Traveling by air

Check for special rates for children. Generally children under two fly free, but that usually means on your lap. You’ll have to purchase a ticket to guarantee them a seat.
Check to see if the Airline has a child’s menu available. What types of selections are available? The Airlines generally do not provide baby food or formula, but check to see if they will have the ability to heat formula if you provide it.
Don’t expect the Airline Stewards to help you change diapers. Since they handle food, they are restricted in what they can handle to keep everyone on board safe.

Airline’s baggage policy for children’s tickets
Are they allowed baggage if they are traveling for free?
Do they have the same checked baggage and carry-on allowance on a child’s ticket as a full fare adult ticket?
Do they count a diaper bag against your carry-on allowance?
Do they allow strollers as a carry-on? If they don’t, ask for a gate check for the stroller so you can use it in the airport. Umbrella type folding strollers are the most likely to be allowed on board.

What should you pack in your child’s carry-on luggage
Pack your child’s carry-on as carefully as you pack one for yourself.
Include their medications, pediatrician’s name and phone number and any other items they need to make it for at least 24-hours in case your luggage is lost or delayed. Although, you may want to put their important medical information in your carry-on luggage.
Consider bringing some of your child’s favorite munchies along on the trip since the airline’s don’t serve meals immediately and may not have exactly what your child wants. Remember that with international travel, you may be limited on items such as fresh fruit that won’t be able to pass through customs.
Pack an extra shirt for your child and yourself, accidents do happen.
Check to see if the airline has any packets or gifts for your child. Airline wings have become standard, but some provide entertainment packets with games, puzzles or coloring books. You’ll want to provide plenty of entertainment to keep your child happy.
You might also include a swimsuit or other appropriate recreational clothes to give your children something to do in case their checked luggage goes missing or is delayed.

Where should you sit
If you have small children, see if you can reserve a bulkhead seat. Those seats have more legroom and provide more of an area for your child to move around. The only real negative of the bulkhead seating is you won’t have under seat storage in front of you.
If you have a baby, check to see if the Airline can provide a bassinet for you to place in the bulkhead area.
Only one child is allowed to sit on an adult’s lap for every three-seat row because of the limited number of oxygen masks available. If two adults are flying together and both are planning on having a child on their lap, you’ll need to book seats in different rows of the plane.
If you are planning on using a car seat for your child, it must have a Federal Aviation Administration approval sticker. You must also purchase a seat to guarantee that you will be able to use their car seat, otherwise you can only use it if the flight has empty seats available. Many booster seats are not FAA approved for use.
Booking a seat in the middle of the plane near the wings will provide the smoothest ride.
With all the activities in the aisle, and potential for items to fall from the overhead storage, it might be best to place yourself between your child and the aisle.
Children are NOT allowed to sit in the plane’s exit row seats since passengers in those seats are called upon to provide assistance in the case of an emergency. This ban includes children sitting on the lap of an adult passenger.

What can you do to help prepare your child for their first experience with flying
Since a first flight can be a scary experience for anyone, spend some time preparing your child for the trip.
You might consider role-playing games. Take them through a check-in and a security check. Set up a row of seats and run them through a take off. Make sure you include engine noise and turbulence in the games so they know that these things are normal and will be comfortable when they experience them on the plane.
Read them some books with traveling themes. They’ll be more interested and at ease with the whole process.
If you fear they will suffer from motion sickness, see if your pediatrician can provide something to help.
If you fear flying yourself, try to buck up and not pass that fear onto your child. If they see that you are scared, they may also develop a fear of flying that will stay with them as adults. Your child’s first experiences with flying will probably help or haunt you both on future trips.

How can you reduce the negative effects of flying on your child’s ears
The planes are pressurized, but your ears are still sensitive to the change in altitude.
If your child has a head cold, try anything that has worked before to clear it up before you travel.
If your child has an ear infection, you’ll want to discuss the trip with your pediatrician. Ear infections can be extremely painful for those traveling on an airplane.
Children and some adults are particularly good at smuggling hotel pool water home from their vacation. Buy some drops and get it out before you fly.
Children and adults both find relief from sucking on candy or juicy chewing gum, the act of chewing and swallowing relieves the pressure on the ears at take off and landing. Be careful when choosing the juicy treat for small children to avoid the possibility of choking during turbulence.
Nursing a baby can be used to help the baby’s ears.
Yawning is also a good way to relieve the pressure on your ears.
If your child is sleeping, you should consider waking them up before you begin descent. The landing is usually harder on the ears and since you swallow less when you sleep; your child may wake up on the ground in pain.
Whatever method you use, do it all through take off and landing so you can adjust little by little.

When is a good time of day to fly with children
Consider your child’s habits. Like adults, children tend to be morning or evening people. If you try to travel too far away from their daily schedule, you could both suffer.
Check into flying during non-peak hours, which are usually late midday and midweek. You’ll have a better chance of getting the free separate seat for your child, and you might also find more room to stretch out.
Consider booking a flight during the child’s naptime so some of the flight will pass while the child is asleep. But, the timing is critical. You’ll want to make sure naptime hits when you’re already on the plane. Delaying naptime can cause a real headache if you are trying to make it through an airport with a fussy child.
If you have a long flight, consider an overnight flight. Maybe your child will be able to sleep through the flight.

What type of documentation will you need if you are taking your child out of the country
They usually need the same identification that is required of an adult. If the travel requires an adult to have a passport, the child will also need a passport.
If a child is traveling out of country with only one of the child’s parents, you’ll probably have to provide written permission from the other parent that the child may leave the country. You’ll probably need a notarized statement from the other parent, but you’ll want to check with the Airline for their policy on this matter.
Without the proper paperwork, the Airline may refuse to board your child.
All travel documents are the responsibility of the passenger.

How can you find out if your children will need a passport or visa for their trip
www.travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html
The U.S. State Department, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Foreign Entry Requirements web page. This site lists the entry requirements of foreign countries. It also includes the addresses and telephone numbers of foreign embassies and consulates in the United States. This web site is a good starting point, but since the information presented is subject to change, you should also check directly with the embassy or consulate of the country you a planning to visit.

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