Flying with Kids

We have flown with my daughter 4 times since she was 4 months old (she is now 18 months old). From my exprience the airlines have not really done anything to better accomodate. They are not rude or anything, but you have to ask to board early. I remember years ago the airlines used to allow people with small children or those needing extra time to board first. Well, I haven't heard that announcement in a long time and was told that you need to request at the gate to allow extra boarding time. So, I would definitely do that. Also, give your 4 month old a bottle as you are taking off. I have made the mistake of feeding my daughter when we got on the plane and then the bottle ran out more than once because of delays during takeoff. I would imagine for your 2 year old to pack a variety of fun "stuff" and snacks. My friend also takes along their portable DVD because that has either entertained her son OR has helped him to fall asleep. I also read in a parents magazine to bring along a bag of Hershey Kisses to pass out to surrounding flyers with the theory being that no one can get mad at a mom who gives out Kisses. I have not tried that. I will say that my daughter flew the best when she was 4 months old. She pretty much slept the entire flight from Dallas to Philadelphia. When I have flown alone with my daughter the people at security and the gate have always helped me with my stroller and then on the plane people have always helped me with my luggage if I needed it.

Have fun in Orlando. We are going in October and I am hoping that my then 20 month old will not be so "squirmy"

We like to board last, especially with a toddler. I tried to starve her off when she was an infant so she would be hungry for her bottle...something to do and helps with the pressure. Toys, books, movies, snacks, whatever they love is great and throw in a few new surprises. I totally agree about "not worrying what other people think". Depending on your airline you can go online and pick your own seats. We just flew American and the day before they flight I checked our seats and the row was full, so I just changed us to an empty row (or less congested area). It's amazing what a little extra space can do. Our record trip was 15 hours with a 14 month old so you can do it!!!!!!!

Hi K.,
We traveled with our 2 the same ages earlier in the year. We took the double stroller which was a lifesaver & you can stroll right up to the plane & leave the stroller there. I don't know if your youngest is still in the carrier, but we took his carrier on the plane & put him next to the window with the shade on his carrier pulled so that he had a nice dark spot. I nursed him on the take off & he slept the rest of the time. The 2 yr old was BUSY BUSY BUSY but did fine. We got him a special coloring book a couple days ahead of the trip & let him look at it but not use until we were on the plane. he was so excited to have a special thing to do & that lasted a good hour. The attendents were so sweet with us. Our flight was 3.5 hours. When you get off the plane, your stroller is waiting for you. Most importantly try to be patient b/c the kids pick up your stressed out vibe & that makes it worse! :) Good luck & have fun!! S.

I have a 7 and 3 year old and we have flown a lot....the airlines usually allow you to board first to give you extra time...my experience is to have one of the adults board first with the car seats(if you are using them) and the other adult waits in gate area with the 2 kids. This allows the first adult to install the seats and not have to mess with it while containing the kids on the airplane. Then the adult waiting to board with the kids can wait until the last group is called or even "last call for flight..." and then you get right on the plane and sit down. This eliminates some of the sitting on the plane and waiting for everyone else to board...kids usually can't sit still during that time and want to run around. Let them run around in the gate area to get the last of their energy out of their systems!

The other advice I have is to bring a portable DVD player so the 2year old can watch his shows while flying.

Also if you are nursing your baby, nursing during take off and landing can reduce some of the potential discomfort from pressure in their ears. Or a pacifier if not nursing.

And as silly as this may sound, I try to avoid eye contact with people flying, only because I hate to see the look some folks get on their face that is saying, "Gee I hope that mom and her kids aren't sitting near me"......it helps me be less stressed.

If there is going to be a movie played on the flight(depending on length and airline) bring your own set of headphones to avoid the charge of purchasing them from the airline.

Bring plenty of snacks for your 2 year old....eating sometimes is a fun way to pass the time...maybe pack some "fun" snacks that he likes and usually isn't allowed to have.

You should be able to "Gate check" your stroller, meaning you can keep the stroller when going through security and then they will check it for you when you get on the plane and when you get off the plane, the stroller will be waitng for you as you exit the plane.

Lastly, bring plenty of diapers, formula, etc...because you never know when a flight may be delayed or cancelled and if you have just a couple diapers and the rest are in your checked luggage, the airlines won't provide extra diapers should the need arise--that one has happened to me :-)

Hope this isn't too much info for you....just want to be prepared...flying can be a lot of fun with children regardless of what some may say...you just need to be prepared.

