Need Advice to Make Flight as Easy as Possible for Myself and 2-Year-old

We have traveled with my son a lot since he was 8 weeks old. I never had any identification for him until he was 1 1/2 and we left the country. I actually had to get him a passport. Sometimes my husband is with us when we travel but I have traveled alone as well. It seems a little overwhelming at first, but once you've done it, you realize it isn't so bad. I only travel on American and 9 times out of 10 if I want to pre-board they will let me.(American Eagle lets you pre-board) However, I don't always want to pre-board because my sons hates just sitting on the plane as everyone else is boarding. I use a backpack as a carry-on bag so I don't have to struggle so much with it. Just make sure that you have a lot of things to occupy his time. Also make sure he has something to drink on take-off and landing and you may avoid any ear issues. If your son will let you put things in his ears you can try earplanes...they help so the ears don't hurt with the change of cabin pressure. It is easier to wait for everyone to get off the plane before you try to collect everything and get off.
As a former flight attendant I will give just a little more advice-try to get the bulkhead if possible (it is the first row after first class and you have more legroom and you don't have to walk as far back),don't feel bad asking the flight attendants for anything...most of the time they are willing to help a woman traveling alone with children. Don't feel bad if your child has a meltdown on the plane; just ignore the dirty looks...I swear you would think that these people's kids have never had a meltdown/tantrum before(and I said that to a few passengers during my time flying). If any passengers complain to the flight attendants about your child, the flight attendents tend to have more compassion for you than the whiny, complaining passenger.
Have a wonderful trip!!!

2 moms found this helpful

How long is your flight? I've taken a lot of 4-5 hour flights with my daughter, but nothing longer than that (yet). On ID, I've never needed any - I don't even bring a copy of the birth certificate. I've typically flown American, so other airlines may be different. On things you can bring on the plane - you can bring a quart-sized plastic bag with liquids, but no single liquid can be more than 4 ounces. I never bring a drink for my daughter. I bring an empty sippy cup, and then ask the flight attendant to fill it with some water and juice prior to takeoff - they've always been happy to accommodate.

For things to do, I bring:
- stickers
- colors (love Color Wonders from Crayola)
- a small book with pictures of family and friends
- books
- portable DVD player (if your child still likes Baby Einstein, those are great for the plane since you don't need much volume)
- snacks, snacks, snacks - crackers, raisins, string cheese, fruit snacks, etc. My daughter tends to eat A LOT on the plane, but it occupies her!

To get through the airport, I use the gogokidz (I think the website is gogobabyz). But, it only works with Britax carseats, so that may not be an option. It's great, though - it basically adds wheels and a handle to your carseat. I put my daughter in her seat and just wheel her around the airport. It handles really well, so turns aren't a problem. You don't need to detach it to install the seat in the plane, either, although you do need a seatbelt extender (found that out the hard way!). I don't even bother with a stroller. My diaper bag is a big backpack, so my hands are free to push.

Another option is the Pac Back. You can buy it at One Step Ahead:
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

It allows any carseat to be carried like a backpack.

1 mom found this helpful

Check your luggage at curbside check in. If you are purchasing two tickets, then you can have 2 set of luggage per passenger. Try to only bring on your car seat and purse. Your son could carry what he need in a small backpack on his back. Let him walk and you carry the car seat. This should help you eliminate a big load. If you can bring something for him to suck or chew while flying, this will cut down on his ears popping. Color books and portable dvd with movies will help him alot. Good luck and have a safe trip. I hope this helped.

Do check into one of those devices that make carrying the car seat easier. I know the one that is on the One Step Ahead website usually gets good reviews. If you are flying American, and you are not a platinum member, active military or otherwise their friend, you cannot preboard. However, many of the other airlines do let you preboard if you have a kiddo with you. Take advantage of that if you can. When I travel with my 2 year old alone, I run onto the plane ahead of all the people in wheelchairs just to give myself ample time to get his car seat in and ready to go.
If your son has his own seat, you should be able to bring a separate carry on for him. You might want to check on that though. If you can, just get a bag and pack it full of things that he wants to do, but don't let him pull everything out as soon as you get on the plane. He will just get bored with it and it will be as if you never brought anything. Another thing to consider bringing is a portable DVD player. I usually bring mine and only use it when everything else has failed or he is just so tired and can't go to sleep b/c of all the stimulation.
Usually we also give ourselves enough time to stop at our local newsstand that is inside security and stock up on snacks and drinks for our son before we get on the plane. Our kiddo can't do the peanut thing and isn't a big fan of pretzels and we don't let him have soft drinks, so to insure he has enough to munch on and drink we get it prior to boarding.
Another thing, always bring his birth certificate with you as a precaution. We always brought ours along when our son was in our laps b/c he is big for his age and we had to prove he was how old we said he was, and we just kept carrying it with us on flights after that. You never know when they will ask for something, so it is better to be over prepared!
Good luck and have a good time wherever you are going!

