Air travel, especially these days, is stressful. Throw in a kid or two and you have the makings for a supreme make-your-eyeballs-pop-out-of-your-head-I swear-I-will-never-fly-again headache. (I know, I am still recovering from the flight we took in May with our then fifteen-month-old.)
But....it does not have to be this way. Granted, air travel with little ones will probably never be easy, but there are ways to ease your anxiety and help your children travel better.
When To Arrive: I have but one word for you...EARLY. Get there early. You never know when your child will have a tantrum, get hungry, or need to use the bathroom, again. If you arrive with plenty of time to spare it won't be such a big deal if your kid wants to stop and stare at all the people or has his third dirty diaper of the morning. The less stress you feel, the less stress your kids feel, and the better able to cope you will be.
When to Board: There are two ways to approach this. Most airlines allow people with small children to board early. This is good if you want to get your children acclimated and need to make sure there is room in the overhead for your carry-on items. The flip side is that this is that much extra time your child will have to sit on the plane. You might want to take the opposite approach and actually board last.
How To Sit: Most airlines will not make you purchase a ticket for children under the age of two. This definitely saves money, but it also means that your child will not have his own seat. It can be quite uncomfortable to hold a squirming 18-month-old on your lap for several hours. And remember that airplane seats are miniscule not known for their spaciousness. (Of course, if your kid is anything like mine, he'll end up in your lap anyway, regardless of whether or not you bought him a 600 dollar seat on the plane. *smile*) Remember, too, that if you do not purchase a seat, your child will not be able to use a carseat, which experts say is the safest way for young children to fly.
One possible remedy is to ask the ticketing agent if the flight is full. If it is not, you may be able to get an assigned seat with an empty one next to you. This way, your child has room to move and you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for another ticket. It never hurts to ask. Remember that everyone, not just you, wants a quiet and uneventful flight.
Entertainment: Pack some new toys as well as old favorites. The familiar ones can be comforting and the new ones will hopefully keep them engaged. Travel DVD players can be a great tool to use if your little ones have a favorite video. After the seat-belt sign is turned off, try to get up and walk the aisles occasionally. A little exercise can help keep the squirminess in check.
All in all, air travel with little ones is probably not on anyone's favorite-things-to-do list, but with a lot of planning and a ton of a little luck it can be easily tolerable, and maybe, if you are super lucky, kind of enjoyable.
