Flying with Children - Article

As the holiday season approaches we are all thinking about the sun, the beach and relaxing, then our minds turn to the flight. Gone are the days when flying was something to look forward to, only a small percentage of people think that their holiday begins from the minute they step into the airport and certainly not parents flying with children.

They are more thinking once past this airport hurdle we are there - well not quite, there is the small matter of keeping a child occupied and seated while on the flight. How difficult is it to keep a small child from kicking the seat in front of you, undoing the lap belt when the seat belt sign is on,( as we sit there thinking please turn it off, please turn it off because any second my little one is going to take his off anyway)  leaning over the seat in front, pulling on the seat in front, standing on the seat, or perhaps just wanting to run up and down the aisle which is definitely more of a problem these days as airlines for security reasons are trying to keep passengers in their seats especially towards the end of the flight.

We have all been there either as a parent, grandparent, or on the receiving end, and those of us who have been parents in that situation are aware of the glares from those in front and behind, what can you do when your little one doesn’t want to keep his lap belt on and will not stop kicking the seat in front.

Now, in America for years they have been able to take their car seats on board the plane, this gives little Johnnie a familiar sense of being restrained in a place he knows he has to sit, and sit he does quite comfortably, some times for hours without any or much fuss at all. However, in Europe it is practically unheard of and I can’t even imagine the response of airline staff when trying to lug a car seat aboard a low cost airline.

Turbulence is something we all dread, flying over the Atlantic and Pacific in winter can be particularly bad due to the high jet stream speeds, and yet the summer has the odd thunderstorm which can be uncomfortable as well. It is not unknown for the seat belt sign to be on for the whole of the Transatlantic flight. The fact is you can hit turbulence at any time of the year especially in the North Atlantic, so what protection does the airline give your child – the same as an adult they may say. But the Lap Belts are designed for adults not for small children, and in more extreme circumstances the airplane seatbelt alone does not protect small children who cannot brace themselves. How sure are you when you are dozing mid flight and your plane hits turbulence that your child is as safe as humanly possible?

The CARES Flight Harness popular in the US, with sales worldwide of over 55,000 is a product that will meet both the needs of familiar restraint and safety. It has a 4 point harness very similar to a child’s car seat, and keeps the child back securely in their seat. Suitable for children between 10 -19 kilos and weighs less than 500 grams. Approved by the US FAA ( Federal Aviation Administration) the UK CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) plus Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore Authorities.

Boredom on long flights is another issue to deal with, taking a couple of  well liked familiar toys/books and some new exciting ones is advisable, small things to do, some of their favourite snacks and a change of clothes to deal with the inevitable spill or accident, can make that journey so much more enjoyable.

Travelling with children needn’t be a traumatic experience, plan well, keep the little ones safe and secure with plenty to do, and you could find your journey to be hassle free.