Air travel with children can be a real nightmare if you're not prepared. Learn how to take the worries out of flying with kids.
Air travel with young children in tow is daunting. Besides your own luggage you have the children's luggage and, of course, the children to keep track of. You spend several hours in tight quarters with perfect strangers who may or may not be forgiving of young children's quirks, tantrums, and curiosities. It's enough to make you want to just stay home.
But don't feel helpless when booking a flight with your children. There are many ways to prepare for the trip that will take some anxiety out of the ordeal.
Buy your tickets early. If you wait until the last minute to buy your tickets, you likely won't have much of a choice when it comes to seating arrangements. It could be catastrophic to your sanity to have your children split up in the plane, taunting strangers and keeping your attention divided between different rows. Early booking ensures that your seats will be together and where you want. A travel agent may even be able to give you your boarding passes before you get to the airport, and this will save you from standing in line with whining and tired youngsters.
Schedule an off-peak flight. Off-peak times (generally Monday afternoon through Thursday noon) are less crowded and stressful at the airport. Service will be better, crowds will be smaller, and you and your children will be more comfortable. Try to schedule a flight for a time when your children normally sleep (late at night or during naptime). The gentle lull of the airplane may just keep them asleep the whole time if they're already tired.
Steer away from layovers. If you can find a non-stop flight for your itinerary, choose it over an itinerary with layovers. Layovers seem to incite the "are we there yet?" syndrome.
Break up long trips. This tip may seem to contradict the last trip, but weigh the options for your own children. If a flight is going to be longer than five hours, consider breaking it up over two days. For example, if you're flying from California to England, stop in New York and spend the night in a hotel. A good night's rest will make the second leg of the journey more tolerable.
Dress them comfortably. There's no need to dress your children in their Sunday best for a flight. Choose clothing that is comfortable and travels well (not crisp cottons), and dress them in layers because you'll probably experience different weather before your trip is over. Also, if you have a child in diapers, make sure her clothing is "diaper accessible" because you won't have much room for fiddling with her clothes on the airplane.
Take your own food. Don't count on the airline to provide you with kid-friendly food. Although airplane food is fairly palatable these days, the portions are small, and young children may not relish a salad with low-fat dressing. Take plenty of well-loved snacks and box drinks. If you're worried about the meals, pack a brown bag lunch for each child.
Don't be the first to board. Although some airlines offer families pre-boarding status, don't take them up on the offer. The longer you have to sit on the airplane waiting for takeoff, the squirmier your kids will be. And make sure they go to the bathroom before you get on the plane so you don't spend the whole flight escorting children up and down those narrow aisles.
Pack some fun. Mary Poppins knew a thing or two about kids. Remember that carpet bag she kept pulling treasures from? Pack a few toys, books, and games your children have never seen before and pull them out only when they get restless. The novelty of something new will keep them entertained longer than their same old books and toys.
Armed with some tricks and special preparations, you can avoid some of those embarrassing and frustrating moments characteristic of traveling with children. Happy flying!
