Skifters Say Flying With Young Kids Is Easier Than You Think
Flying with an infant or toddler can be daunting, even for experienced travelers like we are at Skift. Young kids require lots of gear, knowledge of airline policies, and time and patience to spare. The good news is that it’s far more manageable than many novices and first-time parents suspect.
First, if you loved flying before kids, you’re way ahead of the game. “It’s enjoyable for me, but then again I’m a professional and I love airplanes,” said Brian Sumers, our senior aviation business editor, whose daughter Taylor turns two in April. To say that Sumers is a professional is an understatement — he flew 104,000 miles last year, spends all day reporting on the inner workings of airlines, and is famously passionate about his subject.
“Kids respond to what their parents like,” said Sumers, meaning that Taylor feels his positive energy when they go to the airport, and she gets giddy in response. “It’s fun for me to see airplanes through a child’s eyes.” he said. “The rewards of traveling with her far outweigh the cons,” echoed Brian’s wife and Taylor’s mother, Katie.
Numerous Skift parents said that traveling with an infant is easier than traveling with a toddler, the latter being more prone to those infamous public meltdowns. “I think people are way more forgiving of babies than two-year-olds,” said Sales Director Dani Wagstaff, whose daughter Abby is coming up on nine months old. According to Wagstaff, the in-air routine for many infants is fairly easy to supervise: sleep, play, bottle, diaper change, repeat.
Speaking of toddler meltdowns, this is often the scariest thing for newbie parents. But, as Sumers calmly advises, “It’s just part of life.”
“I have heard so many screaming children on flights over the last 35 years that if my kid screams on an airplane once or twice, I’m not going to freak out,” said Sumers. “I put in my time.”
“Kids can be annoying on an airplane, but you know who else is annoying?” asked Sumers. “Those two guys on their way to a business meeting who speak in deep baritones, talking about their strategy for four hours on their way to Dallas.”
Toddler tantrums are unavoidable sometimes, according to Skift Table Senior Editor Kristen Hawley. “I used to feel bad for other passengers, but they have the ability to put on headphones, read, close their eyes, or otherwise tune her out,” said Hawley in reference to her eldest daughter Ada, who has already been on about 40 flights and is just over two years old. “It’s a shared public space and kids are sometimes kids. It’s not something parents should apologize for.”
But naturally, distractions for the kid can help a little. “Lollipops for take-off and landing: a must,” said Executive Director of Sales Deborah Knudsen, based on flying with her twin sons years ago, who are now 13.
With both TSA PreCheck and Clear, which uses biometrics to speed you through security, Wagstaff finds navigating the airport to be pretty painless with a young child. And, if it’s affordable to upgrade to first class, she recommends going for it, if only because you can deplane first with the baby and all the gear, plus the extra space. And if the baby does cry, everyone around you has already been appeased with free drinks.
“Clear and TSA Precheck are must-haves for our family,” said Hawley. “This might sound ridiculous, but sometimes a first-class upgrade makes it tougher. We can’t install our carseat in some first-class seats.”
One Skifter based in the UK has little use for these two U.S. services, but loves a good airport lounge. “For us the lounge access is a lifesaver,” said Europe Sales Director Kate Irwin. “There are some really well-equipped lounges for kids. In Dubai, my eldest grabbed a snack and played on the playstation while my daughter grabbed some warm milk and a nap.”
“I have always joked that I never understood the purpose of airline lounges until I had a kid,” said Sumers, noting that many lounges are not so different from waiting in the terminal. However, with a young kid in tow, the empty space and quiet is priceless, plus the bathrooms tend to be a little cleaner and nicer, and you might get a better changing table.
“Changing a diaper on an airplane is really one of the hardest things I’ve done as a parent,” said Sumers, who noted that airplane bathrooms are only getting smaller and smaller.
Flying with young kids may be perfectly manageable, but to be fair, it’s definitely not as smooth as a solo trip. When Wagstaff flew by herself to Skift’s Megatrends event in Dallas in February, it was a relaxing change of pace. “I could enjoy my coffee and read my book!” she said.
Overall for these Skifters, flying with young kids is well worth it. “Just rip off the band-aid and go,” said Hawley. “My two-year-old is very comfortable in airports and on the plane because she’s been exposed to it so often. I look forward to getting some stamps in our newborn’s passport soon.”
And if you don’t fly with your kids, how will they get invited into the cockpit? This very thing happened to Irwin’s son Stanley. “It made his day! My kids love flying,” she said.
— Sarah Enelow-Snyder, Assistant Editor
