At the end of the month we are making the trip across the pond to the emerald isle for the first time as a family. We are flying Continental Airlines and I am just wondering if anyone has flown with them with children aged 2 1/2 and 7, and if so, what their experiences/tips might be. I am a little concerned that the 2 1/2 year old is supposed to sit in a seat by herself and whether that is a problem from a safety point of view. Also, the whole 'carry-on luggage' thing.......6 1/2 hours is quite a long flight, even for adults. Is the video entertainment onboard enough to keep everyone sane or can we carry on a backpack filled with toys/games etc to keep them amused.

I haven't traveled with my boy yet (1 yr). But I did find out is that most airlines don't consider a child under 2 a person yet. They are considered carry-on and charge you a luggage rate for them instead of an actual ticket.

I would suggest that you make sure to bring headphones that fit. Try them on ahead of time. Earbuds can be really frustrating, as can be headphones that keep slipping off.

Maybe time to spring for iPod Touch? Loaded with games, tv an rented movies. A good distraction.

We also become MUCH more flexible in terms of nutrition. All rules are off then we fly.

We also got the kids their own roller bags to take with them -- they packed them. And we tucked in a few surprise items. If they have their own ticket/seat then they are entitled to a carry on.

We just returned from our first air-trip with our 3 year old. If you're the "catch a nap on the flight so I'll be rested when we get there" kinda guy (as I have always been), you can probably forget all about that! Get your rest before you leave home 'cuz you're gonna need it! We've been out to San Diego half a dozen times before, but this first trip there with a toddler in tow was nothing like any of those previous.

You definitely want to take lots of snacks. Just like Daddy Clay said, whatever your kid nutrition notions are, this ain't the time to stick rigidly to those ideals. You just want some stuff to keep little fingers & mouth(s) busy!

Be sure to take a small piece of very chewy candy or a large sucker that you can give your kiddo in case he/she has trouble relieving ear pressure. I know for my own sake, sometimes my ears don't "pop" for half an hour after we've landed. As annoying as that is for me, I can only imagine how much it could be - and potentially painful - for little kids who really can't understand why/what they're feeling.

I also recommend that you take an empty half-pint sized water bottle so you have an easy to secure container that the stewardess can fill with water or juice for you. Those little plastic cups that they serve drinks in are awkwardly-shaped and very easy for kids to spill. With a water bottle, you have a small opening, a lid with which to cap it off, and an easier to hold container.

We also took a doodle pad, several small books, and a couple of little toys. I'd strongly recommend that you take one of your child's favorite stuffed animals. Several times, Liam told us that his little stuffed monkey "Mo" was feeling a little scared - a tip, of course, that he himself was having some travel anxiety. Having his li'l pal to comfort seemed to really help settle Liam down.

Also be sure to either take a small blanket - many of the airlines don't pass these out now because of the swine flu scare - or a light jacket of yours to let your child snuggle under or use as a pillow. We focused on bringing little toys or items that were unlikely to easily roll off of the tray or lap into the floor where retrieval would be difficult to say the least. So, forget about crayons 'cuz those slippery li'l dudes will be on the floor more than not.

Also, if you have layovers, use those times to let your kiddo stretch his/her legs as much as possible and burn off some of the cabin fever & excess energy. I like Daddy Clay's idea of getting kiddos their own roller bag and will definitely try that on the next trip.

For us, the pre-gate security check-throughs were some of the toughest parts because you've got your hands loaded anyway and then you have to get everybody's shoes & jackets off, unload your pockets, empty electronics out of your backpack, etc. Liam has a special fondness for shoes, so giving those up to send through the scanner was an ordeal.

Also, prepare for the constant messing with the tray table. That thing was up & down a few dozen times. Drove me crazy!

You never notice how noisy an environment that is until you have cheap, low-volume ear buds or headphones. We bought some new child-sized headphones and loaded my notebook with several episodes of "Blue's Clues," but then discovered in mid-flight that the volume on the kid-friendly headphones was restricted too much to overcome the airplane cabin's white noise. So, if you plan to take along a DVD player or some other electronic device to help entertain kiddos, be sure to test them well ahead of time.

Ok, sorry so long-winded, but this was just so fresh in my mind...
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Thanks Rob!

After the age of 2 Continental make you pay for a full fare ticket for kids although as Daddy Clay mentioned this entitles her to a seat and carry on luggage allowance which may well come in handy.

Thank you Rob. Your advice was in no way long winded, but factual and greatly appreciated.

I have always flown by myself or with another adult, so it is good to get an insight into travelling with 'ankle biters'.

Finally, I get to be the embarrassed parent trying to control the kid frantically adjusting/playing with the seat back table...Glory days!

Bottles/blankets/no crayons also good pointers.

Thank you very much.

Greg D

Since this has been covered well, I will just throw in a few more:

Zen. Your kids are going to piss off a non-breeder. Embrace it.

