. I was also confused about car seats? We are not renting a car in Aruba so what do we do in the taxi? Hold them on our laps? Do you need to buy a plan ticket for each baby? Do I need to call the airline to see how they handle babies and plane tickets?

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,
Christine

 

They will need passports. They don't have to have a ticket on the plane. If they are under the age of 2, they can sit on your lap, but you & your husband won't likely be able to sit together because they only allow one lap baby per row because of there aren't enough oxygen masks. Car seats are up to you. You don't have to use them in taxis, but if you feel safer with them, you can check them as luggage & they don't usually count in your luggage allowance (check with the individual airline on this one). Most of all, have fun!!

 

Yep what tina said! My oldest dd who is 3, has a passport with a photo of her at 3 wks old! We were travelling when she was 3 months old to canada and so, that's what her passport photo is! It's good until she turns 5.

And ditto on the tickets, we are flying to canada in jan, the twins will be 11 months, we got 4 tickets for us and the oldest 2 kids but plan to hold the twins in our laps to save money. I already know we'll be in 2 seperate rows.

Since you are not renting a car in Aruba I personally wouldn't worry about the carseats, it's just going to be 2 more objects for you to haul through customs and around. Have lots of fun!!

 

Some airlines allow you to purchase "infant fares" if you purchase the ticket with enough advance notice and plan to put them in their carseats on the plane... it's a reduced rate. I don't know how much it is, but I'd rather do that than hold them on my lap for that long.

Just something to look into.

 

Yeah!!!! You made it over here FINALLY! Welcome to TS! I was wondering when I was going to start seeing you post ... I also have a ticker for the twins in my siggy ... maybe I'll take it out now that you here!

 

We traveled with the boys at 6 months. We gate checked the stroller and took the car seats on board. If there was an extra seat, we could use it from of charge. If not, we held the babies and put the car seat in the overhead bin. Feed or give a pacifier for take-off and landing to help pop their ears.

They do both need passports. You have to take the babies in person to do the application. Both parents also have to appear in person or you need a notarized consent from the parent who can't be there.

 

My girls also have baby pictures in their passports. We just went to the Post Office and they took the pictures there, not sure if they do that at every post office though.
I traveled alone with my twins at 3 months and 5 months. I couldn't have done it without the carseats and my stroller, which they snapped into. You will have another adult with you, but still, I would consider bringing the seats - a safe place for you to put them down and strap them in and a safe place in the airplane and in the taxi. I agree with previous poster - if you get lucky and there is an extra seat, you can strap one baby into the carseat into the airline seat, put the other carseat in the overhead bin or gate check it. You are not strong enough to hold a baby during *severe* turbulence or an emergency situation. You may not be able to pay for extra seats, but having the carseats on board at least gives you an option if there is an open seat. Mine slept really well in those seats, so that was a huge bonus on the long flights. If you bring the stroller you can gate-check it, OR you can buy this thing that I have - basically puts wheels on the carseat so that you can roll the child in the carseat through the airport like a rolling carry-on bag. It is called the Go Go Kidz Travelmate. Very useful if you have a car seat that is compatible with it. They also make bags that strap on your back so that you can carry a carseat on your back, but that seems like more trouble to me than a stroller or a rolling-thing. Good luck!
http://www.gogobabyz.com/product-i14550-c26-g6-b0-p0-gogo_Kidz_Travelmate_.aspx