Ryanair, easyJet and TUI bag rule parents may not be aware of

Going on a family holiday is an exciting time, but the preparation and the actual outgoing journey itself can be quite the faff. You need to make sure you have everything you need, including passports and boarding passes among many other items.

While a trip abroad is a time for relaxation, the travel can be stressful, especially if you aren't familiar with all the rules you'll need to follow. And if you're jetting off with little ones, there's a common baggage rule you may not be aware of.

With Ryanair, TUI and easyJet, some form of hand luggage allowance is included with even the most basic of fares. But if you have a child under two with you, no baggage is included, unless you book them their own separate seat.

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An exception to this is with Ryanair and easyJet you can bring a small baby changing bag at no extra cost. To make sure you're clued up on all you need to know ahead of setting off, including baggage rules, we've listed TUI, Ryanair and easyJet advice for travelling with kids below, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.

Ryanair

Ryanair does not permit infants aged up to seven days to travel on any of its flights. Infants (aged 8 days to 23 months inclusive) travelling with Ryanair must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over (one infant per adult).

All infants are required to sit on an adult's lap and do not have a separate baggage allowance. Baby changing facilities can be found on board, typically at the rear of the aircraft, and cabin crew are also able to assist in warming baby bottles if needed.

If an infant reaches 2 years old or a child turns 16 during your journey, it is advised to purchase two single flights instead of a return ticket. At the airport, you're allowed to check in two pieces of baby equipment per child (a pushchair plus a car seat, booster seat or travel cot) free of charge.

Ryanair strongly recommends parents or guardians to seek approval from their doctor that these very young infants are fit to travel by air. You're permitted to bring two items of carry-on baby equipment at no extra cost.

This can include a pushchair/buggy, car seat, booster seat or travel cot. These items will need to be tagged either at the check-in desk or at the boarding gate.

TUI

According to TUI's guidelines, an infant must be older than 14 days to travel on an aircraft, due to health and safety considerations. All TUI planes are equipped with baby changing facilities

Any pram or pushchair you bring along needs to be collapsible. While there are no restrictions on size or weight if it's going in the hold, if you wish to bring your pushchair on board, it will count as your larger piece of hand luggage and cannot exceed dimensions of 55cmx40cmx20cm and 10kg.

The good news is that you can check in pushchairs and car seats into the hold free of charge when flying with TUI Airways. According to regulations for all UK-registered aircraft, infants under 6 months must be seated on an adult's lap and secured with an infant lap-strap throughout the flight.

Children between 6 months and 2 years are also required to sit on an adult's lap unless a separate seat has been purchased, in which case a car seat may be utilised if needed. Liquid baby food or baby milk, whether pre-packaged or prepared at home, is permitted onboard.

Foods catering to special dietary needs can also be brought along, provided they're essential for the duration of the flight or holiday. Solid baby food can be packed in either your hand or hold luggage. There are no restrictions on carrying powder formula – you're allowed to bring your baby milk powder to mix up during your holiday as part of your luggage allowance.

All children, including newborns, are now required to have their own individual passport. The child's passport will initially be valid for five years, but can be renewed for an additional five years at the end of this period.

Upon reaching their 16th birthday, they'll become eligible for a standard 10-year passport.

easyJet

easyJet also states that babies under 14 days old are not permitted to travel. If your child is over two years old or turns two while you are travelling, you will need to book a separate seat for them.

Children aged between two and fifteen years cannot travel unless accompanied by an adult who is 16 years or older. Unaccompanied minors aged 15 and below are not allowed to travel alone and will be denied boarding.

The airline deems anyone aged 16 and above as an adult, who can then fly with children, or adults who require special assistance. Infants with reserved seats and children over the age of 2 years are entitled to the same cabin bag and hold luggage allowance as adults.

If you're journeying with an infant who will be seated on your lap, only an extra baby changing bag is permitted for the infant. For every infant or child, you can bring up to two of the following items free of charge to go into the hold, in addition to your cabin bag allowance: travel cot, pushchair, double pushchair, buggy, car seat, collapsible or non-collapsible pram, booster seat and baby back carrier.

You're allowed to carry baby food, baby milk and sterilised water in your cabin bag if you're travelling with an infant. The 100ml liquid limit enforced at some airports doesn't apply to baby food, milk or sterilised water, provided that the total amount in each container does not exceed 2 litres.

easyJet aircrafts are equipped with baby changing facilities. However, passengers are required to bring their own nappies and wipes as these are not supplied on board.

Baby food and milk

When travelling with a baby, you're allowed to bring enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the duration of the journey. There isn't a legal limit to how much you can bring, but it's always best to check with your airport before you travel.

As per Gov.uk, breast milk can be carried in hand luggage even if you're not travelling with a baby. However, frozen breast milk is not permitted in hand luggage.

Individual containers of breast milk must not exceed 2,000ml. Each container will need to be screened at the security point. Airport staff may need to open the containers to screen the liquids.