Plane talking family advice
From toys to timing, our expert shares tips on how to make flying with young ones as stress-free as possible
As travelling becomes less of a challenge with the pandemic hopefully beginning to ease, it’s time to start planning those spring and summer family holidays.
But if you are heading to the sunshine with babies or very young children for the first time, then you’ll face some different challenges.
We’ve teamed up with
Emirates airline cabin crew member Laura Hannah, from Ayrshire, who has been working with the Dubai carrier for more than six years.
Laura, 32, has shared her top tips for families planning to travel with little ones this year.
Booking your flights
Look to match your flights with your child’s daily routine – where possible, try to arrange your flight times to suit it. For instance, don’t opt for a late-night departure or overnight flight thinking your kids will sleep through. They may not with all the excitement and noise, and you’ll be doubly exhausted.
Aim to plan a flight departure to fit in between mealtimes or naps as this can help reduce the chance of public tantrums.
Try to make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep for morning
flights, to avoid sleep-deprived meltdowns.
Choose your seats wisely – if you can, always book your baby a bassinet, or choose bulkhead seats.
It’s worth considering sitting closer to the toilets, making trips with kids a lot more convenient.
Select children’s meals – if you have to order when booking, don’t forget these. For example, Emirates offers choices for both babies and children aged up to 12.
Try to have your accommodation transfer arranged in advance, particularly if you require car seats. It will be a relief to avoid waiting in taxi queues and not needing to worry about the safety element at the end of a long trip
Before boarding
Explain the security process if your kids are old enough to understand. It can be confusing for children, having to load their special things on the conveyor belt and be separated (albeit very briefly) from their parents to go through the scanner.
Try to let them know in advance what they should expect and offer plenty of praise on the other side for doing such a great job.
Be buggy brilliant – if you want to take a pram through the airport, consider investing
in a folding one that can be taken on board the plane as carry on. This will help at the other end when you need to put your tired tot straight into their pram.
Take travel snacks – carry healthy, protein-filled treats with you in case of unexpected delays, or for when moving between time zones.
Your child’s body clock and appetite may be affected and they may not be hungry when meals are served – avoiding a ‘hangry’ meltdown in the line at customs is in everyone’s interest.
Encourage them to take sips of water as often as possible too, as dehydration can exacerbate jetlag.
Carry fruit gums or similar chewy sweets as they are great for take-off and landing for older children, to help reduce the pressure on their ears. Allow your children to bring their own carry-on and a couple of toys – this makes them feel more grown up and adds to the excitement of the whole travel experience.
It’s savvy to ensure these toys don’t contain small parts and are brightly coloured in case they are dropped or lost.
Comfort is key – make sure your little ones are as comfortable as possible to minimise the risk of any mid-air tantrums, so planning the outfit they wear carefully and packing a mini travel pillow for them is a great start.
It’s a good idea to have a spare change of clothes and a spare shirt
for yourself in case of accidents or unexpected spills.
Board the plane first or last – while many airlines offer families priority boarding, some parents prefer to get on last to minimise the amount of time their baby or small child spends on the plane.
Many parents want their youngsters to burn up as much energy as possible in the airport so that when they are strapped in their seats they are ready to sleep. Alternatively, if you have several children or have lots of carry-on, boarding first and taking your time to settle into your seats can be preferable.
Airports and airlines have responded to the safety requirements during Covid incredibly effectively, however you may like to carry extra hand sanitiser (including childfriendly versions) with you as well.
We all know that as much as you ask your little ones to avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily, their curious hands will touch everything!
While on board
Use the inflight entertainment – by giving your children freedom to watch more TV/films than usual, it will seem like a treat and will give you time to relax and unwind too.
For instance, Emirates’ system has more than 50 Disney movies and 130 kids’ TV channels, plus music, games and special headsets.
Toys – never underestimate the power of a new toy. A distraction presented at the right moment can work wonders.
Use the crew – cabin staff are on hand to make your flight as enjoyable as possible. They can help with warming bottles, keeping baby food refrigerated, offering children’s activities, holding meals until a convenient time (and maybe even sneaking a glass of wine to you after your little ones are finally asleep!).
After landing
Disembark last if you can, and unless you have a connecting flight or are in a hurry, take your time getting off.
You won’t overlook a precious toy if you’re not rushed and both you and your children may be tired, and therefore not operating at your best. Also, look for family lanes – seek them out as they can save you a long wait.
Managing jetlag – adjusting to a new time zone can be helped by exposing your children to as much sunlight during the day as possible to help regulate melatonin production in the brain and cutting screen time during ‘sleep hours’.
Try to avoid naptime too late in the day and ensure regular mealtimes.
Be realistic!
Finally, lower your expectations – flying can be fun, but it can be overwhelming for parents and confusing for youngsters as they may not respond well to noise, crowds, waiting or the rules.
Explain as much as you can in advance about what to expect and be extra patient, while being kind to yourself.
If they watched more TV than you’d usually like, be thankful for the quiet time. If they cleaned you out of snacks, be glad they’re not hungry. It can be tricky flying with children, but it can also be joyful.
And it’s worth it when you get to your dream holiday destination…
emirates.com
Letting kids watch more TV will seem like a treat and give you time to relax