Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Excess baggage fees from airlines hit parents in the pocket

Tips on how to travel lightly with children, download a comparative baggage costs table

12 February 2007 – A new baggage policy from British Airways that allows passengers only one checked piece of luggage, has put the spotlight on excess baggage charges that could make holidays for parents with young children cost prohibitive.

British Airways’ new baggage policies coming into effect on 13 February will mean passengers have to pay £240 extra for a return long-haul flight, £120 extra for a short haul flight and £60 extra for a return domestic flight if they use two bags instead of just the one that is allowed. They will also be reducing the baggage weight allowance from 32kgs to 23kgs, effective from September 2007. Although BA is still more generous with its baggage allowance than the no-frills airlines – and does allow infants to take their own bag – these charges will add significantly to the cost of a holiday, particularly for parents of young children who inevitably have to take extra luggage.

Tots to France (www.totstofrance.co.uk), a company specialising in genuinely child friendly travel, estimates that the average family with children under the age of three will need to take approximately 83lbs or almost 38kgs of child-related kit* on holiday with them, and that excludes clothing. This exceeds even the most generous airlines’ baggage allowance.

“Excess baggage charges can turn a seemingly affordable holiday into an expensive mistake for families with young children,” says Wendy Shand, founder of Tots to France. “When you holiday with children under the age of three, unless you stay at a place that has been designed with children in mind, you literally have to take everything bar the kitchen sink with you. Nappy changing kit, potties, feeding paraphenalia, toys, buggies, car seats, cots, bedding – you name it. How are families supposed to fit all of that into a single bag and within the weight restrictions to avoid incurring these high excess charges?”

The obvious answer is to holiday somewhere that provides everything needed for children so you don’t have to take it with you. But not many places provide everything a young child needs.

“Many holiday companies claim to be child friendly by providing a high chair or cot for a baby. But it’s the many other items that children need that start to weigh bags down,” says Shand. “The Tots to France properties provide the necessities that parents take for granted at home – like sterilisers, blenders, booster seats, cots, plastic crockery and cutlery, baby baths, bath mats and potties. Also included are bigger items that parents can’t take on holiday with them but would love to have when they get there, like washing machines, microwaves and stairgates. We even provide baby packs on request that include the right size nappies, nappy sacks, wet wipes, jars of baby food and full fat milk.”

If the place you’re going to isn’t as well equipped, Tots to France has these suggestions:

•Go somewhere warm – you’ll need fewer clothes and the clothes you have will dry quickly and can be reworn.

•Investigate companies that will deliver baby goods to your holiday destination. www.tinytotsaway.com or www.holitots.com

•Consider using a ferry or the Euro-tunnel and your car to get to your destination instead.

•Book a property with toys and books provided or buy cheap, disposable toys once you’re there.

•Start training your child in advance to sit on a toilet without a potty insert or need for a potty.

•Research whether the place you staying has washing facilities or laundry service.

•Get in touch with the company that makes your child’s usual formula or jarred baby food and ask if they have an equivalent product in the country you’re going and where it’s likely to be stocked.

•If your child is currently on weaning foods, opt for a self catering place and stow a small handheld blender in your luggage to puree it.

•Use a car hire company that provides car seats to avoid taking one with you. In France, you could try www.buggscarhire.com

To help parents avoid costly baggage mistakes, the company has created a useful comparative table listing the different baggage policies for several airlines.

It can be viewed at http://www.totstofrance.co.uk/travelling.php

About Tots to France

Tots to France is a unique, family orientated holiday lettings agency with a range of family friendly properties throughout France. Established in April 2006 by a mum of two, Wendy Shand - the founder - spotted a gap in the market to provide genuinely family friendly accommodation for the very specific needs of families with small children.

All Tots to France properties provide the basic necessities that parents take for granted at home - these can be as simple as ensuring that pans are big enough to cook for the whole family to making sure that there are changing mats and potties. Properties range from small gîtes, for two people up to a large chateau for 12+ people. Almost all properties are within an hour’s drive from an airport so that travel time is kept to a minimum. Baby Packs are supplied on request including the right size nappies, nappy sacks, wet wipes, jars of baby food and full fat milk. A welcome pack is provided at most of the properties and most have English baby sitting as an optional extra.

Notes for editors:

If you would like to speak to Wendy or get more information about Tots to France of travelling with children, contact:

Melissa Talago
Peekaboo Communications
Tel: 01635 248 496
Email: melissa@peekaboocoms.co.uk

*How the weights were determined:
Lightweight stroller – 10 – 15lbs
Travel cot – 17 - 22lbs
Car seat – 6 – 11lbs
Steriliser – 3lbs
Bottles – 1lbs
Potty – 2lbs
Handheld blender – 1lb
Booster seat – 3.4lbs
Sun tent – 2.4lbs
Feeding equipment like bowls, cups, milk dispenser, spoons - 1lb
Wipes – 1lb
Toys – 1 – 2lbs but could be a lot heavier
Bath mat – 1lb
Bedding (sleeping bag plus sheet) – 1lbs8oz
Books – 3lbs
Small bag nappies – 3lbs
Bath toiletries – just under 2lbs
Tin or formula 1.9lbs
Jars of baby food (9 x 128g) – 2.2lbs
Monitors – 2lbs
Nappy sacks, mat and cream – 1lb
Total 82.7lbs or 37.65kgs