insideKENT Magazine Issue 82 - January 2019 | Page 113

TAKE IN THE EXPECTANT FACES ON THE TRIP TO THE
AIRPORT, THE AMAZEMENT OF GETTING ON AN
AEROPLANE, THE WONDER OF GAZING OUT AT THE CLOUDS
AND THE EXCITEMENT OF THE HOLIDAY THAT AWAITS –
ENJOY, YOU’VE EARNED IT!
4. Make the plane work for you
Where possible, consider an upgrade. More room, less people, lounges and more
comfort are always nice to start any trip, but regardless of if you are turning left
or right, always pre-book your seats! For a start it does away with the check-in
stress, but more importantly the assurance that your family will be
seated together and in rows that work for you. the flaps are great for toddlers, and
travel apps and games for your
tweenagers can keep the family
occupied whilst you battle a mountain
of luggage from car to check in.
Most airlines will allow families with an infant to pre-book seats first and free of
charge, although this isn’t the case for low-cost carriers. Aim for the bulkhead
seats (especially for long-haul flights). Unlike emergency exit seats that provide
extra legroom but have age and mobility restrictions, bulkheads offer the option
for bassinets or rocker chairs for infants and lots of floor room in front of the
seats; perfect for in-flight play when the seatbelt signs are off. Reward yourselves with breakfast or
lunch at the airport, particularly if
your flight doesn’t provide meals as
standard. Let every child have their
own hand luggage, a small backpack
with some comfy on-ear headphones,
a tablet with some favourite shows
and games downloaded, a book, some
small toys (that don’t have sound!) and
some Play-Doh can all help while away
the time. Make it even more exciting
by wrapping up new books, toys and
games and giving something new every
hour or so.
Novel ideas such as Fly Legs Up ( www.flylegsup.com) allows you to
convert standard economy seats into mini beds for little ones (or even big ones),
which is great for in-flight power naps and perfect for red-eye night flights. Think
about the airline that you choose to travel with – some offer baby food, in-flight
entertainment packs and dedicated in-flight entertainment, and don’t forget to
pre-book child meals to guarantee child-friendly food that is often
served before the main trolley service commences.
5. Change your mindset
Stop focusing on just ‘needing to get there’ and instead treat the journey as day
one of your holiday. Treat the whole day as an adventure; holiday-related
activities that can begin in the car such as tick sheets for the first one to spot a
bus or taxi, an aeroplane or pilot for school age children, busy books with lift
Split time on the plane: for short
journeys or older children, the
excitement of takeoff and in-flight
entertainment is often enough to
get through a 2-4 hour flight,
but for younger children and/or
longer journeys, split your time into
shifts; it’s a lot easier to cope with 2-
3 hours of a fidgety toddler or
tired baby than 8-10 hours of long
haul hell.
6. Most importantly…
Take in the expectant faces on the trip
to the airport, the amazement of
getting on an aeroplane, the wonder
of gazing out at the clouds and the
excitement of the holiday that awaits
– enjoy, you’ve earned it!
Pack plenty of snacks: raisins, crackers,
fruit crisps and the odd sweet treat
will fill the lull between meals and can
also be a great distraction to child
escape artists who are keen to explore
the emergency exit, fire extinguishers
or the poor couple sat behind.
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