Special Services for Passengers Traveling with Babies

Booking an infant bassinet:

• First priority for receiving infant bassinets goes to passengers with infants who ordered them in advance.
• Flying with a baby under 7 days old requires special advance authorization.

Ground Service:

Inflight Service:

Passengers with babies will be boarded first.
The flight crew will make every effort possible to be of assistance during the flight.

1. Aircraft Installations
   
   
   • Crib:
     The bassinet can hold an infant whose weight does not exceed 18 kilograms and who can fit into the bassinet in a lying position (cot dimensions: length – 74 cm; height/depth – 22.5 cm; width – 34 cm).
     For your child’s safety, please inform the flight crew of the infant’s current weight before the bassinet is installed.
     The bassinet will be installed after takeoff and will be removed by the crew before landing.
     Whenever the “Fasten Seatbelt” sign is illuminated, flight attendants will personally instruct you to remove the infant from the bassinet and hold him/her in your arms.
     The flight crew will do whatever it can to assist you but cannot watch over the infant throughout the flight. Responsibility for the infant’s safety is that of the accompanying adult.
     EL AL may refuse to provide a bassinet if the flight attendants believe it would be a safety hazard for the infant.
     
   • Diapering stand:
     For your convenience, diapering stands are available in aircraft lavatories.
     
     
2. Baby Seat (carry-cot) / Car Safety Seat:
   
   To enhance the level of safety for your baby/child on the flight, we recommend using safety means (safety seat/seat belt). Parents may choose to use these safety means. EL AL does not provide these facilities.
   
   Conditions of Use:
   
   
   • Since safety facilities for children must be installed on the passenger seat, the child must hold a child’s ticket, even if he/she is under age two.
   • A safety seat or seat belt (CRS) that conforms to flight standards has the following on its label: “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft” or “Approved for Aircraft Use Only.”
   • The safety facility must conform to this standard and parents must be familiar with it and with the manufacturer’s instructions and be able to attach it to the seat on their own.
   • If the safety seat does not conform to standards or does not attach safely to the aircraft seat, the parents must agree to have the seat stored in the hold of the aircraft.
   • The safety seat must not cause inconvenience to other passengers or block the aisle in the event of emergency evacuation. Therefore, the following rules apply to choosing a seat on the aircraft:
     
     • The safety seat should be installed on a seat adjacent to a window. The adult in charge of the child should sit next to the child. On wide-body planes it is also possible to install the seat in the middle rows.
     • Safety seats cannot be used near emergency exit doors.
       
   • Points to keep in mind when reserving or purchasing a flight ticket:
     
     
     • When no seat has been reserved for a baby up to two years of age:
       It is possible to bring a baby carry-cot/safety seat that will be stored in the hold of the plane, for all destinations.  The cot/seat will be taken from the parent at the entrance to the aircraft and returned when exiting the aircraft after landing.
       
     • When a seat has been reserved for the baby:
       A baby holding a child’s ticket is entitled to a seat. The accompanying passenger is responsible to bring a child’s seat that conforms to the standards. Parents may make use of the safety seat at any time during the flight, including takeoff and landing. If the parents have brought a sub-standard safety seat, they will not be permitted to use it during takeoff and landing and at any time when the Fasten Seatbelt sign is illuminated in the course of the flight.
       
     • Safety Belt for Children/infants (CRS):
       Parents arriving at the plane with a seat belt for their child/infant, as a substitute for a safety seat or carry-cot, may use the seat belt throughout the flight (including during takeoff and landing), as long as the belt meets the requirements for use.
       A safety belt that conforms to flight standards has the following on its label: “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft” or “Approved for Aircraft Use Only.”
       The child or infant must weigh 10 – 20 kilos.
       
       
3. Other services offered by the cabin crew:
   • Heating baby food
   • Washing baby bottles
   • Providing hot water when needed
     
     
4. Recommendations for passengers flying with babies:
   
   • It is advisable to come to the flight equipped with a sufficient number of disposable diapers and baby food.
   • Before takeoff and landing, it is advisable to give the baby a pacifier or a bottle with food or drink. This will help the baby adjust to the changes in air pressure on the plane.