Flying with children Voyage Tips and guide

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In general, flying is the most uncomfortable way to travel both for children and their parents. In turn, it can also be uncomfortable for other passengers. However, it is the usually the fastest and often the only way to get to certain places, and for some trips you'll just have to brace and prepare for the inevitable. Try to find a direct flight to your destination, at off-peak travel times. The less time you spend walking through airports and clearing security check points, the better. You are going to have to carry plenty of extra baggage, and this will become a nuisance if you have to keep unpacking. A crowded airport is full of stimuli that can upset/excite/bewilder a young child, so travelling at a quieter time will make the journey easier. Sometimes the only option is a flight at times when children are supposed to be sleeping – unfortunately kids don't always sleep well on a moving plane.

Unaccompanied minors are children, typically 12 or younger, for whom the airline assumes some duty to care for them. They usually sit in a row down the back of a plane where a flight attendant will check on them during the flight. They will disembark last, and will only be handed over to the person identified on a check-in form. If the assigned person does not meet the child from the flight, the airline reserves the right to return the child to the origin immediately at the guardian's cost.

On some airlines such as Air New Zealand, children who are flying on the same flight but in a different travel class to their guardians (e.g. parents in business class, children in economy class) are deemed flying alone.

Some airlines (mainly low-cost carriers) will not accept unaccompanied minors, and impose restrictions on the supervision that must be provided to younger children, often that children 12 or under must be accompanied by a guardian 18-years or over.

Some airlines may charge a specific fee for the service, or may charge indirect fees by not allowing online booking, or not allowing child discounts.

Generally a child must be over 5 to be accepted as an unaccompanied minor. Some airlines require all unaccompanied children under 12 to be registered this way, while airlines like KLM require it of all unaccompanied children under 15. Usually it remains an option for children until age 15 or 17, depending on the airline.

Sometimes the minimum age for a connecting flight is 8 years or over. Airlines never allow unaccompanied minors to transfer between different airports in the same metro area via ground transportation.

Some airlines, most notably British Airways, Qantas and Air New Zealand, do not permit male passengers to be seated next to unaccompanied minors. If you were assigned a seat next to an unaccompanied minor, you will be made to swap seats with a female passenger.

See also: Planning your flight

Age policy around child and infant tickets varies between airlines. As a general rule children under 2 often have the option of traveling sitting on your lap and not being assigned a seat. Lap infants can travel free on domestic flights in some countries and sometimes at a 10% fare on international flights. Airport and government charges are usually not applied to children under 2, thereby reducing ticket price further. They may not have the same baggage allowance as adults. Commonly when adults are allowed 20 kg, infants are allowed 10kg but exceptions exist and on "low cost carriers" nothing is included.

During take-off and landings infants on your lap should be held in an upright position facing you and against you, with your hands supporting their back and neck. Some infants are more comfortable nursing during these periods and most flight attendants will allow it. Saving a feed for the descent can make the baby much more comfortable. With some carriers a lap belt is available that loops into the adult belt and then around the lap infant for take-off and landings.

Consider putting infants with their own seat in an approved car seat appropriate for their age and weight. This is compulsory in the USA, and recommended in other jurisdictions. Still, best to confirm with your airline about it, as some airlines try to restrict carry-on, and other airlines will not permit an unsupported infant in a seat without a car-seat.

Some airlines do not have the facilities for infants to be booked through their website, and you must contact the call center or a travel agent. Your infant is recognized as an individual passenger on a flight and therefore you must book their ticket before flying. Turning up at an airport with an infant who has no ticket will cause difficulties at check-in.

Infants younger than two weeks may require a certificate from a doctor saying they are able to fly.

If you have infants under 6 months old on a long-haul flight you may be able to request a bassinet (baby bed) which attaches to the bulkhead. This can make long flights much more comfortable for the parent and child. The age, height and weight requirement for using a bassinet depends on the airline. Requirements are usually listed on the airline's website. There are also limited bassinet seating options depending on the aircraft. If you check-in after they have been allocated, then it will unfortunately not be an option for you.

For older infants, consider a bulkhead seat. Arm rests don't go up (the tray is in the armrest), and you have to stow your carry-on bags in the overhead compartment during take-off and landing since there is no seat in front of you. On the plus side, bulkhead seats have more legroom, often enough for moving around without disturbing the occupant of the aisle seat, and there is no seat in front for the child to kick. Some airlines will let you book these when you purchase tickets, others give them out at a first-come-first-served basis at check-in only. Airlines won't let you place infants on the floor at your feet to sleep. Many airlines allow carrying an FAA approved child car seat outside the normal allowances.

Children between 2 and 12 must have their own ticket. Children this age are usually given a discounted rate (typically 75% of the adult fare) on full service international airlines, but usually have no discount on discount international or domestic airlines. Discounted children's tickets may have different baggage allowances, so check before packing. Children's meals are available on some flights offering meals. The usual rules for special meals apply, and they must be ordered in advance. Picky eaters may prefer to bring their own food from home.

