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How can I pick the best
Airline for my children?
What is the Airline’s baggage policy for
children’s tickets?
How can I find out about my Airline's luggage
restrictions and limits?
What should I pack in my child’s carry-on
luggage?
Can I enroll my child in a frequent flyer
program?
Where should we sit?
Where can I find information on using a
child seat on an airplane?
What can I do to help prepare my child for
their first experience with flying?
How can I reduce the negative effects of
flying on my child’s ears?
When is a good time of day to fly with children?
Where can I find information to help me
plan an easier trip through the airport for my children?
What type of documentation will I need if
I’m taking my child out of the country?
How can I find out if my children will need
a passport or visa for their trip?
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How can I pick the best Airline
for my children?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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What is the Airline’s baggage
policy for children’s tickets?
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Are they allowed baggage if they are traveling
for free?
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Do they have the same checked baggage and
carry-on allowance on a child’s ticket as a full fare adult
ticket?
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Do they count a diaper bag against your
carry-on allowance?
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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.
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| How can I find
out about my Airline's luggage restrictions and limits? |
Check out their web site for information.
Go To: Airlines Links
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What should I pack in my child’s
carry-on luggage?
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Pack your child’s carry-on as carefully
as you pack one for yourself.
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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.
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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.
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Pack an extra shirt for your child and yourself,
accidents do happen.
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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.
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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.
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Can I enroll my child in a frequent
flyer program?
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Yes, most programs accept children as well
as adults. Enrolling your child in a frequent flyer program will
earn them points for every paid ticket. There is often no cost
to join so you may as well get them started early earning those
free points.
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Where should we sit?
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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.
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If you have a baby, check to see if the
Airline can provide a bassinet for you to place in the bulkhead
area.
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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.
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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.
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Booking a seat in the middle of the plane
near the wings will provide the smoothest ride.
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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.
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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.
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Where can I find information
on using a child seat on an airplane?
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www.faa.gov/apa/publicat/crstips.htm
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This Federal Aviation Administration site
contains tips for parents using child restraints on aircraft.
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What can I do to help prepare
my child for their first experience with flying?
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Since a first flight can be a scary experience
for anyone, spend some time preparing your child for the trip.
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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.
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Read them some books with traveling themes.
They’ll be more interested and at ease with the whole process.
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If you fear they will suffer from motion
sickness, see if your pediatrician can provide something to
help.
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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.
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How can I reduce the negative
effects of flying on my child’s ears?
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The planes are pressurized, but your ears
are still sensitive to the change in altitude.
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If your child has a head cold, try anything
that has worked before to clear it up before you travel.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Nursing a baby can be used to help the baby’s
ears.
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Yawning is also a good way to relieve the
pressure on your ears.
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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.
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Whatever method you use, do it all through
take off and landing so you can adjust little by little.
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When is a good time of day to
fly with children?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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If you have a long flight, consider an overnight
flight. Maybe your child will be able to sleep through the flight.
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Where can I find information
to help me plan an easier trip through the airport for my children?
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Go To: US Airports & Foreign Airports Links
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This page contains web links to many major
U.S. and foreign airports. Although, each airport’s site is different
many contain airport terminal layouts and features, parking information,
flight delays and other items that could save you time and help
make your visit a safe one. This links page also lists many airport
codes that can be helpful when making Airline reservations so
you and your luggage will be heading to the right airport.
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What type of documentation will
I need if I’m taking my child out of the country?
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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.
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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.
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Without the proper paperwork, the Airline
may refuse to board your child.
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All travel documents are the responsibility
of the passenger.
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How can I find out if my children
will need a passport or visa for their trip?
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travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html
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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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Go To: Embassy Links
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This page contains links to many foreign countries’
Embassies and Consulate Offices located in the United States.
Each Embassy’s web site is different, but they all contain contact
information and other helpful information for anyone planning
on visiting their country.
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www.state.gov/www/travel/consular_offices/fco_index.html
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The U.S. State Department’s Foreign Consular
Offices web page. This site contains an updated listing of contact
information for foreign countries’ consular offices in the United
States.
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Section: BOARDING THE PLANE
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