6 Tips For Stress-Free Flying With Kids

Guest blog post by Stuart Cooke, blog editor at Uni Baggage, a door to door delivery service for travellers all around the world.

The prospect of travelling abroad with your family is an exciting one unlike any other. What’s

not so exciting, however, is the dreaded flight. Flying can be monumentally stressful, even at

the best of times, but especially so when travelling with kids. You have a number of fears

and worries to contend with, it can be all too easy to land more exhausted than ready for fun.

Though hopefully, with these tips, the next trip with your kids will feel a little less turbulent.

1. Take advantage of early boarding

When it comes to travelling with young children, early boarding really can be your saving

grace in allowing you to get the kids settled onto the plane and prepared for take-off in a

timely manner, all whilst avoiding the hustle and bustle of queuing up and boarding the plane

with everyone else. After all, there’s nothing quite as stressful as trying to get your kids

shuffled onto their seats and your luggage into the overhead compartments whilst an entire

queue of impatient passengers waits behind you. Board early and you’ll be thankful for it.

2. Bring snacks and activities

Travelling with kids is all about preparation. If your kids are particularly fussy eaters, it can

be difficult to get them to eat at the best of times, but this is especially the case when it

comes to sitting down to plane food, which isn’t always the most favourable even among

adults and the most frequent of flyers. So, bring ample snacks. Sweets and lollipops will go a

long way during take-off and landing, and will be the saviours during moments of meltdown.

Don’t forget to bring activities, too. Kids can get bored quickly anywhere, and flights are no

exception to this rule. You’ll be kicking yourself if you set off on a family holiday without the

iPad.

3. Pack emergency supplies

Nothing eases the stress of flying with children than packing emergency supplies in your

hand luggage. If anything, it gives you peace of mind if there are accidents or emergencies

along the way. Spare clothes will never go amiss, nor will emergency pull-ups for young

children. And, of course, as any parent knows, you can never have too many wet wipes.

4. Befriend cabin crew

Don’t forget, the cabin crew are there to help you and as a parent, you’ll be thankful for their

help, especially if you’re travelling solo with kids. They can offer an extra pair of hands,

something that truly goes a long way, especially if it’s your very first time travelling with your

kids in tow. They’ve seen this dozens of times. They will be more than happy to keep the

kids entertained whilst you excuse yourself for a bathroom break, and if you’re travelling with

a newborn, they will happily heat up baby bottles for you in a jug of hot water. On a flight,

there’s nothing quite as reassuring as helpful cabin crew. Just don’t forget to thank them!

5. Keep your composure

It really goes without saying, but travelling with kids can be tough, especially if it’s your first

time. But any bad experiences shouldn’t sour your holiday. Despite the trials and tribulations,

a holiday with your family is an opportunity to build beautiful, lasting memories, and one flight

shouldn’t get in the way of that. So, even in the most stressful of moments, don’t forget to

take a deep breath and keep your composure. There’s not much that can be done about a

passenger who complains about the noise of your child. As long as you’re trying, the cabin

crew will be on your side and it is the very best you can do. Just worry about your own child.

6. Ship your luggage ahead

When travelling solo, or even just with your significant other, it’s easy to pack light. However,

travelling with kids is a whole different ball game. Not only do you have your kids to contend

with, but you have to haul heavy baggage around, too. Thankfully, luggage shipping

companies offer a welcomed alternative. You can book to ship all of your unaccompanied

baggage to your destination. This means that your bags can meet you upon arrival, and you

have more time to focus on your family during the flight. It’s one less thing to worry about!