Basic steps to make flying with children more pleasant

2 Jul 2015

Parents preparing to fly with their children during the school holidays, can take a few basic steps to make flying more pleasant for you, your children and your fellow flyers.

Basic steps to make flying with children more pleasant

Sue Botes at British Airways, who has been flying with her children since they were very young, says being in a confined space with a noisy youngster can be awkward for parents and irritating to fellow flyers. Often you can avoid this with just a bit of planning and a taking a few simple steps to ensure your child is as relaxed, occupied and comfortable as possible.

"Most children are naturally quite excited about flying. The trick is to harness that interest, without them getting over-excited, while ensuring they don't become fretful in an unfamiliar environment," says Botes.

Botes suggests the following ways to ease your journey:

A happy flight starts online before you leave for the airport. Sites like ba.com have comprehensive details of paperwork required for travelling with minors, so you can plan ahead. You can also order children's meals online, better still get them to help you. You can also reserve equipment such as bassinets for infants.

Take advantage of all the concessions offered to families, such as being allowed to take strollers to the door of the aircraft when boarding. Families also get priority when boarding and you can wait until other passengers have disembarked before doing so with your family.

Understand air-pressure: the pressurisation in passenger aircraft is likely to be your child's main source of discomfort. During ascent and descent, giving the child food or drink will trigger their swallowing reflex, which will help their ears equalise.

Most parents have a good idea of which foods make their kids overactive and tetchy, but in general, avoid sweet treats of ones that have artificial colourants when travelling. Chewy snacks like biltong or dried fruit will help with pressurising their ears while limiting the spikes in blood-sugar that can result in tantrums.

Rooibos tea can be a good alternative to fizzy drinks and while it's good to keep the child hydrated, don't overdo it as this can result in nappy-changes and trips to the toilet.

Pack favourite, familiar snacks for the kids, to supplement to meals served on board.

Keeping the child occupied is obviously crucial if he or she is awake. One tried-and-tested trick is to gift-wrap treasured toys and present them when the child gets bored. It may also be good time to buy some new toys and ration them out during the flight. This is probably one time to avoid toys like Lego blocks as they can fall in hard-to-reach places. Also, be sensible about toy guns or knives, which airport security are likely to confiscate.

Mobile devices can be a boon for parents and although many families ration children's use of tablets, a long-haul flight might justify a little leeway. Headphones are useful too for movies, music, apps and games, but crayons and paper are evergreen favourites.

Generally, it's better to not seat kids on the aisle, as they may bump passing trolleys, which have hard edges and hot water.

Don't over-pack. You have to carry it all. You'll need the basics - wipes, nappies, sanitisers and so on - but if you child is small you'll need to carry him or her as well.

Finally, remember that the aircrew are your allies and it's in their interests to ensure that you and your family have an enjoyable flight, so don't be reluctant to ask for help.