There are enough people on the plane sympathetic to your plight, you just don't know it.

Be ready to change seats to one with no one in front of your kid. A kid will kick the seat in front of you, and when the tray is down she will push down on the tray.

We walk up and down the aisles.

Know that if you booked through a reseller, you might be in the back of the plane, right by the bathroom, right where your kid will get down on the floor. Yuck Yuck Yuck.

Smaller planes require families to move around sometimes due to weight issues.

I came looking for some info and I find all this great stuff. We are flying in a month which is a change of plans because we were going to drive to Newfoundland from Ontario (2 days drive and 1 6 hour ferry).

We are looking for an umbrella stroller now. We only have a BOB revolution is it's a little big for the terminal. Any recommendations from people who have flown with kids under 1. He'll be 10 months when we leave.

Robin, we snagged the cheapist Graco umbrella stroller we could find (for about $12) to take with us to Moscow when we brought Liam home. That stroller held up beautifully and would still be serving us now if he hadn't outgrown it - and strollers in general.

Daddy Troy, I totally agree about the walking up & down the aisles on longer flights. And honestly, it can serve as much a relief for Dad as it does kiddo - most airplane seats are not Dad-centric, ergonomically speaking.

The walking up and down the aisles is also an important exercise in helping prevent DVT's from forming. Its remaining in a cramped airplane seat for long periods of time with potential compromising of blood flow in your legs that increases the risk of getting them. As advised by Daddy Clay, I have purchased roller cases for the kids and they will have their own carry on to entertain/occupy them!

I've researched and discovered that Continental will only be showing one movie during our 6 1/2 hr flight, but we are departing at 9 in the evening so hopefully they will sleep for most of the flight.

here we go. I'll let you guys how it all turned out and see if I acquire any more pointers.

just back from approximately 13 hours in the air with three kids......and we survived. The hardest part for me was being delayed at Newark airport for three hours due to electrical storms. With our flight originally due to leave at 920pm we thought it would be ideal in terms of kids sleeping etc. The delay rewrote the plans and the kids were restless and knocked out of synch as we waited around for a departure time that kept moving! I must have walked several miles in the departure area with the 2 1/2 year old and boy did she like the moving walkways...many times!

Before that, going through the security scanning area was stressful too as none of the kids had any idea of where/when to stop and wait your turn and also why they had to take off their shoes. Trying to coordinate them whilst ensuring that we were complying wih the security protocols was somewhat difficult although we realize it is a necessary evil. This was also a negative for the kids carry on as they took no responsibility for retrieving their stuff after it had been scanned, even though their treasured DS consoles were in the bags.

The flights weren't too much of a problem for the older children (7 yr olds) who slept/read/or watched a reasonable selection of movies/tv shows on the inflight system, but the little one did not quite understand the importance of wearing your seatbelt, especially at the crucial take off and landing stages. It was a major struggle to keep her belt on and not appear like 'nazi police' parents.

Food was pretty aweful except for the vegetarian options.

Continental provide pillows and blankets and basic earphones.

Water/fluids on demand and friendly service; always trying to make fun interaction with the kids when they walked by(obviously when the kids were awake:P )

All in all, the plane ride was not the worst part, but as i said earlier, we survived.

I think 2 is the standard age for all the airlines to say they need a ticket. (American Airlines) for sure.

But in reality I don't think you'll be able to keep a toddler in your lap for long anyway. We've done the Austin/San Diego multiple times with our first daughter, starting at 6 weeks. Last time was at 18 months and it was getting challenging.

We used a portable dvd player (tend to have longer battery life then a laptop) and haven't used headphones yet. We only got grief about not having headphones on one leg (of all of our trips) from a crabby FA. The hardest part is takeoff/landing when your tray tables have to be up and no electronics.

Also remember, some airlines will let you check a carseat and a stroller for FREE!!! American Airlines falls in this group so we usually bring our own carseat.

Always try and book bulkhead seats. Usually more legroom and floor space plus no one to disturb in front of you if they get noisey or crying.

I've always been afraid of out of town trips with my children. I'm always afraid that they might throw fits while on the road, especially on flights. But surprisingly with some books, toys and a lot of sleeping. They are actually kind of well-behaved.

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www.growingupchildren.com

Folks are right on, bring tons o activities for the little one especially. Dvd's and games are great, but coloring books paper and markers (washable) aare a must as well. You can also wrap up little figurines in tissue for gifts along the way. Good luck!

We will be flying with our 1.5 y/o on Tuesday. Its a couple of hours long and we don't know how we are going to keep her still. This will be interesting.

If you fly enough that you stick with one airline to collect miles, and you pay for the extra seat for your kid(s) when they travel, be sure to get them their own mileage card.

Not only can they earn miles for you, but it's kinda cool to get a mileage card in the mail with your little one's name on it. (The credit card offers are funny at first, too.)