Have fun on your trip!
T. L.
Flower MOund

My advice for your baby, if breastfeeding, or even just bottle feeding, let them eat especially during take off time because of the whole "ear popping" situation if they aren't swallowing they might get real cranky b/c their ears hurt. Same for the 2 yr old, take a sippey cup on the plane. Get there real early so you're not rushed, and ask for pre-boarding. Take things like coloring books or toys to keep your 2 yr old busy and snacks. I missed my flight back to Dallas from Orlando with my 3 yr old, but don't worry Orlando airport is the most family/kid friendly airport anywhere!!! Have a great time.

I've been flying w/my daughter since she was 6mos. U'll have good experiences and bad. Depending on which airline ur flying some r more accomodating then others. When taking off and landing, be sure to give the baby a bottle of juice or water as the air pressure tends to cause alot of pain to their ears. The bottle wud be equivalent to an adult chewing gum on an airplane to ensure that there is no pressure build up in the ears. U can do the same for the 2yr old. The rest of ur adventure really depends on how well ur children behave. Good luck and have a safe trip.

Jackie and Amanda gave already good advice, same as I wanted to tell you.
I have flown a lot with the kids, I personaly never gave them meds to make them drowsy. At some point they always will go to sleep because all the impressions make them tired and the loud noise luls them to sleep.
I always bring a lot of toys. But everytime I'm so surprised because they think it's more fun to play with a plastic tea spoon than with their toys. Many times we ended up not even unpacking half the toys we brought when they were that age. (depends on the lenght of the flight)

If it is only an up to 4 hour flight you will do perfectly fine. You will be very tired afterwards because you have to entertain them more than at home.

Good luck, and I hope you're flying with your spouse, that way it's one on one, and that's not bad at all!

I.

Pack light but bring an extra shirt for your self! My daughter got sick on me the last trip we took and I was glad to have a clean shirt. The airlines are NOT kid friendly so bring what you think you will need. It's not too long of a flight so see if you can plan it around nap time so they sleep.
L.
www.lizzyzinn.com

K., be sure you get to the airport early and make sure all your seats are together. Also take small blankets for the kids, the ones on the planes are filthy and it can get chilly. Take snacks for your son and feed your daughter for take off and landing if possible. It helps equalize pressure in their ears. The pilots are busy before take-off but will usually let your son sit in their seat with their hat on for a picture. Have fun.
J.

i fly with my two girls by myself no less twice a year to seattle.(4hr flight!) if you're going with your husband then you'll have it easier. i fly american and the people are always helpful but they don't let people with children on first so you have to wait till they call your group. if both children are on laps then they won't let you sit together so you better call ahead and get your seats coordinated. they say it's because you can't have two lap children and two 3adults sitting together because there is not enough oxygen masks. that's what they told us when we did fly together.if you are buying a set for one child and they are in a car seat you have to sit them by a window. ok on to the flying part. when you take off and land give your baby a passifier or a bottle so her ears will pop as she sucks. this always worked for my girls when they were babies. for your two yr old bring lots of books,snacks,milk ect...they don't usually have milk on the plane so i bring about 5-8oz cups with me cause my girls go through it like crazy. as long as your older one has stuff to keep him fed,hydrated and busy he'll be fine. i hope my rambling helped. good luck and have fun. oh since your baby is 4mo. you could put her in a baby bjorn and just hold her that way the whole flight. i did that when my 1st girl was 3 mos. and it was so easy. she slept most of the flight and drank maybe 2 bottles. they just love being snuggled next to mom or dad. good luck have fun and God bless!

I bought a portable DVD player for our 2 year old daughter to watch and brought books...the airlines are very helpful...just make sure you dress them light and have shoes that come off and on easy cause you have to take them through security...also we gave our daughter a little Tylenol before we boarded..it helps with the air pressure and makes her sleepy...good luck!!!

Hi K.,

We have flown twice with my daughter, once when she was 5 months and again in August, when she was 7 months. I don't know what airline you're flying, but I can tell you that they do not give special preferences to people flying with small children. At least American does not and that is due to the 1st class passengers complaining about not getting the preferential treatment. You just board when your group is called. However, on a positive side, this last time we flew, we flew AirTran and they did allow us to board first. They said it's not their policy, but they said we could go ahead and do it.
Also, I am not sure if you purchased a seat for your daughter, but if you did, make sure that her carseat has the sticker on it that says the carseat is certified for aircraft. When we flew out this last time to PA, on the trip out, the flight attendant could not find that sticker so we ended up paying for a seat we could not use, I was furious because no one had mentioned that to me before. When we got to my in-laws and I looked more closely at the seat, the sticker was in fact on there and in red print said this carseat was certified for automobile and aircraft travel. I had my hands full with my daughter and our bags on the way out so I could not find that sticker for the flight attendant, but obviously she missed what was staring her right in the face. Needless to say on the trip back to Dallas we were sure to have that sticker pointing directly in the flight atttendants face so it was not missed this time.

