When you board a Southwest flight, the flight attendants will try to lighten the mood. One of my favorites has always been when they say, “And for those of you traveling with children, why would you do that to yourselves?” This used to make me laugh a lot more before I was the poor soul flying with two kids, and usually at the busiest times of the year. We’ve had many uneventful flights with a few doozies peppered in. A plane that aborted liftoff as the front wheels were leaving the ground sending us jolting forward. A series of delayed flights, stuck on the plane with only Christmas cookies to sustain us. And turbulence…oh the turbulence. Since a plane flight every now and then is usually inevitable and we average at least one or two a year, I thought I would share a few strategies that have gotten us to the airport, on the plane, and to our destination.
Timing
The prevailing wisdom among frequent fliers is to fly as early as possible. The chance of flight delays increases significantly as the day goes on. However, you have to know what works well for your family – early morning, late afternoon, or red eyes. My kids are not early risers and getting them to an airport at 5 in the morning puts us all in a foul mood. Late morning or early afternoon works well for us. If you have a little one who naps, planning the flight during naptime can be a big help. If you are not one who can sleep on a plane, do not plan a red eye.
To Pre-board or Not to Pre-Board – Getting On the Plane
Pre-boarding, in theory, is a great idea (although George Carlin had a whole routine about how you are either boarding or not boarding). You get on the plane quicker and have longer to get your kids settled in. You also get better seats if there is no assigned seating and more room for your bags. The flip side is that your kids have to be buckled in and not moving for about 30 extra minutes. A strategy we have tried at times is to have one adult board the plane early and the other adult gives the kids 10-15 more minutes to run around and get some energy out. This works best on airlines with assigned seats.
Always check a stroller or car seat at the gate rather than checking them with the luggage. We had a car seat go missing for two days after learning this the hard way.
One other thing related to seats: we tend to end up on planes with two seats across and my kids will debate for hours about who is sitting next to mommy and who is next to daddy. I suggest planning this in advance. Switch off if you have a connection. DO NOT leave the decision-making until you get to the airport.
Keep Them Occupied
I found that the most difficult age for airline travel was 12 to 36 months. Kids want to walk or crawl around, you may still be dealing with trying to travel while nursing, and there is not enough Purell in the world for when your kid wants to roam around an airport floor. A few tips make travel easier at any age. Pack one snack per child for every two hours of travel (with a couple of extras in case of delays). Check if the airport has a play area or arcade. Shop the dollar store and bust out a new toy or another trinket every hour or so. There’s no shame in some electronic devices. Always have something for takeoff and landing — lollipops, gum, binky. Plan a scavenger hunt. Promise them a treat they only get at the airport. A few simple plans can make the experience a little better and more fun for everyone.
As we prepare for another holiday flight, I remind myself that I cannot control the weather or the flight delays. What I can do is make sure that the experience is as pleasant as possible for all of us. If I am lucky, I will only ask myself once or twice that great Southwest question – Why??
