Flying with Fiji Airways and a baby. Photo / Supplied
Flying with Fiji Airways and a baby. Photo / Supplied
Airline: Fiji Airways
From: Auckland International Airport
To: Nadi International Airport
Visas and requirements: In February, Fiji dropped all entry requirements. Travellers no longer need to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or travel insurance.
Departure Airport experience: Spoiler. This bit was stressful. I’d like to say, after Auckland International Airport’s million-dollar refit, we had the time to mosey around the new shops and dining venues. However, after a lengthy check-in process, which took a full 50-minutes, not helped by a group of queue jumpers, we hastily made our way to security. Here we met yet another laborious queue. Only a handful of security checkpoints were open and it took well over an hour. Staff members seemed to be redundantly standing behind closed security belts asking us to “move along” – as opposed to? Doesn’t seem like a logical use of resources, I thought, as we ran for final boarding.
Checking-in at Auckland International Airport. Photo / Anna Sarjeant
Seat: My partner and I travelled with our one-year-old baby and Fiji Airways, without a request from ourselves, seated us in the section of Economy where you can affix a bassinet, so we benefitted from extra leg room, too.
Crew: Nothing shy of exceptional. Our son was crying as we taxied down the runway (yep, that baby) and the crew suggested I stand and rock him to sleep while we did so. As a mother painfully aware of her son’s screams, I was so thankful that they put me at such ease. He then slept for two hours.
Top marks for the bassinet onboard Fiji Airways. Photo / Anna Sarjeant
Passengers: We were lucky to be flying with the entire Fiji Drua rugby team. Marvelling at the size of them – as wide as they are tall – I momentarily panicked if the pilots had accounted for the extra weight.
Food and drink: Sleeping babies are like cats – you will contort your own body into a triangle for their comfort. By mealtime, Max was out of the bassinet and asleep in my arms. I one-handedly ate a nice chicken curry, only dropping half a spoonful on his head. My partner started the holiday with a can of Fiji Gold.
Entertainment: Headphones were supplied and there was a lot of film and TV choice for such a short flight (just under three hours). I settled in for Don’t Worry Darling. My own darling, of the screaming baby kind, woke up exactly as the credits rolled so that made for a happy flight.
Arrival Airport experience: Immigration at Nadi International Airport was short and sweet, accompanied by traditional Fijian performers. Luggage came out swiftly, including our checked-in travel buggy. Warm welcomes and a chorus of “Bula” greeted us throughout. I suggest wearing layers; the flight was chilly and I was glad I packed a cardigan, but upon landing, Fiji’s humidity hit me in the face like a juggernaut.
The best bit: Taking the baby for a hand-held walk up and down the aisle so I could steal a glimpse at the rugby team. That and the baby-friendly crew (as well as the passengers) who went out of their way to reassure me I wasn’t a terrible mother when he fussed (read as - belted out his best torturous scream to date).
The worst bit: When do I mention I left my work laptop on the flight? The wizards at Fiji Airways worked their magic and retrieved it for me. Let’s leave it at that.
Final verdict: Flying with a baby isn’t as scary as you might think especially if you keep it short (three hours to Nadi is ideal). Next on our agenda is a 36-hour trip to the UK. I can only hope we are as well looked after as we were with Fiji Airways.