Hi R. I went with a 1 1/2 and 6 mo. by myself I just turned my baby car seat on it's side and laid it across the suitcase. I also had double decker stroller and put diaper bag on the back of the stroller. It was quite difficult with two, but there were some very understanding employee's that were willing to help. I don't really remember if they required identification for them, but I don't think they did. I hope this helps and best of luck. :)

If he is 2 or over you just need to bring a copy of his birth cert thats what I was told. If it is a child younger and who will be sitting on your lap then you dont need to bring ID for them but just need to put him on the planes roster at check in. I did not us the car seat when we traveled, I just checked it. She was more comfortable buckled in and wanted me to hold her a lot of the time anyways since it was all new to her. Just bring as much stuff to occupy him as possible and a lot of snacks and any comfort items as well. A little bit of tylonol also doesn't hurt to help with nap time during such a new experience as well. At least thats what my mom tried to tell me lol. If you havent booked the times yet I always try to book it where while I am ON the plane it is during part of a time where she likes to nap as it makes it easier. :) Good luck.

This past October my husband and I took our three children (at the time ages 6, 2 & 10 mo) to NYC. It was our first trip since 9/11 and we didn't know what to expect either, but here is what I learned.

With 2 little ones, we took a stroller and one carseat. I used the stroller to roll the carry-on and stroller to the terminal. The flight attendants stowed the stroller for me in the plane. You have to let them know you want them to before boarding since they must give you a tag for it. Also, ask if you can board early since you will need to take the carseat. I didn't purchase a chair for my littlest and really regretted it. Luckily, there was a free seat beside us so we got to use it. I swapped my baby and my 2 year old in and out of the carseat and my latp and they did just fine. Make sure your carseat is flight approved and says so on the tag. Also, be prepared to have a struggle getting the dang seat attached to the seat. We put the seat next to the window and it worked out well. If you are seated on the emergency exit rows, they won't let you use your seat though. They didn't let us bring any juice or water inside the airport for the kids, but you can purchase drinks inside the airport and take them on the plane with you. Make use all your toiletries and such are in quart size bags. We did not need any identification for the kids, just the adults. (but i brought their birth certs and social security card just in case, but never needed it).

I don't know how long your flight is going to be, but I made kits for my 3 kids for the trip. Each kid got a make-up bag full of new toys.

For example, my oldest son had a small tub of play-dough, a cheap dollar store handheld game, a few mcdonald toys, a package of colormagic markers & coloring book, pokemon cards, gum, a funpad/word search book and a highlighter and pencil, a new movie for his video now, and we brought his video now portable tv.

My 2 yr old daughter had some new polly pocket dolls, play-dough, color magic markers & coloring book, a story book, a few mcdonald toys, a new movie for her video now, a piece of gum, a package of fruit snacks, and a couple of other things I can't remember.

The baby had a play cellphone, a book, some play keys, and a small, quiet activity toys, vanilla wafers, and gerber graduate fruit snacks.

Anyways, the kids didn't know what was in the kits, but they did find out about them before we boarded. They were so excited to get to go through them.

I highly recommend the video now and earphones & the kits.

HOPE THIS HELPS!

Hi R.!
I've traveled quite a bit with my 2 1/2 year old boy. I find it best to check the car seat and just use the seat belt. It's a lot less restrictive and he does better especially on long flights if he can move around a little. I bought a car seat cover bag with wheels and it works great. You can either pull it or carry it on your back. I usually bring along different things to keep him occupied. Some of the things I've packed along before are a toy airplane, small plastic animals, stickers (actually small post-it-notes work great as well - draw simple pictures on them that your son will recognize like a ball, tree, ice cream cone etc. then stick them on the closed tray in front of him and ask him to hand you the different pictures) There are a couple of things I always have in the bag. First the book "Adventures of Danny and the Dinosaur" by Syd Hoff. It is an "I Can Read Book" meant for kids who are learning to read but it has three stories in it. The stories move along quickly, and there are lots of pictures. My son loves it and by the time you've finished reading it you are usually allowed to turn on your electronic devices. Which brings me to my "use at a last resort" item, a portable DVD player. You can get them at Walmart etc. for around $70. A little expensive but well worth it. For those times when he just can't stand to sit still any longer and you know you're headed for a melt down, it is a life saver. I record episodes of Barney and Caillou off the PBS station and he'll happily sit there for as long as you need him to. (I watch the time and tell him about 15 minutes before we land that we have to turn it off after this episode to avoid any outbursts when the time comes.)(The DVD player also works great in resturants when your not finished with your meal but he is definately done.) Another "last minute resort" item is candy. I know bribery is not the best parenting technique but it works wonders when you need it to.
You can't take water in a sippy sup through the security check point so I usually empty his cup before going thru and then buy some bottled water to refill it once we have gotten past the security. To answer your question about ID. No, your son doesn't need any. Also, ask at the check in desk about boarding the plane early. Most airlines let you if you are traveling with a small child but they all have different proceedures. It just helps to give you a few extra minutes to get him settled before all the rest of the pasengers decend upon your space. Good luck with your trip. I hope you're going somewhere fun!

