Mommy Moments
Up, Up and Away—Air Travel with kids
By Melanie Lewis
The Lightning McQueen coloring book was tucked away in the carry-on bag along with some hard candy (to help pop the ears adjusting to the change in altitude), crackers and empty water bottles (because full ones at the airport cost a lot more). We were headed on a flight with 2 small kids ages 4 and 6. The last time we’d flown the kids were infants – 9 months old. I could soothe popping ears by nursing in flight. The kids were highly charged by the sight of opening and closing the window shade at one year old, something more was needed to hold their attention and assuage their excitement this time. The prepared parent is a requirement in the new order of flying post-9/11.
Before you step foot in the airport for your trip, take a test run. Not even a bad idea for a rainy day activity. They will be familiarizing themselves to the sights and sounds of plane travel. Many airports have kids play areas, but most are tucked away beyond security. They will at least be able to ride the escalators and elevators, watch planes land and take-off and ask questions when you’re more poised to answer them, not racing to make a connection.
Another preparedness item is research. Plenty of books have been written on the subject of air travel with kids and will be far greater detail than allotted here. Another thing that surprised me was the monorail shuttle at Orlando International airport. Next trip, I’ll check online for airport diagrams of terminals and special features for time delays like waiting to board a shuttle. For kids this can be a special treat, rather than a travel hiccup as we see it. We also made a trip to the library to get books about kids traveling, for kids traveling. They were entertaining and illustrated the highlights of travel in a kid-friendly way.
Your first stop after check-in is security. Let the kids know ahead of time what to expect. Even after the thorough explanation at age-appropriate level, they still did not want to remove their shoes. In retrospect, this might have been the time to have them wear their sandals instead of lace-up shoes.
Our inexpensive, non-stop flight was in the form of Jet-Blue. Good choice, since you can leave some of those snacks behind—they’ve got a plentiful and hearty selection of munchies. The flight crew was very accommodating with our arrival stroller and car seat for gate check. We could also check one bag each at no extra charge. Check with the airline regarding the cost of luggage when booking a flight, so you can factor it in the cost of the ticket. It may seem like a bargain online until taxes or baggage is added.
After most of the planned activities had been used up, we had to get inventive. The kids were pounding the guy in the seat in front of us with their feet. It was time for a stroll to visit the lavatory. While at the rear of the plane we talked to the flight crew about how they liked to fly and their favorite destinations. The next thing we knew, the captain had turned on the fasten seat-belt sign and instructed everyone to take their seat to prepare for landing. We headed back to our seats, 14A and 14B (good practice with letters and numbers) and landed with lifesaver lollipops slurping away. The trip was enjoyable for everyone, except for a few moments for the guy in seat 13A. I chalk it up to the flight readiness we did. The experience seemed to be an exciting opportunity for learning. The kids drew pictures and wrote a story about it for school. We all can’t wait for our next adventure. Bon Voyage.
Melanie Lewis is the mother of 2 boys ages 4 and 7. She is married and works part-time for Weight Watchers and as a Sipada representative. She enjoys reading, gardening and playing with her Blue-mitted Ragdoll, Percy and Golden Retriever, Rosie.