I had the pleasure of flying with a baby on TAP Air Portugal from Canada to Portugal and wanted to share my honest review.

It is important to note this was my first flight with my 6 month old baby and I was quite nervous. I had no idea what to expect and was hoping for it to be a good experience. I have flown on multiple flights since then and have a good idea of good service when I see it. I genuinely hope you find this review helpful and it assists you in flying with a baby in your future adventures.

Flight Information

Departure Airport: Toronto Pearson International – YYZ

Arrival Airport: Humberto Delgado Airport – LIS

Flight Duration: 7 hours

Aircraft: Airbus 330

Seats: 7A and 7C

Flight Booking and Seat Selection

Right after I booked my ticket I called up TAP Portugal and informed them about that I was travelling with a 6 month old baby and if they can reserve a bassinet seat for me. The representative on the phone asked for my ticket number and

graciously reserved my wife and I two seats side by side with a bassinet at no extra charge. So far so good. 

It is good to know that almost all mid to long haul flights have seats that can accommodate a bassinet. These seats are usually the first ones in economy class. If its a larger plane then they have multiple seats that can accommodate a bassinet located behind the wall partitions. They seats are generally reserved for passengers travelling with babies but if they are not reserved early on, there is no guarantee you will get them. These are premium seats because they come extra leg room and no passengers in the front.

Boarding

At the airport, we were one of the first to board because we had a young child with us. One of the many perks of flying with a baby.

Once we were on the plane, we found our seats and got settled. Honestly, the extra leg room is such a blessing. When you have a child you’re constantly getting up, walking around, taking out luggage from the top compartment, etc. Having the extra room makes everything a lot more easier. The extra leg room is also an added bonus.

The TAP Air Portugal flight attendants were all pleasant and willing to help get us settled.

During Take-Off

During take-off an infant MUST be held on an adults lap. They cannot be in the bassinet, on the floor or anywhere else. I was unaware of this as it was my first time and I requested the bassinet once I boarded the flight. However, the flight attendants provided us with a safety belt for our baby. This belt attaches onto the adult belt and then goes around the babies waist. The flight attendants came by our seat specifically before take off to ensure the belt was fastened correctly.

Through out the flight

As soon as we were in the air and the seat belt lights turned off, the flight attendant came by with the bassinet and attached it in front of our seats. From my other flying experiences, I have noticed sometimes you need to remind/request the bassinet during the flight.

Once the bassinet was installed, we carefully put our baby in. The bassinet itself is not padded so you will need something to place in the bottom. The cabin crew provided us with a blanket and pillow.

In our situation, we were flying overnight and it was the perfect time for the baby to sleep. Once everything was setup, we placed the baby in the bassinet and took our seats.

It is important to note that when the seat belt light comes on, you are required to pick up the baby and hold them in your arms. The TAP Air Portugal flight attendants ensured the baby was in our arms during this time.

During Landing

The landing protocol was the same as take-off. Right before landing, the flight attendant came and removed the bassinet. We had to hold the baby in our lap again. We also had to make sure the baby was buckled in. During the final belt check, the flight attendant made sure the baby was wearing his seat belt.

Unfortunately, the landing was not as smooth as the take off. At this point, either due to the air pressure or just being in an airplane for 7 hours, our baby boy wasn’t having it anymore. He started to cry through out the descent and landing.

This is where the actual TAP Air Portugal service was shown. Multiple flight attendants came by to console our son. They all had a big smile on their faces and showed no sign of annoyance. I do understand it is part of their job to have such attitude but I have been on too many flight where such level of composure and patience is not shown, and as parents, my wife and  I really appreciated it. One of the flight attendants even picked up our child and played with him. Eventually he did calm down and by that time we were ready get off the aircraft.

All in all, for a first baby travel experience, my wife and I could not have asked for a better experience. Everything was efficient and organized. The cabin crew were helpful and accommodating.  Flying with a baby on TAP Air Portugal was as pleasant as I could have asked for and I would recommend flying with TAP to other parents who have young children.

General Tips on flying with a Baby

• Book your tickets early and make sure to call in to reserve a bassinet seat.
• Be patient! Flight attendants have a thousand other things to do. Sometimes it can take a while to get the bassinet set up. Be kind.
• A good way to keep a baby calm and relaxed during take-off and landing is to feed them. Prepare and plan for this.
• Book overnight flights. You will thank yourself for doing so. Disrupting a babies sleep cycle is bad enough. But having a wide awake (or cranky) baby on an airplane is worse.

Hope you found this review helpful. You can connect with me on Instagram @TheMuslimhopper if you have anymore questions.

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