We all know how very important buggies are to our children and for maintaining our sanity as parents, particularly when our precious children begin to toddle and need containment and security. Heathrow Airport has recently been reaching out to a group of Mummy Bloggers to see how much more family friendly they can make parent’s flying experience.
Imagine our surprise after reading the following story in The Evening Standard yesterday. At Terminal 1, thanks to the decisions of someone at Menzies Aviation, their baggage handlers will no longer be permitted to handle buggies due to “health and safety” regulations. What this means for parents is that, upon check-in at Terminal 1 at Heathrow Airport, you will no longer be permitted to take your buggy into the terminal and up to the departure gate. You will need to check-in your buggy along with your luggage and will not be reunited with your buggy until you arrive at baggage claim at your destination. No more meeting you at the ramp to the plane! You’ll have to negotiate lengthy airport walks on either side without the convenience of your buggy.
BritMums member and director of Really Kid Friendly, Janis Curry, has written an excellent post for Huff Post UK sharing her thoughts on this shocking turn of events at Heathrow Airport. What will this mean for parents? Will this decision affect you and your family? Will this decision affect whether you use Heathrow Airport in the future? How could Heathrow Airport remedy this situation? We know, as parents, how vital it is to a pleasurable journey, to have conveniences like your child’s buggy, considering most of us spend a minimum of 2 hours prior to take-off at an airport. What say you?
About Karin Joyce
Karin Joyce is the creator of Embrace Happy, an inspirational and motivational website where the focus is on celebrating the good in our lives every day. The Embrace Happy tagline is: Not every day is good but there is good in every day. Before starting Embrace Happy, Karin was one of the “old school” bloggers from the early days of what was then British Mummy Bloggers with her parenting blog Cafe Bebe. In between school runs, blogging and being a wife to Mark and Mum to Ella (6 1/2) and Sam (3), Karin also works as a freelance social media manager and consultant.
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Mid 30s Life
Friday 7th of October 2011
What a stupid decision, but can't say I'm surprised. When we moved to the UK we stopped off at Singapore where our buggy was waiting for us as we stopped of the plane, and as we boarded the second plane they whisked it away at the very last minute. At Heathrow we got off the plane, a man came and asked if we had a buggy. We then waited, with a big group of parents, for over an hour while they went and collected it. The kids had had enough by this stage, in fact after 24 hours of flying the hardest part was waiting for the stupid buggy at Heathrow. I can't say it was a great introduction to our new home!!
Blue Sky
Thursday 6th of October 2011
I'd be interested to know how this will affect children with special needs, many of whom are older and larger but use buggies for a variety of reasons including behavioural problems and physical disabilities...
Gail
Thursday 6th of October 2011
It would be fine if you could use an airport buggy like they have when you transit in Dubai. The airport has tons which you use while you are there (a bit like Boris Bikes) and then leave as you depart. Brilliant. And I don't comment lightly, I have four kids and have lived in 6 different countries since the first one was born, and been on a LOT of planes.
Holly Seddon
Thursday 6th of October 2011
Travelling with babies and toddlers is stressful enough WITH them tucked in a buggy, bottles in the basket etc. The idea of negotiating one of the busiest airport terminals in the world with one (or more) babes in arms, as well as all the hand luggage is an inconceivable stress at the beginning of a trip. The first time we flew with our youngest, who was one at the time, our buggy was actually broken by baggage handlers and having to negotiate the airport at Xante without a buggy was a nightmare. Mine are all old enough to walk now, but had this happened two years ago, yeah, I would have boycotted Heathrow Terminal 1 unless the price of tickets elsewhere was a seriously big money difference.
Maria
Thursday 6th of October 2011
Thanks for the warning! This link works better ;) http://www.london-baby.com/2011/10/large-pushchair-ban-at-terminal-1/