# Flying with 9 month old to Germany (9 hour flight) any tips? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-with-9-month-old-to-germany-9-hour-flight-any-tips/696868 "2014-08-29T15:12:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-with-9-month-old-to-germany-9-hour-flight-any-tips/696868/41 "2014-09-01T06:07:17Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Sorry, but there really are very few reasons an infant needs to be on a plane. The fact that airlines permit it is not an excuse. You probably don’t need to be on the plane either. Fortunately for all of us, there’s no need testing for airline flights - people fly when they decide that it’s their best option. Unfortunately for you, very few parents are going to consider your opinion when they make that decision. If you want to fly without the risk of children, feel free to charter your own plane or shop around for a carrier that refuses to fly them. If you can’t make those options work, then get in line with the rest of us hoi-polloi and realize that the OP is trying to make this as painless for you as (s)he can. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-with-9-month-old-to-germany-9-hour-flight-any-tips/696868/42 "2014-09-01T12:42:21Z")
OP, talk to your pediatrician about safe options to help the baby sleep, and do a trial run before leaving. It’s not guaranteed to solve any problems, but it’ll help. If they do start fussing on the plane, do _something_. Even if it doesn’t seem to work, the most irritating thing possible when flying is a crying baby with apparently apathetic parents. Also, for those saying that the right of your baby to travel trumps the rights of the dozens of paying passengers to be comfortable: baby’s not going to remember the trip, and it’s not like your family is going to have some sort of meaningful conversation with a pre-verbal child. Get Skype, save everyone a whole lot of money and hassle. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-with-9-month-old-to-germany-9-hour-flight-any-tips/696868/43 "2014-09-01T13:06:24Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Just my humble opinion but you do seem pretty self entitled on the subject of under 18 month olds flying. That’s your opinion and thankfully not backed by either law or airline policy. > > Obviously, you’re not a seasoned plane traveler or you would have ear cancellation headphones and/or earplugs, eye mask, and be inured to anything non-physical or a non-hijacking. > > Just to give you some personal reasons. I was working in China supporting the US economy and my kids were born there. I’m not supposed to travel with my family to visit aging parents (one of which can’t fly owing to age and war wounds in service of the US of A)? Sure its a non emergency but that’s not allowed? Also my youngest has serious health issues and I wanted to get her checked out by specialists at Denver Children’s Hospital, but I should wait since she might cry on the flight that you’re coincidentally on? And let’s just not go into having to satisfy random internet strangers who probably don’t even take economy class flights overseas with what they think should be airline policy. YMMV Yes, it is my opinion; my honest opinion at that. I think you’d find the majority of travelers to share that opinion. As to your second paragraph… yeah? You seem to have missed my post about there being exceptions to everything. There are very, very few times when waiting a few months won’t make a difference. Obviously, visiting a dying relative would be one of the exceptions above. But really, how often is that really a reason? Or you, flying back to America. Obviously you can’t postpone that. But quite often, in my experience, it is parents dragging their kids someplace for a vacation, one that could have waited until the kids are older. Infants do not do well with the pressure change of flying, and they don’t have the ability to know how to deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-with-9-month-old-to-germany-9-hour-flight-any-tips/696868/44 "2014-09-01T13:11:22Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > You probably don’t need to be on the plane either. Fortunately for all of us, there’s no need testing for airline flights - people fly when they decide that it’s their best option. Unfortunately for you, very few parents are going to consider your opinion when they make that decision. > > If you want to fly without the risk of children, feel free to charter your own plane or shop around for a carrier that refuses to fly them. If you can’t make those options work, then get in line with the rest of us hoi-polloi and realize that the OP is trying to make this as painless for you as (s)he can. Aren’t you precious. Did you have to put your big boy pants on to post that? This being IMHO, I’m giving my opinion. Your first paragraph suggests that my opinion means nothing. As to the OP, I commend him for the post and hope the flight goes well. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-with-9-month-old-to-germany-9-hour-flight-any-tips/696868/45 "2014-09-01T15:37:28Z")
For the OP, I forgot to list that you should bring some snacks for yourself. Eating an airline meal while taking care of your kiddo can be challenging. I would plan on not eating the airline meal and bringing handy food to sustain you during the flight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-with-9-month-old-to-germany-9-hour-flight-any-tips/696868.md?page=2)