What to do on the airplane when traveling with kids

Flying with dinosaurs

Once you’re on the airplane, try to make everyone as comfortable as possible. Fasten the seat-belts and take off your kids' shoes if they’ll let you. Let the children explore their surroundings: seat pockets, in-flight magazines, TV-screens, meal trays, and various buttons in the arm rest can all be exhilarating stuff for kids.

Bring out the blankets, stuffed animals and maybe a book or a game, and make use of the pillows usually provided by the airline. If you’re lucky your children will settle down once the initial excitement of being on board dies down. And if you’re really lucky, they will spend at least part of the flight asleep.

Hoard snacks

On longer flights, some airlines will dole out free snacks every now and then: crackers, sandwiches, candy, pretzels and so on. If your children are asleep or simply not hungry when snacks are being offered just stash them in your hand luggage and hand them out as needed. 

Again with the bathrooms

Just like at the airport, make sure you know where the bathrooms are and try to use them before there’s an emergency. I find my children always need to go right as the plane is about to land, or once it’s landed and everyone is standing up waiting for the doors to open. Try to get them to go before that and your life will be a lot easier.

Make use of the in-flight entertainment system

Nowadays, pretty much every airline offers individual TV-screens for all passengers. No more craning your neck to watch the one movie offered like in the bad old days! Instead, you can usually choose from a menu of movies, TV-episodes, music, news and even games. 

Some airlines charge for the use of headphones while others give them out for free. Bring kid-sized headphones with you if you can: the ones provided by the airlines can often be difficult for little children to wear comfortably.

Oh behave!

When it comes to kids’ behavior on board, you can never be sure what you’re going to get. Sometimes I’ve received compliments on my kids' behavior; other times I’ve been given the evil eye or, very rarely, an earful. 

The reality is that at some point during a long flight, your children will probably squirm, be loud, kick the seat in front of them, play with their tray in a noisy fashion, whine or spill something. They’re in an unfamiliar situation and may be tired, scared, bored, uncomfortable or even feel sick, so some acting up and acting out is normal.

Of course you do your best to help them calm down. You bring out the toys and games. You explain what’s expected of them. You divert their attention. You use the bribes you brought if you have to. You pull out all the usual tricks you use to get your children to behave in public. And still it won’t always help and you might end up feeling stressed out because you know your children are bothering other passengers. However, in my experience, other passengers are usually quite sympathetic: sometimes I’ve even had people play with my children for part of a flight!

Sadly, even if you and your children do your very best, there may still be passengers who get annoyed with you: some people just seem to get stressed out when they’re on a plane with kids on-board. Try to take that in stride even if it can be aggravating.

Read more about flying with kids:

• How to prepare yourself and your kids for a long flight.
• What to ask the airline before traveling with kids.
• What to pack in your hand luggage when traveling with kids.
• What to do at the airport when traveling with kids. 

What to do at the airport when traveling with kids

Depending on the circumstances, family travel time spent in airports may be only marginally less stressful than the time spent on board airplanes.

If you’re transferring to another flight you may have barely enough time to find the next gate. On the other hand, if there’s a delay or just a long scheduled wait before your next flight, you may have hours to kill in a place where there is not a lot for your children to do. Both situations can be taxing for you and your kids.

Better than TV.

Some airports (though not enough of them) do have good play-areas and they can be invaluable if you have a lot of time to kill before or between flights.

Bathroom breaks

If your child is anything like mine, then when they say they need to go, they’re in a hurry. And if your luck is anything like mine, this will happen when you’re waiting to board your plane, when you’re in the security lineup, or when you’re having your hand-luggage x-rayed. In those situations it isn’t always easy or even possible to find a bathroom.

That’s why I highly recommend keeping an eye out for bathrooms at all times, and to hustle your children into one when you do have the time and you think they may be due for a visit. 

Keeping safe

Keep an eye on your children at all times. Yes, it’s obvious advice, but there are so many ways for children to get into big trouble at an airport. There are security zones, security guards, no-enter areas, conveyor belts, electric cars, heavy luggage carts, alarmed doors… you get the idea. Keep them close to keep them safe.

Delays

Be ready for delays. With all the security measures in place today, getting around an airport even under normal circumstances can take a long time. Long lineups can form everywhere: at check in counters, at various passport, security and immigration checkpoints and at the gate. Add any other kind of delay because of volcanoes, terrorism, weather or mechanical problems and you may be in for a trip that’s a lot longer than you planned.

You can’t control these things so just come prepared and bring extra supplies of diapers, formula and snacks, just in case.

At the gate

Families with children are usually allowed to board the airplane before other passengers, so be ready for that and grab the opportunity when it’s offered!

Read more about flying with kids:

• How to prepare yourself and your kids for a long flight.
• What to ask the airline before traveling with kids.
• What to pack in your hand luggage when traveling with kids.
• What to do on the airplane when traveling with kids.

What to pack in your hand luggage when traveling with kids

Me and my hand luggage.

