FLYING WITH CHILDREN

A journey with children can be challenging and strain the nerves of the calmest parents, whether it’s a trip to the shops in the car or a long-haul flight to Australia. Both journeys require the same principles: patience, planning and perseverance!

Before the Flight

Tell your child that they will be travelling in an aeroplane and make the journey seem exciting. Explain about the airport and how they will have to wait for the aeroplane but there will be plenty of exciting things to do. If you have a fear of flying yourself don’t convey it to your child. You may find that dealing with them during the flight helps you forget your fears.

When you book your flights find out if you can pre-book seating to ensure all members of the family are seated together. Don’t automatically assume you will be allocated seats together as a family, particularly if you’re a large family or are late checking in. However, no reputable airline should seat a child on their own as the parent is responsible for them during the flight, not the cabin crew.

Try and book flights during the day so your child’s sleep routine isn’t disturbed. Waking children in the middle of the night can leave you with very grumpy offspring by the end of the day. Mid week flights are sometimes less busy and less passengers equal less stress for everyone. They’re also often cheaper.

If you’re travelling with a baby and need a sky cot make sure you can reserve one when you book your flight.

If the child is old enough allow them to pack their own in-flight bag, which will make them feel grown up. You will need to supervise what they pack to ensure there are no dangerous objects or any that might not be allowed in the cabin. A few simple toys, games and books should be sufficient. Audio cassettes and CDs are a good way to take the child’s mind off what’s going on around them, and MP3 players are great for older children. Pens and a blank pad are also a good idea. Don’t allow anything with small parts that when dropped on the floor has to be retrieved by mum or dad hunting under the seats – it’s just not practical in a confined space.

Put a couple of snacks in the child’s bag and say you’ll tell them when they’re allowed to eat them. Unless your child gets incredibly over-excited when eating sugar, a couple of small packs of sweets the child isn’t usually allowed can be a great bargaining tool when they need to sit still. With today’s strict regulations on liquids in cabin baggage it’s better to buy drinks on the flight.

Ensure you have enough supplies to keep everyone happy. For example nappies, wet wipes, a change of clothes for babies and toddlers (and you!), nappy bags, snacks, disposable bibs, baby food and milk and a few surprise toys or comics.

On the Flight

Children are best seated by a window or in the middle of a row as small arms and legs can easily be injured by the cabin crew’s trolley if they sit next to the aisle. This also avoids the temptation to get up and wander around.

Keep seat belts on at all times – even if the belt sign is off. Unexpected turbulence can be frightening and dangerous to a small child.

If the oxygen masks need to be used follow the advice given by the airline; parents should put their mask on first. This might seem wrong not to put your child first, but with your oxygen mask on you will be better able to look after your child.

Don’t let having children put you off seeing the world. Travelling with your child can broaden their life experiences and open their eyes to how other people live. So many people no longer travel ‘since having the kids’. If you have the means, try it and see how rewarding it can be to expand your child’s knowledge whilst spending quality time with them away from the usual routine of home.