If the parents of a newborn baby used to travel, they begin to wonder soon after his birth: when to travel with a baby first? Practice shows that there is no certain “perfect” age for flying, it’s only important to be well prepared.
What to Look for When Buying a Ticket
Day of the Week
Experienced travelers know that there are “popular” (Monday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and “unpopular” (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) days of the week. It’s advisable to choose “unpopular” days to fly with a child: that way there is a better chance to avoid a packed cabin, and there will be no queues to the toilet.
Airline
There are a number of airlines that have proven themselves as child-friendly. These are Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa. Buying a ticket on a flight of these airlines, you can count on the attention of flight attendants, as well as additional amenities and pleasant surprises (cradles, gift sets for children). What’s more, these airlines have some extras for their adult passengers, like a WiFi for playing at the best online casinos or watching movies to completely relax during the flight.
Check-in for Your Flight
If the flight involves online check-in, you may want to check in at the front of the line. If there is no online check-in service, you should arrive at the airport well in advance, so that you can get a comfortable seat at the front of the compartment. At check-in, it’s useful to remember that you need a cradle during the flight: they are given to babies under one year weighing up to 10 pounds.
How to Calculate the Age of the Child for Buying a Ticket
There are three categories of child passengers for airlines:
- INF (infant, toddler, child under 2 years old).
- CHD (Child, children from 2 to 12 years old).
- A child over 12 years old is treated as an adult and requires a full adult ticket.
Depending on the category your child belongs to, the discount you can get when buying a child ticket varies.
Airline Tickets for Children Under 2
Children under 2 may fly with their parents for free, and you don’t need to buy a separate seat. It’s necessary to organize a so-called “zero ticket” for children, otherwise the child won’t be allowed to get on the plane.
The age of the child is calculated at the time of departure and not at the time of ticketing, so even if you, for example, buy ticket for three months and your child is 1 year 9 months old, you must pay for “child 2-12 years old”, that is, you cannot fly for free.
Be prepared for the fact that some international airlines require payment of 10% of the full ticket price. In addition, an adult is allowed to carry only one child under 2 years old for free, and for each subsequent child you must buy a separate children’s ticket at the rates for children 2-12 years. By the way, the same children’s separate ticket must be purchased if you want your child to have a separate seat in the cabin.
What else you need to know:
- Usually only one child is allowed to board in a row because of the distribution of oxygen masks.
- Free baggage allowance for children is the same as for adults; children under 2 years old can take luggage weighing up to 10 kg.
- Children cannot sit next to the emergency exits.
- Strollers are carried in the baggage compartment free of charge.
What to Get on an Airplane?
Of course, it all depends on the particular child and his age, but most parents prefer the following set of “distractions”:
- Soft toys for toddlers.
- Gadgets with pre-prepared cartoons and funny videos of animals (better to watch them in headphones so as not to disturb other passengers).
- Coloring books and pencils.
- Brightly colored picture books.
It makes sense to schedule time on the day of the flight so that the child has a good run before the flight and uses up most of the energy – then there is hope that he will sleep through most of the flight.
How to Calm Your Baby on the Plane
Suppose you’ve thought of everything in detail, but your kids still decided to follow their own plan and play on your nerves during the flight. Use your imagination and all the tools at your disposal:
- Give your purse to the child to tear it apart (taking out your passport and other important things).
- If a tantrum happens during takeoff, there is a good chance that your child just has a blocked ear, in which case, a juice straw or a lollipop will help.
- Put small toys and candy in your pockets beforehand: as soon as your child starts to act up, you can magicianically retrieve them from there
- Take a walk down the aisle, stretch your legs, look around in the cabin (don’t forget to let the stewardesses with the carts and other passengers pass).
- And most importantly: relax. Even if you think that the whole cabin turned against you because of a naughty child, it’s probably not. At least a third of the people who are with you on the plane know what it means to calm a baby who doesn’t want to be calm, and they understand how you feel.
Flying With an Infant
Many people are afraid to fly with infants, but in fuct, children under a year usually tolerate the flight well, and in this case, a five-year-old may cause much more trouble than a six-month-old baby.
For infants, airlines usually provide cradles, which is very convenient for parents. You will only have to hold your baby in your arms at certain times: during takeoff, landing and in turbulence zones.
If you fly with an infant, don’t hesitate to ask for help from flight attendants: they will be happy to provide you with hot water for formula and help with the changing table.
