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We’re not going to lie... flying with kids is tough! So Flyaway Designs has joined forces with Bébé Voyage to share our favorite tips from parents on how to fly with two or more babies, toddlers or kids. So, take a deep breath and get ready for take-off!
Angela mostly flies alone with her two girls, as she has family out west and she lives in Toronto, Canada. Her biggest tip when you don’t have that extra set of hands is to be organized with how you pack your carry on, and less is always better! Here are her tips:
I keep any liquids with anything else that needs to come out for screening in one bag. This just makes going through security a bit quicker, and you know everything is one place.
I bring just enough diapers for the journey and have a roll-up change pad that can hang on a hook in the airplane bathroom. I also tend to use ‘night’ diapers so I only have to do one change on a 5-hour flight, unless it’s a poopy one!
I baby wear, and my carry-on is a backpack so I can have two hands-free to wrangle my other child. I find it gives your arms a rest if you can wear them on the plane (except for take-offs/landings) and depending on the type of carrier you have, some of them even allow you to breastfeed while wearing.
Now that my girls are 3 and 7, I recently packed each their own snack bag in their own carry-on bags. This way I wasn’t constantly rummaging for snacks, and they could serve themselves. The independence allowed them to ration the snacks, as they were instructed once you are out that’s it!
I like scarves that can double as a breastfeeding cover or blanket to keep warm, not only can it be a stylish accent to your outfit but super functional as well!
As the mom behind Flyaway Designs, and inventor of Flyaway Kids Bed, Debra has had her fair share of stressful flights with kids – in fact finding a way to take away some of that stress was one of the reasons she created Flyaway Kids Bed! She’s been flying from Switzerland to Australia each year with her 2 boys since her first son was 4 months old – her boys are now 6 and 8 so she has MANY long-haul flights under her belt. Here are her tips:
I always have one go-to bag that’s filled with everything I need during the flight. You can never have too many wet-wipes and snacks! And don’t forget to bring little games, small toys and coloring books for a break from screen-time. I also always take extra clothes and medicine; you never know when your kids might get a temperature or feel unwell.
Order special meals for yourself along with the child meals for your kids. Special meals are served earlier than the usual meal service – usually at the same time as the children’s meal. This means you can all eat at the same time and beat the rush to the bathroom after the meal.
We always try to fly at night as chances are high that your kids will sleep pretty much the entire flight! And take the chance to sleep when your little one’s are sleeping, because arriving at your destination well-rested will help you deal with jetlag easier as well.
For shorter flights, try to book a flight in the middle of the day. That way you don’t have to wake up too early and will arrive at your destination before bedtime.
An impractically-dressed child is an unhappy and uncomfortable child, so we dress our boys in roomy layers that we can take on and off as the plane’s air conditioning demands – cozy tracksuits are by far the best option. And don’t forget to pack their favorite toy or blanket so they can snuggle up on their Flyaway Kids Bed and drift off and dream of holidays.
Flyaway Kids Bed is the perfect solution to help my boys sleep and play on the plane.
Why is it that kids always need to go to the bathroom at the most inconvenient moments! Just think of the long lines at the airport security check, or waiting to board or disembark the plane. We make sure our little guys use the bathroom before these busy times so we don’t have to deal with “but I really need to go NOW!” during these times.
Consider booking a stopover hotel especially if you have over 3 hours between connections. You can usually book rooms by the hour. For us it’s heave to break up 2 long-haul flights with a shower, a change of clothes, and some time to yourself before the next flight.
If you decide not to book a stopover hotel, take full advantage of the airport facilities. Take turns having a foot massage and find out which terminals have the best viewing decks or indoor play-areas next to restaurants. Singapore has a great transit hotel with a roof-top pool, and my boys and I love a breath of fresh air and a quick swim before continuing the next leg of our journey. Plus, the kids are usually so exhausted after swimming that they sleep soundly on the next flight. Just don’t forget to pack swimwear in your carry-on!
A confident, calm attitude works wonders and don’t be afraid to ask the flight crew for help. Most airline staff do understand the needs of family travelers, and will be happy clear your trays early for you so you can bring your kids to the bathroom before the after-dinner rush. A little politeness will get you a long way and before you know it the flight will be over and you’ll be enjoying your holiday!
Rebecca has two children (4 years & 19 months). Prior to the pandemic, she used to split the year up between Savoie in the French Alps where her husband’s family is from, and the UK. Due to work commitments, she is used to travelling alone! As a family they used to do one ‘other trip’ a year and love experiencing local culture, food and wine, hiking and the great outdoors. Here are her tips:
When flying with two little ones, my tip is to dress them similarly. It’s easy to know who they belong to them if they run off and it makes it easy to spot them!
I also always recommend to pack a sling! Even if you have a pushchair, I often have one child on my back and the other in the pram and that regularly changes as to which is where.
Be prepared and pack a bag load of patience along with a of a lot of wet-wipes and you CAN enjoy a comfy flight with more than one child in tow!
Author: Debra Pally is the Swiss/Australian CEO of Flyaway Designs and inventor of Flyaway Kids Bed – an award-winning travel bed that helps children sleep and play on planes. She has 2 young boys and lives in Zurich, Switzerland.
Just like Flyaway Designs, international travel community @Bébé Voyage helps make every moment with your children special. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating (and signing up for!) Bébé Voyage’s new membership program! Join now for exclusive discounts from great family travel brands (including us!) and awesome advice on how to travel with kids via https://www.bebevoyage.com/join.
