Advice

Its only a 3 hour flight but any recommendations would be appreciated. My husband and parents are coming so we'll be good as far as parent/child ratio goes. Should I check the double stroller or gate check? Can I bring snack/fruit with me?

 

With that many adults, I would check the stroller. I would have an adult go through security then a child, then adult, child. Make sure there is always an adult on either side. Definitely pack snacks and hand toys/books. You may want to look up the rules on drinks before you go, that way you don't get caught in the security line with liquids if you aren't supposed to have them. Good luck.

 

depends on your kids... ours settle down so well in strollers when they are secured... that it was a definite benefit for us. we gate checked. but if you just have 1 flight and that's all, them maybe checking it ahead of time would be ok - just depends.

we brought snacks and drinks for our kids, I think I even just had them in the sippy cups if I remember, but look up the rules for that one.

I really wish we'd had some type of video or electronic game for the kids... of course we had longer flights, but still it was crazy for us. hopefully you can coax into a nap time!

 

We did a 3-hour flight back east in December when our two were 19 months. We had a double umbrella stroller, two car seats, and two diaper bags. We curb-checked the luggage. You can use the stroller to wheel the kids through the airport, but unfortunately, it'll have to be folded up and put through security on the conveyor belt. We carried the car seats through the airport on our backs...they were in a protective bag that had straps for carrying on the back. Those, also, had to be put through security after taking them out of their bags. We gate checked the stroller, and used the car seats on the plane as well as at our destination for the rental car.

Take their favorite toy or two or lovie, along with 5 or 6 little toys they've never seen before and present them along the way. Nothing expensive, Dollar Store type stuff will suffice. Definitely take some favorite snacks with you. We had graham crackers, pumpkins seeds, apple slices, applesauce, and yogurt. We had three 8-oz bottles of milk (that I said was formula) in baby bottles that we declared, and we also placed the containers of applesauce and yogurt in a 1-quart ziplock bag to be set aside as it went through the x-ray as per their liquids rule. No problem. On the departure leg of the trip, they tested each bottle of milk by placing a sniffer-type apparatus above the open bottle of milk (tests for chemicals). That went fine, but they will have the parent open each bottle as I don't think they are permitted to. We did not have to do that on the way back home to Dallas which really surprised me as we were flying out of Washington Dulles. From past experience, they seem to be more thorough than the other places I've been.

Each of us took one kid and walked right through, and they let us carry them. We did not have to go through the extra security measures that consumed the news around the holidays. Once you're through security and get your stuff, you can purchase a bottle of water for their sippy cups. Our kids love ice water, so we just asked the flight attendant for a couple of cups of ice. Let them drink (or give a paci) on ascent and descent to help them with the pressure on their ears. DD was especially affected by the change in pressure and was not a happy camper for several minutes. DS slept a good portion of the time. Also, put an extra outfit for each kid in the diaper bag(s). DD wet through her pants and I was glad to have a spare pair for her. Some seasoned travelers also advise to have an extra shirt for mom and dad...just in case kiddos get airsick.

Try not to stress too much; the kids pick up on that quick. The gate personnel at DFW allowed us to board earlier than everyone else and that was such a big help, but on the way back, we had to board with everyone else because they said they haven't allowed pre-boarding for years. :unknw: That was a big pain. The security people were very helpful at each location, I must say. They know that passengers, especially ones with a couple little kids, have a lot to deal with. You may consider using a harness for the kids, but it sounds like you'll have enough adults to grab a hand or two. Dress the kiddos in something comfortable, like warm up pants, as the lavatory is a tight space and that will help make changes a little easier. That's not the time to be messing w/ snaps, buttons & zippers.

Hope it goes well. And remember, you can do almost ANYTHING for three hours! If they get cranky, then they get cranky...they won't be the first or the last kids to be cranky on a flight, and most people are nice about it. Keep your sense of humor and chalk it up as another experience. Good luck!

 

I'm not sure how old yours are--mine aren't really strong walkers yet, so what I would do is check the stroller and everything but the diaper bag and laptops. I then use Scenera 40 car seats from Target ($35 on sale) and put those on $19 luggage carts from Walmart. I bungee them on, making sure the bungee is wrapped in such a way that I can easily get the seats off the luggage carts. I wheel the kids in that through the airport. At security, I give the bag of formula to them to check it over. Sometimes the entire car seat/cart fits through the x-ray. When it doesn't, they wand them. Meanwhile, I carry both kids through the metal detector at once--asking for people to let me cut in front of them--when you are carrying two babies, people ALWAYS let you cut. I shuffle through the detector sideways and security helps me on the other side with getting their seats and put my kiddos in, buckle em, grab my stuff and go. The luggage cart contraption fits down most plan aisles (even the Embraers) so I wheel them onto the plane and then install their car seats with the carts in the overhead bins.

Then, I let them have bottles of ready to feed Similac bottles--I pop Gerber nipples on top of those. I do this even though we normally use sippies and whole milk--it is easier to get formula through security and it doesn't need to be refrigerated and they can drink from these nipples with virtually no mess. Once we are in flight, I do take them out of the car seats to stretch and check out the plane. But mostly, they sleep. I also have snacks like goldfish.

Upon landing, I wait for all passengers to get off and then tell the flight attendants I will be blocking the aisle for 3 minutes. I grab my luggage carts, put the seats back on (without removing the kids-these seats are super lightweight) and roll them off. We are always the last ones off and by the time we get to the front of the plane, the pilot usually grabs DS and helps me get him over the bump where the plane meets the jetway.

Whoever is meeting us gets the checked bags and then we go to their car and install the carseats, and then I collapse from sheer exhaustion.

I second dressing them is easy clothes--I put tights on both of them underneath sweatpants, since they tend to pull off their socks. One time, we arrived at our destination with DS having lost his socks and shoes! I actually don't put shoes on them since I don't let them walk around anywhere, but if I were going to, I would keep them in just socks until we got through security.

And I now make it a point to fly airlines with preboarding for kids--having learned my lesson the hard way.

 

Thank you, this was very helpful.