This info. may not help at all, but I hope at least will give you some insight into flying. Have a fun and safe trip!

K.

You've gotten a lot of great advice (snacks, new toys, cups, etc.) One suggestion I have to make this a fun trip is to let the ticket agent and flight attendants know this is your child's first flight. I flew Southwest with my son and they were so helpful and nice (didn't buy him a seat but got to have an empty one for him anyway, stroller was open and ready as we got off the plane, totally agree you will want to sit in the first row with extra leg room). Anyway, they also gave him extra snacks to play with, little wings, a first flight certificate, and made an announcement over the intercom (I think this helped us not get the evil eye too much since everyone knew it was his first time) and we got to say hi to the pilot. He was only 11mo but we felt special and it made the experience memorable. Good Luck!

K.,
First of all... Just relax and enjoy the trip! Here are some of my hints:
You can bring your stroller up to the gate and will need to check it in at curbside
Make sure your kids have something to drink going up and down with the airplane. This will help with the air pressure.
I always like to arrive in the airplane last that way my child is not coup up on my lap while we wait for the rest of the passengers to come in.
You could also bring on the airplane an exciting and new toys for your children
Always ask for help
Don't worry about what other people think if your kids start crying
If you happen to need to change your child's diaper in the airplane's tiolet don't worry about your child screaming and hollering; nobody can hear them because the vibrations from the plane are so loud!
Good Luck!

The best piece of advice that I can give you is take the biggest stroller you have. Airlines will let you gatecheck your stroller, that means you can roll it all the way down to the door of the plane, then they will take it right there, put it below, and it will be at the door when you get off. The other advice I will give is have lots of cups. Let the kids drink on the way up and the way down, they have to swallow then, which will pop their ears. The last piece of advice I have, try to get your two year old to go number two right after you touch down. (I'm just kidding, but my son did this, and as everyone stood up, I yelled out, "Believe me, you do NOT want me on this plane much longer!" It was like the parting of the Red Sea, I have NEVER gotten off a plane so quickly! ;} Good Luck! And have a great trip!

Hi, I have flown several times with my two oldest, once when my 5 yr. old was only 13 days old. Babies R Us sells a little vest harness that can be attached to the airplane seatbelt if your 2 yr. old is flying on a lap, and if you purchase a seat for your 4 month old, most infant carriers are airplane safety rated, so you can just strap it in the seat just like you would in your car. Make sure to bring a bottle for your infant and a sippy cup for your boy, so they can be sucking on something as the plane takes off to adjust for the pressure changes - similar to your chewing gum at takeoff. Also, ask at the check-in if your airline lets families with small children board first - most do - if they don't ask if they'll allow you to anyway. Trust me, you need the extra time and space to avoid getting stressed right at the beginning of your trip. Bring PLENTY of toys to entertain your little boy. Mine just love paper and crayons, favorite toys (nothing with little pieces if you can avoid it), and snacks. If you have a laptop, bring it and some dvd's to play for your oldest. Well, sorry for the length, but I hope this helped some. :0)

Sounds like you have lots of good advice so far!! I usually fly American. I always ask to board early with our car seats and have always been allowed to board early. We have never been asked to see an "airplne certified" sticker, so I will have to go check our seats! Normally, the flight attendant just wanted to see that the seat was installed properly. (They have repeatedly said I would be surprised at how many people just put the seats on the seat without the seatbelt!!) We also usually gate check the stroller so that we can use it the entire way to the gate and immediately after landing. (The stroller has come through many flights without any issues, including a burpee that was accidently left inside. It was laying on top and not lost when we got to our destination!!)

We have lots of toys, books, snacks, etc.. However, I am sure that will change with all the new rules. We haven't flown in the last month.

Good luck and enjoy....

I agree w/ all the other entries, except I have comments about the new security policies. I flew just last weekend with my 22 month old. Don't bring any gel-filled teethers or other liquid/gel toys; thry'll take them away. If you bring a sippycup with more than 4 oz of fluid, you'll be at security a little longer becuase they'll want to check that fluid for bombs, no kidding. I brought water in his sippycup for the drive to the airport, knowing the flightattendant would hand out juices, etc once aboard...but I forgot to dump the water out before entering the airport. Security took a little longer because the water showed up in the xray machine and they had to open the cup...next time I'll not forget to bring the cup empty, just because I dont need the delay.

