View Full Version : Travelling with Kids
Dear All,
My cousin will in a few weeks take the Continental Airlines direct flight from NY to DEL ( 13 hrs non stop) . She will travel with a fair amount of baggage (as she is coming in for a wedding) and her boisterous 2 year old.
Any tips to make her flight comfy will be appreciated.
Keep the Blue Sky Above,
Cheers
Joles
SilentHandover
3rd Nov 2005, 16:32
Travel first class.
vegas_jonny
3rd Nov 2005, 16:41
Leave the "boisterous" one behind. No really.
Failing that, drug the little devil up to the eyeballs.
Oh, and make sure she ain't sitting anywhere near me!:}
Akrotiri bad boy
3rd Nov 2005, 17:09
Could this be the first contender for my previously promulgated "Selfish Surcharge Tax"? (A levy on passengers who board with noisy brats and too much baggage).:E
Air-Geko
3rd Nov 2005, 18:15
Have her carry a fair amount of cash. When the kid starts acting up (which it is bound to do) buy those seated in the immediate vacinity a round of drinks. Repeat as nessisary.
Air-Geko
apaddyinuk
3rd Nov 2005, 20:20
Tell her not to expect too much help as airlines dont tend to offer Meet And Assist facilities anymore and with all that baggage she could be on her own...why doesnt she send the extra baggage via cargo...itll be cheaper then paying the excess and means she wont have to lug it around airports!!!
Farmer 1
4th Nov 2005, 06:54
Dear Joles,
You must have realised by now, you've chosen the wrong website on which to ask a question about children. This is an aviation website, where children are not allowed. No one here has ever had a child, or even met one. We were all born old and crusty, with an innate loathing for other people's offspring.
I do hope your cousin enjoys her flight - it is possible, believe me. And as for drugs and children, those two words must only ever come together in one sentence if words like NOT and NEVER appear also, along with as many exclamation marks as you wish - this is the only case in which more than one of the latter are permitted.
Curious Pax
4th Nov 2005, 14:06
Joles,
According to their website the flight will be a 777, which on Continental has seatback TVs. I don't normally advocate babysitting by TV, but on an aeroplane I make an exception, and it has worked very well with our 5 year old from the age of 20 months on long haul. If you aren't sure whether the programming is suitable then a portable DVD player would also do the job.
I also took the precaution of drumming into junior for several weeks prior that the Captain was a fearsome tyrant who must not be annoyed in any way, and small boys misbehaving was top of his list. It seemed to work - he had a minor moment on the first flight, but as soon as I started getting cross he begged me not to tell the Captain!
OZcabincrew
4th Nov 2005, 14:42
I don't know about Continental, but if the crew have time, they will usually try and give you a break for 5 or 10 minutes, if they're nice! Children are children so can't act like adults and stay in a seat for hours on end, adults can't even do that. Just make sure your child isn't purposely annoying other passengers, but if they scream or cry etc, it can't be helped, the other passengers are fully aware or should be that children may be on the flight and what they're capable of, so if you get the evil eye from other passengers, just annoy them. Please, please don't let them run up and down the aisle and get in the crews' way as this won't work in your favour, it is also a safety hazard for the crew member/s involved and your child. Follow all safety precautions that are explained by the airline and you will have a nice flight.
It's never easy travelling with children, but just do the best you can and hopefully the crew will help you out when they can aswell.
Oz
Dear All,
It was great hearing from all of you !
Yes this is an aviation site, and I am asking a question about a girl and her kid ON A PLANE ! So keep that advice flowing......
Cheers
Anurag
redsnail
4th Nov 2005, 22:28
I don't have kids but have travelled a lot.
If you can, advise your friend about clearing the child's ears. I mean about the air pressure change on descent. One method is the valsalva technique. Another is for the child to suck or chew on something. (keeps the eustachian tubes open).
Bring stuff that is easy to pack and will keep the child entertained. The airline will probably have a childrens pack but you can't have too much stuff.
As others have said, keep the child under reasonable control. No running up the aisles, no kicking of the seat in front and voice levels on the quieter rather than louder side. This helps keep the crew and the fellow passengers on side so if the child does have a bout of temper (or ears play up) you'll get sympathy and help.
People do cut some slack when they see the parent doing their best with their children.
skydriller
5th Nov 2005, 07:09
Redsnail says it as it is..... There is a big difference in reaction of fellow pax and cabin crew when you are actively entertaining your child quietly and making sure it behaves as opposed to letting it get away with murder and ignoring the problems caused to other pax. I see both sides as I travel alot for work, and have family abroard so have to travel with SD Jr (now nearly 4Yrs) too....
For very young kids (ie up to 2/3years old) the initial climb/latter decent are the bits where you may have problems, due to aircraft pressurisation. That is the best time to give a bottle of something, as the sucking/swallowing will equalise pressure on the ears - while of course making sure that everything is stowed etc for take-off/landing!
Maybe we have been lucky, but so far we have always been able to look after SD Jr such that he has been quiet and behaved himself in aeroplanes when he was younger. Now hes a little bigger, its easier all round as he loves aeroplanes and flying, be it in a Cessna or an Airbus (especially going 'sideways'!).