i have traveled with both my girls alone many times. i usually take the diaper bag a second cooler bag with milk (you supposedly can't have plain water but you can have pedialyte or juice.)i take 8oz sippy cups then buy yogurt at mc d's to take on the plain for a snack later. i also take a car seat and a single stroller. i just ask the flight attendants to help or someone volunteers to carry the car seat. they put a tag on the stroller and i just leave it at the gate or down at the bottom whichever they tell me. if your son will carry a back pack that's always great because you can put crayons and coloring books and some crackers.
i would take lots of snacks and another trick i do is double diaper them because that way the one that's dirty can be thrown away or bring a sack with you to tie it up in and then you have another diaper handy to put on him.
i hope this helps! good luck!!!

Babies R Us has a backpack carrier for a full sized car seat. It's still bulky as can be but much easier to carry. If you let your two-year-old sit in the seat without one, he will quickly find out how regular seat belts work and there will be no keeping him in his seat! (at leat in my experience)

Other than that, have a sippy cup ready for take off and landing, lots of little toys and snacks, and plenty of fresh diapers and wipes along with a spare change of clothing. For some reason, we had some real messes while traveling so be prepated for everything! Also, if your son takes a pacifier, don't forget it! With any luck, he will be so comfortable in his car seat that he'll sleep all the way to your destination.

Good luck!

M.
www.GoodHealthMadeSimple.com

As a Travel Agent for many years, I always suggest having there birth certificate. Sometimes they ask and sometimes thye don't but ask yourself if you were all the way at the airport and they wanted it and you didn't have it, it would be a hassle to go home and get it. If you are leaving the US
they want to be sure you are bringing back what belongs to you so it is even more important. As a Mom myself I never fly without it.

If you try and avoid not purchasing a ticket and your child looks like he is older than the age limit they use the birth certificate to verify the child age.

Having a 2 and 3 year old myself I would take lots of snacks and anything your child enjoys. If thye have a favorite car, or special blanket for napping that helps too.

If you are wanting to take your own car seat you can call the airline and see if your car seat is air approved. Not all airlines accept all car seats. They do let you board early with children and if you need help just ask.

I travel a lot with my two year old. You have to carry a birth certificate. Sometimes they ask for it sometimes they don't, but you do not want to be in a bad situation if you don't have it. Also, I bring a toy for my son that he likes so when he get ancy I pull it out. It is a toy I know he likes that I put away a week before so it seems like new on the plane. I also bring snacks in closed packages or zip locks. Anything he likes at the moment. And a sippy cup for juice or water that I request when we are on the plane. If you can a portable DVD player also works with baby einstein. I never have ear phones because my son will not put them on but the people around you will not complain, because it is either the movie or a screaming baby.
One last thing. Anything you take with you can be taken under the plane and returned to you when you arrive at the terminal like the stroller. They take it from you when you are boarding the plane.
Good Luck.

Hi, my husband works for an airline so we travel alot. I've traveled with my 3 year old son and 2 year old daughter by myself, even when they were younger. Using a backpack as a diaper bag is the greatest advice-keeps your hands free. Dress yourself and your son in things like slip-on shoes and belt-free to make going through security easier. The airlines will ask for a birth certificate if they feel the need to check your child's age (since children under 2 travel for free and some people try to get away with an older child passing as a 2 year old). A Dvd player keeps my kids busy but also coloring and sticker books. I've also brought modeling clay on board (b/c we travel so much I've had to keep it interesting) with small plastic cookie cutters. (I did do play-doh one time but it was too messy, modeling clay doesn't crumble and drop on the floor). And lastly, you can check the carseat with your luggage if you don't think you need it during the flight. If you need it during the flight, I've brought a stroller with me and thrown it in on top of the stroller and checked the stroller at the gate. Good luck and have fun, it can go smoothly with a little bit of planning ahead of time!