I wasnt checking baggage through and I had paid for my ticket online so I thought I could skip the big line before security but I still had to prove the baby's age w/ a birth certificate so I had to stand in the long line anyway (allow time for this). My boarding pass had a pre-boarding pass on it, so at the gate I got in the pre-boarding line. I dont know about other airlines, but I flew SW where you pick any seat when you get on board (no pre-assigned seats). I, and other parents with little ones) always grabbed seat row #1 because there isnt a seat ahead of you for your little one to bang on and there was much more legroom. One dad even propped his feet up on the bulkhead and his infant slept level on his legs. I like to be near an emergency exit and row #1 is closest to the main doors. Otherwise, the only other seats with the leg and laproom you'll appreciate with kids are the mid-cabin emergency exits...but the FAA prohibits you to sit in those rows if you have kids under 15. I'd suggest trying to reserve row#1 if you're on flights with pre-assigned seats.

I don't know if it is better to board first or last with kids. The airlines used to let you go first, but a lot of them don't anymore. First is good because you can install the carseats and get everyone settled before the plane fills up with the other passengers. Last is good because you don't have to sit on the plane as long...guess its sort of a toss up! We usually try to go first with two kids, because it is a real pain to get the car seats installed and I prefer to do it without a 100 people getting frustrated with me for taking so long to get everyone settled! Lots of snacks and drinks are good distractions. And, definitely give them something to drink, or a pacifier if they use one, during take off and landing. This helps with ear pressure. New toys are good, too...soemthing they haven't seen before. Also bring a lovey if they have one and a blanket you can use as a pillow is helpful. Our doc advised us to give mine a half dose of benadryl to help with ear pressure and to help them sleep on the plane. This worked wonders on my then 2-year old, but did nothing for my then 8-month old. We didn't check the stroller at the gate, had too much other stuff to carry, plus you still don't get it back until the baggage claim at your destination. Bring a change of clothes and a plastic bag in case you need to store soiled clothes. There is a changing table above the toilet in the rest room. The most important thing to bring is patience and thick skin. No matter how hard you try to prepare, someone will not understand the hardship of traveling with kids. They might cry...that's OK! Your son will probably kick the seat in front of him...more than once! Just apologize and tell him not to. There's not much more you can do. You might get dirty looks from other passengers both if your kid is crying and if they are having fun, but being a little loud. Sometimes you just can't win! All you can do is grin and bear it! On our last flight, my 8-month old had a terrible time. She didn't want to be stuck in her seat for what turned into a 5 hour flight (bad weather at our destination), she wouldn't sleep, her ears were bothering her and she was teething! She fussed and whined the whole time and all the toys, books, etc in the world wouldn't have made her happy. But,we got really lucky and the lady that was seated next to us was awesome! She didn't care that the baby was crying and even tried to help me calm her down, giving her a magazine to look at and playing peek-a-boo with her. My 2 year old slept most of the time, but did her share of seat kicking while awake! I hope you have a plane full of understanding passengers (just in case) and that your kids both fly as well as my oldest daughter does! Good luck to you!!

I recently flew with my 2 year old. Maybe you can read more about that and the advice I was given by looking at my profile. To that I will add three things: 1.) arrive early so you don't feel rushed getting through security. This was the most intense part of the whole trip...keeping an eye on her (let alone 2 kids), our stuff, our shoes, etc. 2.) at the gate, ASK for pre-boarding. We took American and at no time was there pre-boarding. We were later told by an attendant, "we haven't done that in a long time." So ask for it and see what happens. Overall, the attendents were very helpful. 3.) When you check your bags and get seat assignments, make sure you are not put in an exit row (because that's for 18+ only and you don't want to have to move after your situated) and if you are taking a car seat on, it must be used in a window seat. -- This is all stuff I didn't know or think about before I flew with a kiddo. --

First of all, make sure that you tell the ticket agent when you are checking it that you are flying with 2 little ones. They usually do everything they can to put you where you will have as much room as possible. They have even blocked off extra seats for us before. When they ask for small children to board first, I opt to wait, because that just means you will have longer to wait for other passengers to board. We have a DVD player with headphones for our 20 month old and that has been a big help. The last flight we were on, we sat in the back of the plane and it is alot noisier there, and I think the extra engine noise lulled our son to sleep --- he fell asleep before we even took off and did not even wake up when we landed!!! Also, always ask the flight attendents for help if you need it---especially if you need to change a diaper----one flight attendant let me use her jump seat, because the bathroom did not have a changing table and I would have had to change him on the toilet seat. OH, and be sure you have a change of clothes for the kids and a plastic bag for any soiled clothes or to dispose of dirty diapers.
GOOD LUCK!! You guys will be fine.