How to Prepare for Traveling With Kids
When it’s time for a family vacation you may be traveling with kids. Flying with young children in tow is a whole different ballgame than traveling alone though! If air travel is already stressful for adults, imagine what it must be like for kids to fly – especially if it is their first time on a plane. Here are a few of our
Keeping Your Kids Safe
To maximize your odds of having a pleasant journey, and make traveling with kids as comfortable as possible, consider doing the following:
- Travel in the morning when airports are less busy so you won’t lose your kids in the crowds.
- Put your kids near the window as the aisle may be busy with trolley carts with hot liquids.
- Carry motion sickness medication for children if your kids are prone to travel sickness.
- Bring an extra shirt for long-haul flights in case your child vomits.
- Bring extra diapers and wet wipes in case a flight is delayed.
- If they are old enough, give your children chewy sweets to help equalise ear pressure for takeoff and landing.
Kid-Specific Airline Assistance
If you are traveling with young children, airlines will often allow you to board earlier so you and your kids can settle down. Take advantage of this opportunity to put your carry-on bags in the overhead bins before other passengers use up all the space. You may also be able to order a kids’ meal in advance when you book your tickets
When on the plane, some airlines provide activities and gifts for children such as coloring books or kids games to keep the kids busy. If the airplane is equipped with in-flight entertainment, you may want to set parental controls on it to limit the kind of content they can watch.
How To Keep Your Kids Occupied During The Flight
Keeping your child occupied during the flight may make all the difference between a peaceful flight or a bored child that nags for attention. Here are a few tricks that you can use when traveling with kids to keep them busy:
- Bring a portable electronics games device like an iPad so they can play games by themselves.
- In case electronic devices aren’t allowed onboard, they can read a book or fill in a colouring book.
- If you have more than one child, they could play card games or mini versions of board games among themselves.
- For long-haul flights, give them a neck pillow so you are free to walk off to the toilet without them sleeping on your shoulder.
Are Kids Are Entitled To Compensation ?
If you experience a flight delay or cancellation that fulfils the compensation requirements set out by EU law, then you may be eligible for a claim from the airline – and this includes the children. These compensation amounts can range from a fixed payment or partial payment as a percentage of the price of the flight ticket, all the way to full compensation. Regardless of whether you are claiming for yourself or on behalf of your kids, you are all entitled to full protection under the law. Carriers are required to provide passengers with a written notice of their rights regardless of how they purchase their air tickets. You can find more details on compensation here.
Offering a full range of services and advice to travellers, GIVT can help you file a claim if you experience delays or cancellations.