Regards, SD..
Mike, Redsnail, SD,
You guys are so right. I had this experience of flying into Mumbai from Paris last month with a mother and her two brats. The poor kid was fighting a running battle with them to keep them in control and the seat belt part was when the youngerone howled the most !Scary !
But I appreciate the flow of the post ! Keep it flying folks !
Here's to more !
Cheers
Anurag
manintheback
7th Nov 2005, 12:15
Crying babies and children with responsible Parents who are obviously doing their best to look after them never both me in the slightest. Having one of my own I know how difficult it can be
Seeing as you are already looking to ensure you fit into this category (or on behalf of your sister) I wouldnt worry too much.
OzPax1
8th Nov 2005, 02:52
Google is your friend here! ;)
Try a search using the terms 'flying with babies' & 'flying with kids' throws up quite a few websites.
The best seems to be http://www.flyingwithkids.com/ :ok:
OzPax1,
That was a VERY USEFUL HINT ! The site is pretty informative ! Thanks buddy
Cheers
Anurag
Two tips from experience:
1. Do NOT give the child drinks with sugar before or during the flight. The sugar will tend to make them even more hyper -- depending on the child. This means no fruit juice either.
2. Bring toys, but do it this way: Bring a bag with several small new cheap toys, such as cars, puzzles, etc. Bring one out once an hour or so. It will surprise the child and keep their interest -- for a while! If you only bring one favorite toy they will get tired of it soon.
Having returned in Oct from London - Singapore - Sydney - Brisbane -Singapore - London with my 22 monther i would give you the following advice
1) Try to fly night sectors - keep them up all day and they sleep!!. Mine slept the whole way on all the long halls (no drugs used). The only day fight was SYD-BNE and this was quite possibly the most stressful 2 hours of my life as a father as he was a bloody nightmare. (we changed our return sectors to night flights after that)
2) Buy a seat and get a bulkhead: The best £500 i ever spent was buying him a seat. It means you get a row to yourself and he/she an play in the space in between you and they can only annoy one set of fellow SLF behind not both sets by kicking the row in front.
3) Get a portable DVD player: The SB TV generally does not have any good programmes for a kid that young. They are mostley aimed for 5+. Get the dvd or his/hers favourite (Thomas and friends in my case) and let them watch it. Works a treat. Alsoi taking their favourite toys (stickers/crayons etc)
4) Fly Singapore airlines! the SIA girls are THE best i found and love kids.
5) PRAY he/she sleeps!
;)
Michael111
9th Nov 2005, 21:54
Hi
We have 2 Boys now 8 & 5. We have been flying with them both on short and long distances since the eldest was 9 months old.
We have found that it is best to ensure they are both well rested before the flight and have had sensible food and plenty of water to drink. On the flight it is vital to have a kit bag of their best games/toys/teddies to keep them amused.
Dont feel bad if the child makes a lot of noise from time to time, as others have said if you are making the effort to entertain them then most other passengers will cut you some slack.
Try to encourage the child to sleep as even a couple of hours is time that you do not have to amuse them.
Regards
Michael
Joles
10th Nov 2005, 14:31
Eboy, 320JI and Michael,
Your points very very interesting. Esp the ones about the sugar, the bulkhead and the rests.
This is getting good ! Keep Flying in fellas
Cheers
Joles
Atreyu
12th Nov 2005, 00:59
don't know if anyone said it yet, just squinting through, but during takeoff, climb, descent and landing when said child is 'tied' into the chair, a window can often take their mind off being belted up. Changing view etc. worked when i was alot younger
Still works now ;)
Atreyu
RatherBeFlying
13th Nov 2005, 14:23
The two Master RBFs flew in their FAA-approved infant car seats principally for safety considerations.
Fellow pax appreciated the fact that they were used to travel in their car seats and made next to no fuss.
Different airlines have different policies; so, it pays to check at booking time and give your business to those that allow them. It may also be useful to have such car seat policy faxed to you in case gate agents (not always employees of airline) make up their own rules.
Can't say I did all that. The air that you travel like this all time tends to fend away any hampering. CC with their own small children likely prefer to travel with car seats.
alindmathur
14th Nov 2005, 19:11
So I am the guilty one sending my wife alone with our 2 year old.
Thanks to all of you, especially to Joles, I think I have a plan.
Eboy and Mike, your tip of keeping him sugar free and not let him sleep during the day could be the combo magic pill.
I am going to feed him plenty of sugar early morning so he is hyper through out the day and doesn't sleep, until the flight takes off later in the night :ok:
Off course no sugar party later in the day
vegas_jonny, that was a nice suggestion of leaving him back home, but then I would suffer for weeks. No thanks:*
Alind
chippy63
15th Nov 2005, 13:41
A splash of rum or brandy in their milk never goes adrift. And don't forget the obvious trick of giving them a finger to suck when climbing or descending. Anticipating ear discomfort and giving them a finger (not the finger :ooh: ) is easier than settling them once they are in full cry.
..and don't forget to have a toddy yourself.