Ryanair is one of Europe’s most famous low-cost airlines. Almost everybody has flown with them or thought about it because of their cheap, sometimes ridiculously cheap flights. But we have all heard or experienced horror stories about flying with them. So, what is it actually like flying with Ryanair with a baby?
We have flown with Ryanair many times. We have loved it for its amazing deals (sometimes not so amazing once you look a bit deeper) and sometimes we have hated every bit of the booking, boarding and flying process with them.
From all those experiences we have lived, we want to share with you what it’s like to fly with Ryanair with a baby, so you know what to expect!
Flying with Ryanair with a Baby!
We used Ryanair a lot before having Baby O, so we kind of knew what to expect when we decided to fly with Ryanair with our baby newborn Baby O.
Flying with a newborn or baby is not quite the same as flying solo. We had so many questions about Ryanair’s rules on travelling with a newborn,
- What are Ryanair’s luggage allowance rules for families with babies?
- Can we take our stroller to the gate? Into the plane in the overhead compartment?
- Are we all going to be sat together? Or do we need to buy seats for everyone?
Why Fly With Ryanair If It Has Such A Bad Reputation?
We have to admit that the main reason we fly with Ryanair is because of their low prices. As a family, going on holiday can be a huge expense, so saving on flight costs is one way of making it more affordable.
Sometimes it was the only airline that flew to our destination on the day we wanted or needed to fly so there was no other choice.
You have probably heard all the bad and horrific stories from other passengers about how Ryanair treat some passengers. We are not going to lie, most of those stories are true. We have experienced or witnessed many of them. But the sad truth is that money is king! Otherwise, nobody would be using them anymore.
Travelling With Ryanair While Pregnant:
Flying while pregnant has its own challenges. You could feel sick all the time, especially during the first trimester. Or you could be exhausted and uncomfortable during the last trimester. And the tiny seats in Ryanair’s planes do not help.
You can travel with Ryanair while pregnant without any issues until the 28th week of pregnancy.
After that, you need a ‘fit to fly’ letter from your doctor or midwife. We struggled a bit in the UK to get the ‘fit to fly’ letter and at the end, nobody asked us for it when we boarded the plane. Amanda’s last flight was on the 33rd week of her pregnancy, just 2 weeks before Baby O was born, 5 weeks ahead!
If you have a single pregnancy, you cannot travel with Ryanair beyond the end of the 36th week of your pregnancy.
For a twin/triplet pregnancy, travel is not permitted with them beyond the end of the 32nd week of pregnancy.
Travelling with a Ryanair with a Newborn:
You can travel with your newborn with Ryanair as soon as they are 8 days old. Remember that you may need a passport or ID card depending on your destination.
Rules for Travelling with Infants (0-2):
Infants (aged 8 days to 23 months) must be accompanied by an adult aged 16 or over, with a one-infant per-adult ratio.
All under 2 years old must sit on your lap. Although you could buy an extra seat for them through their customer service. More on Ryanair’s seat policy and baggage allowance later.
Booking an Infant ticket with Ryanair
You can book a ticket for your infant during the booking process. Just select the number of infants and their age as you do with adults.
Infant tickets cost 25€ (or £25) per infant per one-way flight. This is a fixed fare independent of the destination.
Ryanair’s Special offers.
Quite often, Ryanair have these sale periods in which they have huge discounts to many destinations. During these sales, adult fares can be cheaper than the infant fixed fare (and they won’t get a seat or bag allowance)
We recommend that you call their customer service or use the chat on the website to ask to tell them about this offer. There is a secret code in which you can buy a seat for your infant while paying the reduced adult fare. Depending on who answers your call or your message you can be lucky or not. If you get someone that tells you that you can’t do that, try again. They will always try to make you pay more.
On Board Ryanair with a Baby
Unlike most airlines, with Ryanair families won’t be allowed to board first. Although this is not a huge issue, it could be inconvenient for some families to have to wait in line with all the bags, the stroller, the baby, etc.
Ryanair’s Family Seat Policy
Even though Ryanair’s website says that they allow families to sit together, this is not totally true, they allow one child and one adult to sit together.
If you and your partner are travelling together with your child, unless one of you books a seat, you will be sat separately. Ryanair is the only company we know that will give you separate seats on purpose to make you book seats and pay extra.
Ryanair’s Bag Allowance for Babies:
Babies don’t have an additional bag allowance. However, you can take an additional baby bag with you. This bag should be up to 5kg (dimensions: 45x35x20cms) although they have never checked its dimensions or weight.
In addition to the baby bag, you can bring 2 items of carry-on baby equipment for free. This can include a pushchair/buggy, car seat, booster seat or travel cot.
Baby Equipment On Board Ryanair Flight:
You will be able to use your pushchair/buggy until you get to the steps of the aircraft. These will need to be tagged at the check-in desk or the boarding gate and you won’t be allowed to take them onboard with you.
Depending on your arrival airport you may find it at the steps of the aircraft or in the arrival’s baggage hall.
Strollers (Pushchairs/Buggies):
By default, you won’t be able to take your stroller into the plane and store it in the overhead compartment. The stroller will be tagged at the gate or check-in desk and placed in the hold at the plane’s gate.
We haven’t flown with Ryanair since we got our ultracompact stroller (Cybex Libelle) which we have put in the overhead compartment of EasyJet, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Brussels Airways without any issues. Read about our experience flying with these companies by clicking on the name of the airline.
Tip: make sure that you have a travel bag to store your stroller and protect it. They will not treat it nicely and it will be scratched and damaged during transport.
After landing, you can collect your stroller at the aircraft steps or in the arrival baggage hall.
Changing or Feeding Facilities On Board:
There are baby changing facilities on board located at the rear of the cabin. These are not huge but for newborns or smaller babies do the job.
Ryanair’s cabin crew can warm baby bottles if required. However, they will not cook or heat baby food on board.
Baby Car seat On Board
If you bring a car seat for an infant under 2 years of age and wish them to sit in this car seat for the duration of the flight, you will need to book an extra seat for them. The car seat needs to be approved for flying and be positioned forward-facing.
Now it’s your turn to tell us about your experience and best tips about flying with Ryanair with a baby! Leave us a comment below!
Remember to verify this information directly with Ryanair for the most up-to-date details.
