Travel – Family Air Travel Tips
Air travel with young children could be a source of stress for travelling parents. The following tips are aimed at helping parents and children have an easier travel. Arriving at the airport two or one hours before the scheduled time is very important. Your kids will have enough time to familiarize with the area and you will have all the time to buy snacks. You should always remember to carry passports for your travel, including Identification Cards for adults. Remember to pack all the important documents for your family members such as emergency telephone numbers and medical records.
Carry non-perishable snacks for the kids since most airlines have no snacks. Most airline recommend snacks like; dried fruits, puffed wheat and sliced cheese. Carry powdered milk and treated water for mixing, avoid using tap water from the plane since you are not sure if the water is treated. In order to allow good comfort for your child, carry a light blanket, jacket or a sweater which is easy to wear or remove depending on the temperature on the plane. Small kids get bored quickly therefore, pack a small bag with favorite toys and story books within your bag. If you have an entertaining book or magazine for you and the kids, this will be very interesting especially if you assist them in answering some of the questions in the magazines.
While passing through various check points, one parent can queue the line while the other looks after the children on the open spaces of the lounge. All the members of the family should however stay close in case the travel agents need to see all the passengers. Parents travelling with their baby in a carrier car seat should keep the car seat with them till they reach their destination. Make sure your trolley has a tag will all the necessary information such as address, name and your contacts and if possible, pack the trolley in your bag.
If your flight has delayed after boarding, ask the flight staff whether the kids can play on the plane to avoid boredom and try to engage them on a quiet play. To reduce the ear pressure when the plane is taking off, give chewing gum to big children and milk to small babies. You can also tell stories, sing quietly or sooth them to sleep. Give the children toys only when they ask for them. Give them one item at a time to keep them busy.
