Air Transat flying with babies

Which are the restrictions for acceptance of infants on Air Transat flights?

Newborns less than 7 days old are not accepted for travel on board Air Transat flights. A child is considered an infant until his/her second birthday. For safety reasons, an adult of at least 16 years of age may not travel with more than one infant at a time, regardless of how many seats are purchased. Travel documents for the country of destination are required for any infant under age 2.

When is required to purchase a ticket for my baby?

An infant is not required to occupy his/her own seat and may travel as an infant on lap, free of charge on flights within Canada and between Canada and the US or South destinations (taxes and fees may apply depending on the destination). A fee equivalent to 10% of the adult fare (plus taxes) applies to infants traveling on a parent’s lap on Air Transat flights between Canada and Europe. This fee does not apply to Transat Holidays Europe packages. If a child’s second birthday occurs prior to the return flight, a ticket must be purchased for the return flight, and a seat will be assigned to the child.

An adult traveling with an infant may reserve an adjacent seat. The adult fare will apply for infants under 2 years of age for whom a seat is reserved. If you wish to purchase a seat for your infant, you must know that it is mandatory for the infant to sit in a car seat approved by Transport Canada.

Children 2 years of age or older must occupy a seat. A ticket at the applicable adult fare must be purchased in the child’s name for flights within Canada and between Canada and the US or South destinations. On transatlantic flights, the child discount is 25% off the regular ticket price, plus taxes and fees (applies for a maximum of three children per adult).

Infant on Lap

Air Transat offers free seat assignments for family bookings (children aged 12 and under and their parents/guardians). Standard seats grouped together are assigned for free by the system 4 days after booking for family bookings of 5 passengers or less. For family bookings of 6 passengers or more, or families with separate bookings, you must call the Information and Seat Selection Centre no later than 24 hours before departure. Only standard seats will be assigned subject to availability, but other types of seats can be selected subject to a fee

Air Transat offers onboard bassinets for babies. Approved by Transport Canada, bassinets are a safe and comfortable way for your baby to travel during the flight. The number of seats allowing installation of bassinets is limited (bulkhead seats only). You may request a bassinet for your baby in advance, but is not confirmed until you board the aircraft and the in-flight crew can assess the suitability for your child::

  • The baby’s weight may not exceed 11 kg (24 lbs).
  • The baby’s height may not exceed the size of the bassinet 27 x 12 x 6 in (68 x 30 x 15 cm).

Baggage Allowance for Infants

Infants traveling on an adult’s lap do not have a baggage allowance. However, one stroller and one car/booster seat are accepted free of charge. Any additional and/or substituted item (such as additional car seats, a playpen, etc.) will be subject to excess baggage charges if you exceed your free checked baggage allowance. One diaper bag may be taken on board in addition to the regular carry-on allowance. A foldable stroller that does not exceed the maximum carry-on dimensions (23 x 40 x 51 cm) may be taken into the passenger cabin in lieu of a regular carry-on bag.

Children with Reserved Seats

An adult traveling with an infant may reserve an adjacent seat for the purpose of the installation of an approved infant restraint device. Also, children under 18 kg (40 lbs) will be safer and more comfortable when secured in a car seat. The child restraint system must be provided by the adult traveling with the infant and must be in compliance with regulations of the manufacturing country:

  • Canada – manufactured after January 1, 1981, and labeled “CMVSS 213 or 213.1 Canada.”
  • U.S.A. – manufactured after February 26, 1985, and labeled: “This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards” or “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.”
  • Europe – manufactured to the UN ECE standard and labeled: an international approval label consisting of a circle surrounding the letter “E” followed by the distinguishing number of the country that has granted approval (reflects UN standard ECE R 44, revision 03 or later), and second label that states it is approved for use in aircraft.

Car seats manufactured in any other country are not approved for use on Air Transat flights.

Instructions for the proper use of the device and its weight and stature capacities must also be prominently displayed on the device. If, in the opinion of Air Transat personnel, the infant exceeds the prescribed capacity limits, the use of the device may be prohibited. Booster seats or harness/vest-type restraint systems for children cannot be used for air travel because they are not approved by Transport Canada.

Only car seats that do not exceed the maximum seat width may be used on Air Transat flights. The device shall at all times be properly secured in a seat adjacent to an accompanying adult who is familiar with the proper method of releasing the infant from the device. The device may not be located at an emergency exit row or in any seat which would prevent access to an aisle or to emergency or safety equipment.

Children Amenities

At Canadian gateways, where facilities permit, family check-in counters are available for families traveling with young children. Upon request assistance during check-in, Air Transat personnel is happy to help you get to the boarding gate and assist you upon arrival at the destination airport. Also, when you check-in, you can notify that you want to hang on to the stroller or car seat until boarding. With the exception of flights to the US, Air Transat offers pre-boarding for families traveling with young children.

Air Transat Kids Club

The Air Transat Kids Club is a program designed to make air travel a fun experience for young travellers (and for their parents, too!). Only children between the ages of 2 and 11 who are residents of Canada, the UK and France can become members of the club in order to benefit from exclusive privileges:

  • Check-in at the family counter, so you don’t have to wait as long (available at main airports).
  • Pre-boarding, ahead of regular Economy passengers.
  • Priority baggage handling.
  • Free regular seat selection, round-trip, for the member only (certain restrictions may apply based on company policy).
  • The chance to win a one-week vacation for 4 (2 adults and 2 children) at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, or to one of Air Transat’s South destinations departing from Canada (automatic entry into an annual draw).

More information here >>