Taking a Baby on a Domestic UK Flight: Age Limits and What Airlines Actually Allow

A domestic flight within the UK, whether from London to Edinburgh or Bristol to Belfast, can be the fastest way to reach family or a holiday destination with a young baby, but the practical rules differ from one airline to the next in ways that matter for planning. Two details catch parents out most often: the minimum age an airline will accept an infant, and the fact that short-haul domestic flights do not offer a bassinet.

Minimum age differs by airline

easyJet’s own age categories define an infant as being between "14 days – 2 years old," and state plainly that "babies under 14 days old are unable to travel," with no exceptions made even with a doctor’s note. Ryanair applies a different, slightly lower threshold: its help centre states that "infants aged up to 7 days cannot be accepted for travel on any Ryanair flights," meaning a baby becomes eligible to fly with Ryanair from 8 days old. Neither age limit is a general UK aviation rule; each is set independently by the airline, so checking the specific carrier’s policy before booking a flight in a baby’s first two weeks is essential.

No bassinets on short-haul domestic flights

Long-haul bassinets, the small cots that clip onto a bulkhead wall, are a feature of some intercontinental flights but are not offered by the short-haul, low-cost carriers that operate the great majority of UK domestic routes. This is a function of aircraft type and flight length rather than a policy choice that could be requested: domestic UK flights typically use narrow-body short-haul aircraft without the bulkhead fittings that long-haul bassinets attach to, and flight times are generally short enough that airlines do not build bassinet provision into the domestic timetable.

How infants travel: on a lap

On both easyJet and Ryanair, an infant travels on an accompanying adult’s lap rather than in their own seat, unless a separate seat is purchased. Ryanair’s guidance specifies that infants aged 8 days to 23 months inclusive "must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over" on a one-infant-per-adult basis, and "all infants must sit on an adult’s lap and do not qualify for a separate bag allowance" of their own beyond the specific baby bag allowance the airline does provide.

What can be brought free for the baby

Ryanair allows a baby bag of up to 5kg, with maximum dimensions of 45 x 35 x 20cm, for a baby travelling on an adult’s lap, and confirms that baby-changing facilities are provided on board, located at the rear of the aircraft. easyJet separately allows up to two additional items to be carried in the hold free of charge for an infant or child, drawn from a list that includes a travel cot, pushchair, car seat, and back carrier, in addition to the cabin baggage allowance the adult passenger is already entitled to.

Booking considerations specific to domestic routes

Because a domestic UK flight is generally short, often under two hours, many parents choose to travel without pre-booking additional services such as priority boarding, but both easyJet and Ryanair allow families with young children to board early as standard, which is worth using given that settling a lap infant before the rest of the cabin fills up is considerably easier than doing so once boarding is under way. Checking seat allocation policy for infants is also worthwhile, since some fare types restrict which seats can be pre-selected for a passenger travelling with a lap infant.

Considering the return journey too

Parents planning a short domestic trip, such as a long weekend away, should apply the same age and documentation checks to the return leg as the outbound one, particularly for a baby who will be close to two weeks or two months old by the return date. Building in a little extra time at both airports, rather than assuming a domestic flight will be as quick as travelling without a baby, generally makes the whole trip considerably less stressful.

Frequently asked questions

Can I request a bassinet for a domestic UK flight? No; bassinets are not part of the short-haul aircraft configuration used on UK domestic routes, regardless of airline.

Is there a fee to bring an infant on a domestic flight? Airlines vary on this; checking the specific fare’s infant fee at the time of booking is more reliable than assuming it is included or extra.

What if my baby turns 2 partway through a booked return trip? Ryanair’s guidance states that an infant reaching 2 years old before the return flight must pay the full fare for that return leg only, so this should be checked for any booking made close to a baby’s second birthday.

The bottom line

The minimum age to fly domestically within the UK is set by each airline rather than by a single national rule: 14 days for easyJet and 8 days for Ryanair. Neither offers a bassinet on short-haul routes, so a baby will travel on an accompanying adult’s lap throughout, with a specific free baby-bag or hold allowance provided for essential items.

Sources

• easyJet, "Flying with children and infants"
• Ryanair Help Centre, "What are the rules for travelling with infants (0-2)?"