Flying with Kids and Babies - What to Know

TL;DR: A minor leaving Israel without their parents needs, at some ages, an escort approved by a parent on a Population Authority form, and the Foreign Ministry recommends a notarized consent even when a minor flies with only one parent. Bassinets, strollers, baggage and food are set by the airline. This article gives the rules El Al and Israir publish on their own websites; other airlines' rules may differ.

Infant or Child: the Definitions

The definition decides the ticket type, the baggage allowance and bassinet eligibility, and it differs between airlines.

• El Al: an infant is under two years old, and a child is from two to 12. A child over two flies on a ticket with their own seat. An infant under two flies with an escort, and an infant younger than 7 days flies only with special advance approval from an El Al doctor.
• Israir: an infant is up to age two, and the definition has to hold on the return date as well; otherwise a child-fare ticket is bought. Each infant needs one adult escort.

Exit Consent for Minors

A minor flying without their parents

Under Population and Immigration Authority procedure 6.4.0003 (unaccompanied minors at border crossings), an Israeli minor leaving Israel without their parents:

• Age 0-5: flies with an adult escort approved by one parent on the Authority's form (Appendix A), or with a first-degree relative aged 16 or over approved by the parents on the same form. When the parents live in Israel, a copy of the approving parent's ID card and its appendix is attached.
• Age 5-14: the escort requirement follows the airline's rules.
• Age 14-18: the procedure does not require an escort.

Under the procedure, minors crossing the border without their parents are checked on a sample basis (the procedure was last updated on 12.5.2015).

Airlines add rules of their own:

• El Al: as a rule, children up to age 15 fly with an escort aged 16 or over. Children aged 5 to 15 may fly alone if the Child care service is bought for them.
• Israir: an adult flying with a minor (up to age 18) who is not their own child, even a relative, presents at the check-in counter a notarized document in English in which the child's parent approves the flight. Without it they are not accepted for the flight.

A minor flying with one parent

The Foreign Ministry recommends a suitable notarized consent when a minor leaves the country alone or with only one parent. The reason it gives: immigration authorities at border crossings around the world are tightening checks on minors up to age 18 to prevent child abduction, and procedures vary from country to country. El Al also writes that some countries require certain documents when minors fly, even with their parents, and that checking those requirements is the passenger's responsibility.

Bassinets

El Al's rules, as they appear on its website:

• Age: an infant up to 9 months old on the day of the flight is eligible for a bassinet, subject to availability. The number of seats with a bassinet fitting is limited and varies by aircraft type.
• Size: 74 cm long, 15 cm high, 34 cm wide. Before fitting it, the cabin crew ask for the infant's weight.
• Cost: on flights to and from North America the bassinet is free, and a seat for one more passenger is also free. On flights to Europe, the Far East and South Africa: free on CLASSIC and FLEX tickets, paid on LITE tickets. All subject to seat availability.
• How to request: contact the call center (*2250 or 03-9771111) or your travel agent after buying the ticket, to check availability.
• On board: the bassinet is fitted after takeoff and collected before landing. When the seatbelt sign is on, the infant is taken out and held.
• Exceptions: 738 aircraft have no bassinet in economy. On 787 (Dreamliner) aircraft an infant seat cannot be bought in business class.

Other airlines have different limits and costs, published on each airline's website. Airline contact details are in the airlines directory.

Baggage, Strollers and Car Seats

Under El Al's rules:

• Infant without a seat: one piece of checked baggage, up to 23 kg and up to 158 cm (height + width + depth), free of charge. No carry-on allowance. This does not apply to LITE tickets.
• Child: the same baggage allowance as any passenger, by ticket conditions and cabin class.
• Stroller: one item out of a fully folding stroller, a carrycot or a car seat comes with you to the aircraft door. There it is folded and handed to the ground staff, and it goes in the hold. A twin stroller counts as one stroller when both twins fly.
• Car seat on board: suitable for a child up to age two or up to 20 kg, with a seat no larger than 40x40 cm. The seat or harness has to carry the label "This restraint certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft" or "Approved for Aircraft Use Only", and is meant for a toddler of 10-20 kg. A seat that is faulty or not certified goes in the hold. A car seat cannot be fitted in business class on 787 aircraft.
• Two infants: because of the oxygen-mask limit, two infants cannot sit in the same row, so one parent cannot fly alone with two infants.
• Sitting together: El Al writes that it cannot guarantee seating together, and that choosing seats in advance improves the chance.

Food, Liquids and Baby Food

• Kids meal (El Al): ordered in advance via Manage Booking on the website, a travel agent or the El Al call center. A special meal can be ordered up to 48 hours before a flight departing Israel and up to 72 hours before a flight to Israel. Kids meals are peanut-free and contain no fish and no meat with bones, but El Al does not guarantee they are free of allergens. An infant is not entitled to a meal.
• Liquids: under El Al's rules, liquids, including frozen ones, are allowed up to 100 ml per item. Powdered baby food is allowed, and liquid baby food up to 100 ml.
• Hot water: boiling water cannot be brought on board. There is hot but not boiling water on the plane, and the crew warm the baby's bottle on request. A fridge or oven cannot be used.
• Changing: the lavatories on El Al aircraft have changing stations.
• Ear pressure: El Al recommends feeding the infant before takeoff and landing and giving a pacifier to help equalize the pressure, and notes that gum or sweets can help children during takeoff and landing.

At Ben Gurion

• When to arrive: according to the Israel Airports Authority, passengers report for the security check about 3 hours before departure.
• Nursing room: Terminal 3 has a designated baby care area with a nursing room, open 24/7, signposted from the duty-free mall.
• Play areas: in Terminal 3, in the departure hall (duty free), at Concourses B, C and D.
• Check-in: El Al recommends checking in from home 24 hours before the flight.

Useful in the Carry-on

El Al notes that it is usually cool on the plane after takeoff. Things parents commonly take in the carry-on:

• Diapers, wipes and bags for used diapers
• Bottles, pacifiers and baby food
• A change of clothes and a warm layer
• Quiet toys, books and colouring books
• A tablet with pre-downloaded content, and headphones

A toy with batteries falls under the battery rules, and scissors are taken away at the security check. Details in the carry-on guide.

Sources: Population and Immigration Authority, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Notaries (Fees) Regulations, Israel Airports Authority, El Al, Israir.