Unaccompanied children are usually children under 12 traveling without a supervising adult. Not all airlines accept unaccompanied children, especially discount airlines. An unaccompanied child may be required to travel on a full adult fare, and additional fees may be charged. Unaccompanied children will need to be collected at their destination by a named caregiver and may be returned to their point of departure if not collected. Some airlines do not permit connections and no airlines permit connections to different airlines. In Russia a special official document is necessary that states that the child has permission to travel alone.

Seat allocation is important. At a minimum you want to be seated next to your child, but few airlines will actually guarantee that you are. Make sure you and your child are on a single reservation. Try and reserve your seats in advance, if the airline or agent permit it. Check-in early, and if you are not seated together make sure the flight manager is aware you are travelling with a child. If you still can't get a seats together, just make sure you get a window or an aisle seat, as these are easy to swap on board, whereas swapping a center seat can be a nightmare. Some low-cost carriers may require one adult in the traveling party to pay for a reserved seat next to the child while the rest of the party is assigned random seats unless they pay for seat reservations.

See also: At the airport

Airports often have play areas as well as nursery or parent rooms with changing tables and rocking chairs for nursing.

Parents with smaller children can keep their hands free with a baby sling or baby backpack. Slings can be used on the plane with small infants and can give some privacy when nursing. Many parents find a stroller a lifesaver when flying, especially since it can carry not just the baby, but also some carry-on luggage. Some airports and airlines will let you keep a stroller with you until boarding, and the stroller is brought to the gate at arrival. Some airlines allow one stroller to be checked at the gate, in addition to normal baggage allowances. Check with your airline for size and weight limits. If you're boarding by bus, you will usually have to carry the stroller down the jetbridge stairs yourself.

You're often permitted to carry more liquids through security than would be otherwise allowed if they're clearly intended for the use by a child or infant.

See also: On the plane

Once in the air, flight attendants should be able to heat milk or water for a bottle, and point out which lavatories have changing tables. Pack a small grab-bag with one or two diapers and wipes for changing, since there's not a lot of room to move around in the lavatories and you won't want to bring your whole diaper bag. Flights with meals may include an infant meal with baby food, but you'll want to bring some favorite snacks in case this is not available.

Regardless of their age, if you're flying with kids you need to bring snacks for them.

Young infants are often content to nurse and sleep through a flight, while older babies will require some entertainment. Bring small bags of snacks and toys and dole them out every 10–15 minutes so there's always something new to play with. Small amounts of playdough, books, and crayons are good ideas. Avoid anything messy or with small parts that can get lost under foot. Anything too noisy will probably not be appreciated by other travellers. Take walks up and down the aisle every half hour or so and look for other babies and young children. Making a friend (and talking with other parents) can make the flight go faster. Infants dressed too warm for the cabin temperature might begin to cry.

Flying in a group can be fun as children can keep each other busy. On a large plane such as a Boeing 747 or Airbus A380, you will want to reserve the four seats in the middle. The armrests move up allowing for children to sleep. Another option if you're flying Air New Zealand or China Airlines is the Skycouch or Family Couch: a row of three economy seats which can convert into a flat "couch" by raising the legrests and retracting the armrests. It costs extra, and is not available on all aircraft models and flights, but it does give more room for children to lay down than buying regular economy seats. On smaller planes, pair one parent or older child with each of the younger children, and make sure everyone is supervised at all times.

Time also passes more quickly for children with video entertainment, like a familiar TV show for younger children.

If intercontinental flights seem too long for children, try planning a stopover or two in between. For example, Air Canada has a five-hour flight from St. John's, Newfoundland to London Heathrow for a trans-Atlantic trip, and Icelandair usually allows having a long stop instead of just a transfer in Iceland. Trans-Pacific flights are a bit more challenging, but Hawaii (or in some cases, Anchorage, Alaska) are possibilities. Look at a round globe (not a flat map) for more ideas. Keep in mind this will involve more take-offs and landings, as well as getting from one flight to another, so it's a trade off. In addition, it will probably cost a lot more as well, especially if you can't keep the trip to just one airline and its affiliates.

See also: Flight and health

Airplanes have internal pressure that while higher than ambient pressure at cruising altitude is lower than air pressure at the departure point. This means that during a flight, pressure will slowly fall, remain largely stable and rise again upon descent. Adults can usually deal with those pressure changes by swallowing. For infants, the buildup of pressure in the ears is painful and screaming is a natural reaction that somewhat mitigates the problem. Babies should nurse or drink something to help with the pressure. Teach older children to yawn and offer them gum for take off and landings. For toddlers, bring a spill-proof cup and have them drink something during take-off and landing. However, if they're asleep, don't wake them; they'll be fine.

You may not be able to keep your child from screaming but a small apologetic gesture towards fellow passengers can go a long way.