Packing light is a challenge when traveling with children, especially if they still need diapers, special food and formula. Spread the burden by letting your children bring their own hand luggage as soon as they’re big enough. My son loves his wheeled backpack and will happily cart along his own toys and snacks in it without complaining.

Just make sure to check what’s in their bags before you go. We once ended up with a huge, sharp-horned dinosaur in our hand luggage. At least it wasn’t confiscated by security when they discovered it in the x-ray machine...

My own two must-haves in my hand luggage are antibacterial wipes and plastic juice boxes. I'll explain more about why below!

General packing strategies

• Keep credit cards, money, tickets and passports on your person, in a waist pack or neck wallet for example. This reduces the risk of forgetting them somewhere.
• Use a backpack as your carry-on. It frees up your hands and when you’re traveling with kids, you will need your hands a lot!
• If there are two adults on the trip, split the load of carry-on items in a useful way. Make one carry-on the diaper and change-of-clothes bag and the other the snack and toy bag for example. This makes it easier to stow one carry-on in the overhead compartment on board to use only when it’s needed. It also makes it easier to find what you need.
• If possible, stow jackets and other outerwear (hats, gloves etc.) in your regular luggage before checking it. My logic is that the fewer items you have to keep track of while traveling the better. Most likely you will be spending your time inside airplanes and airports so jackets and coats won’t really be needed anyway. Bring, or wear, a long-sleeved shirt, sweater or cardigan in case you get cold.

What to pack in your hand luggage 

Tub of wipes, ready to go!

• Anti-bacterial hand wipes and gels. These are an absolute must. I use them on my children and myself (and my husband when he lets me) literally all the time when we are traveling, and definitely after any bathroom visits and before eating. This has significantly reduced how often we get sick after traveling. 
• Sippy cups & juiceboxes. I use Rubbermaids's litterless juiceboxes for my kids when we travel, and find them invaluable. Drinking from regular cups on board an airplane can be a real challenge for kids: it’s crowded, they may be sitting awkwardly, and the plane may be shaking. I pour any drinks served to the kids on board into the the plastic juiceboxes to be consumed safely right away, or saved for later.
• Diapers and wipes. Even if you typically don’t use pull-up diapers for your child, consider bringing some on the airplane. If your child can stand up unassisted, changing a pull-up is a lot easier than using the change table in a tiny airplane bathroom.
• Baby food, baby bottles and formula. You are allowed to bring formula for your child, even with the current restrictions on bringing liquids on board. However: water is available on long flights (even warm water), so bringing just formula powder may be a better option. And if you’re traveling with a breastfed child it’s even easier!
• A change of clothes. Because accidents and spills can happen even with a toilet trained child. Bring a clean shirt for yourself too if you have the room!
• Comfort items. Bring any and all such items your child may need: blankets, stuffed animals, pacifiers and so on. If your child uses a pacifier, bring an extra one as well as a strap for securing it to your child’s clothing.
• Snacks. Granola bars, fruit rollups, crackers, pretzels, raisins… Go with snacks that your child likes, are easy to pack and not too messy to eat.
• Toys and books. Pick items that are big enough that they won’t disappear on-board, yet small enough to fit in the hand-luggage. Avoid messy and noisy toys.
• Bribes. By this I mean special treats that can be used as persuasion tools. Bring something you know your child can’t resist and use it when you really need it. For example when a security lineup is taking forever, when your flight is delayed or your child just will not stop kicking the seat in front of them. For my daughter I bring lollipops. For my son, Smarties.

Your on-board pharmacy

I always bring a stash of medical supplies with me on the airplane. Usually none of it gets used, but I figure the day I forget to bring something is when I will need it.

To comply with regulations, make sure your supplies fit  into a one liter (1 quart) plastic bag, and that none of the bottles contains more than 100 ml (3oz.) of liquid. I always bring:

• Decongestants. I bring both a nasal spray and a liquid decongestant for children. (Ask your doctor or pharmacist what decongestants are suitable for your child’s age group.) Don’t forget this item, because if your child is congested while flying, your flight could become a nightmare. I’ve flown once with a severe head cold myself and it is a very painful experience. On that note: don’t forget to bring a decongestant for yourself!
• Gravol or other anti-nausea medication. If your child has an upset stomach, you will want to have something that can help them (and you) out.
• Fever and pain relief. Bring liquid acetaminophen or similar for young children in case they get a fever or an earache while traveling. And again, remember to bring some for yourself too!
• Allergy medication. If your child tends to suffer from allergies, then you should definitely bring this with you as well. 

For more information about what you can and can't bring on board, visit the TSA or CATSA websites, or the website of the airline you will be traveling with,

Read more about flying with kids:

• How to prepare yourself and your kids for a long flight.
• What to ask the airline before traveling with kids.
• What to do at the airport when traveling with kids. 
• What to do on the airplane when traveling with kids.

What to ask the airline before traveling with kids

For traveling infants, pajamas make great travel wear.

