Hi all, So am travelling alone to India with my 2 years old. We have totally 4 hours of waiting at transit airport. Any ideas about how to adjust with my little one. Am not sure how he will react after a long travelling in flight. Thanks everyone. Any other tips while travelling with kids. Jignasha.
Hi, Whenever I traveled with my daughter, I keep few toys which she likes most and few new....so she is occupied and excited for the new toys as well. Also as your DD is 2 now, you can show her some movies or videos on ipad or iphone.... For the airport transition, most important thing is stroller. Keep it with you, normally they give at the gate of the flight. It will be really handy to move around airport or if she wants to take a nap. For some time on the airport let her move around freely so she get tired and sleeps in the next flight. Keep her comfort food with you as well.
Look for play area in the transit airport or waiting lounge. Usually the international airports have a clean area. There will be many other kids so it will not be a problem. Also the kids get tired during travel and sleep most of the time.
@gsb Thanks for replying. Yes iPad is must for mommy and son ;-) are you asking me to carry our stroller or they will provide stroller at airport. My stop is at London airport. I have never heard of it. @pman Thanks for suggestions. My main concern about my kid is will he be comfortable to sleep in that seat. Am not sure how will I put him to sleep. And if he won't get proper sleep, he will be cranky. Let's hope for the good. Can you all suggest for the seats. What am thinking is the very first seat will be good. If we get seats some where in the middle, am don't think my son will feel comfortable when the front person will push the seat backward. What do guys say.
@jignasha Did u book a separate seat for your kid, reason I'm asking is I'm also traveling with my 21 months old. I am in a big confusion if I will be able to manage him in lap or not.
hi jignasha - when my DD was around 9 months, we were traveling from india to abroad, and we were suggested to book the bassinet seats. I think you have also mentioned first seat, which is called bassinet seat. usually this is reserved for those who need a lot of space. and one of the connecting flights, we could not get the bassinet seat, and unfortunately we also had to travel by sitting in the middle which was really really really horrible. and the passenger in the bassinet seat was so rude that he could not exchange the seat for me, even after we repeatedly requested him that I need to feed my baby. and because of sitting in the middle, we had a bad time as my DD was crying a lot as I think she must have felt suffocated.... but since your son is 2 years, i dont think it will be a hassle, but better ask for bassinet seats, in case you have not booked yet, or if it is possible to change now you can request the booking agent or airlines.
@niha Your kid is almost near 2 yrs old. So I suggest you to book a seat for him. Travelling such long distance with a toddler is not a good idea. Yeah but if your kid is in smaller size you can go for bassinet seat. I travelled when my kid was baby ( 9 months old). So I have many bad experiences. We booked bassinet seat. But in one flight bassinet was good. But in other it was in horrible shape( like a seat). It was waste and I ended up putting him on my lap whole journey. It gets difficult to eat your food with a kid on lap. Highly impossible. I travelled through British airways. And this time too same airlines. Am really worried. Try to book the very front seat. So that you have enough leg room and generally those seats are occupied by parents with kids. So even if our kids through tantrums it won't bother them. Carry proper clothes necause it gets way too cold during night. I had experience. I really need much information but not getting enough replies here. I will post it in other forums and see what others says. Last time from here to London checking was easy. They did not even bothered for water which I carried in flask it mix formula. But in London they threw my water. Seriously and I was not able to find warm water in the airport. My kid was hungry and I had to breast feed him on airport. This time also am worried coz he nly drinks pediasure and not whole milk. How will I carry pediasure bottle. Book a separate seat. You won't be able to manage a toddler on your lap whole journey. Keep me posted for other things. @outofthebox Thanks for reply. Yes as you said I wish I get bassinet seat coz middle seat will be kind of suffocation to kids and other passenger may get disturbed if we want to get out and get in very often, which am expecting to be happen. So let me talk to them and see what they says.
There is a website seatguru.com where you can check the seat positions in your flight (it might not be correct in rare cases). It'll show you which seats have limitations. I would suggest booking a child seat rather than in lap as the journey can be for long hours. Both mom and baby will get exhausted in long flights. Carrying an umbrella stroller will help while transiting thru airports. You can check them in at gates and get them as soon as you exit the flight. Some airlines provide bassinets based on the kid's age. Most of them are designed to carry babies less than 12 months. So check with your airlines to make sure you can get one.