1- Bassinet, Yeharog V’Al Yaavor. Threaten to sue. Request beforehand. Confirm beforehand. Confirm at the desk. Confirm at the gate.
2- Night flight! Direct flight! If you have a stopover, make sure they will give your stroller during the stopover. If it’s a big stroller (baby jogger, etc.) they probably won’t(because they will have put in the hold). Fly w/an umbrella stroller if you can. If not, get a baby carrier, which is a life saver anyways when you are pushing luggage.
3- Bring ten million diapers & baby supplies. You can easily be delayed – try 24 hours! – , and no one will tell baby. Bring disinfectant, because those plane changing tables are nasty, or a diaper matt.
4- Bring formula (powder packets are easiest, but they should let you bring formula/milk past security), even if you nurse. Baby gets hungry when they are waiting for the go ahead to fly, and you’re not allowed to get up – or at least bring a blanket (hard to do it right) – or even off the plane, when it’s not practical to nurse in public. Often the tense flying experience will make a bottle necessary, anyway (many times). And they will heat up bottles (seal for kasherus, the bottle itself – the top – isn’t enough because it’s open, make sure they heat it up w/the cover- PS – ELAL is treif).
5- Find the nearest seminary girl. Make friends. Give her your baby. Go to sleep.
6- Babies often has a rough time during takeoff & landing – their ears are sensitive. Be ready to comfort them – ask the flight attendants for eitzahs beforehand (wet towels, etc.).
7- Ask when preboarding (for kids) is. Often, if you don’t ask, there won’t be any preboarding. Elal isn’t so interesting in kids. They smell.
8- Elal has a great jewish music channel & frum movie channel. Great way to distract baby (or yourself).
Been there, done that, many times bli ayin hara. Enjoy!