When traveling with small children and facing a long flight, there are several things you should ask the airline about in advance, preferably when you book your trip. Being aware of your choices and options can make your family travel a lot easier and more comfortable.

Infants & bassinets

If your child is under two, they can travel sitting on your lap. This means you don’t need to pay for a seat for them, though a small fee still applies. However, holding a child on your lap for many hours can be challenging, so it’s a good idea to bring a baby carrier like a Snugli or Baby Björn, if your child is small enough to use one. You can get your child a seat too of course even if they’re under two, but then you will be paying close to full price.

There is also another option. If you’re going on a long flight, your child is under two and meets certain size and weight requirements, your baby may get a bassinet on board.

A bassinet is a small cot and on a long flight they are a fantastic perk: your child gets a bed to sleep in and you get your hands free. There are only a limited number of seats on the plane where a bassinet can be accommodated, so you may not always get one, but always, always ask.

Meals for kids

If you’re going on a flight where meals will be served, you should be able to order kids’ meals for your children ahead of time. Just mention it to your travel agent or the airline when you book your flight. Even some airlines that usually charge for snacks and food will sometimes provide kids’ meals for free. That was my experience on Iceland Air, for example.   

Seat assignments 
Always make sure that you have access to the aisle. I cannot stress this enough. Window seats are nice and may keep kids occupied looking at the view for a while, but the aisle seat is your lifeline. It makes taking kids to the bathroom or for little strolls easier for them, for you and for other passengers.

If your entire family can’t be seated next to each other (which may happen, especially if there are more than three of you), consider asking for the additional seat, or seats, just across the aisle on the same row, rather than in front or behind. My husband and I have used this seating arrangement often and it works well. You can see and talk to each other easier than if you’re seated on different rows, and can also easily pass items (and children!) back and forth.

Car seats
Some people will tell you to definitely bring a car seat for your child to use on the plane. I’m not one of those people, but a car seat can be convenient. It does make the seat more comfortable for your child when they’re small, but carrying the car seat around can become burdensome, especially if you’re taking multiple flights.

If you want to bring a car seat, check with the airline in advance. Some airlines allow them on board and others don’t. Also, if you want to use the car seat at your destination, make sure that it’s legal (and fits into the cars) in the country you’re headed to.

Strollers & carriers
Like car seats, strollers can be convenient but also a hassle. The good thing is that your child has somewhere to sit and won’t complain about having to walk long distances through big airports. The bad thing is that if they don’t want to use the stroller, you still have to lug that stroller around. Also, you will probably have to check the stroller either at check-in or at the gate when you board the plane, and will then have to wait for it to be brought out once the plane lands.

If your child is still an infant, consider using a baby carrier instead of a stroller. Carriers are nice because they leave your hands free to haul luggage and hold tickets and passports. My husband and I used a Baby Björn carrier when our children were infants and then switched to using a Deuter back carrier until they were about two.

We did bring umbrella strollers a couple of times and they were good for moving fast through airports with tired or dawdling children. However, our kids rarely wanted to sit down, so the strollers mostly ended as unnecessary baggage. But if you’re sure that your child will use the stroller, then it may be worth bringing one.

As with car seats, some airlines are happy to bring strollers inside the cabin while others require you to check them at the gate. Ask ahead of time to avoid unnecessary hassles!

Finally: double-check everything
I highly recommend that you contact the airline a few weeks, or months if you're neurotic like me, before you travel to check that any requests for bassinets, kids’ meals and seating, have been noted.

Read more about flying with kids:

• How to prepare yourself and your kids for a long flight.
• What to pack in your hand luggage when traveling with kids.
• What to do at the airport when traveling with kids. 
• What to do on the airplane when traveling with kids.

How to prepare yourself and your kids for a long flight

What you do before you go on a long flight with your children is a very important part of your trip. Even just a little bit of planning and preparation before can go a long way.

• Talk to your children about what will happen on the trip. Try to explain in a step-by-step fashion what will happen at the airport and on the plane.
• Talk to your kids about how they should behave at the airport and on the plane. If they're old enough, try to explain the concept of security zones and that there are some places in airports and on planes where you are not allowed to go.
• Read books about airplanes. Prepare yourself to answer questions about wing-flaps, conveyor belts, and strange noises during take-off and landing, among other things.
• Try to make it all sound fun and exciting, especially if your children are anxious about flying or going away. For example, planning what to bring in their hand-luggage can be a big thrill for children. And if you have to take more than one flight to reach your destination, try to make that sound exciting too. After all, not all children are lucky enough to fly several airplanes in one day!

Even with all the preparation in the world, your children likely won’t do what you ask of them for the entire trip, but knowing more of what to expect will make it easier for them and for you.

Read more about flying with kids:

• What to ask the airline before traveling with kids.
• What to pack in your hand luggage when traveling with kids.
• What to do at the airport when traveling with kids. 
• What to do on the airplane when traveling with kids.