...
...

Photo credit Johnny Cohen and Hanson Lu

How to survive flight delays with kids

Travelling as a family is fun and definitely rewarding, but it requires extensive planning. And the funny part is, no matter how much you plan, you will always come across unexpected twists of events that will throw all those plans out the window. But that’s part of the fun, right?

Of course, but in many cases, it’s nice to come prepared. One thing that can easily be foreseen is flight delays. They occur often and can range anywhere from 30 minutes to 6-hour delays. So if you’re going on holiday with your little ones soon, check out some of these tips to make sure you’re ready to handle a delay.

Before leaving for the airport

  • Monitor the weather a few days before you leave. This is particularly important if you’re travelling from or to a snowy destination in winter or a stormy place during tropical rainy seasons. It will be easy to predict if your flight will be affected if extreme weather conditions occur.
  • Start checking the status of your flight before you leave the house. There are plenty of phone apps that will enable you to check if your flight is on-time or if a delay is expected. In case you’re not the most tech-savvy person though, calling your airline a few hours before you’re planning to leave the house will do the trick as well. There is no point in leaving your house earlier if your flight has already missed its schedule and will be delayed a couple of hours.

Arriving at the airport

  • Be informed about how many hours of delay are expected and if that will affect your connecting flights if you have booked any. Look for other flight options or reroute if appropriate.
  • Make sure to pack baby formula and food in your carry-on to feed your little ones if the delay is long. If your children are older, head to a snack bar or gift shop and look for healthy options so they won’t get hungry. Resist the urge to feed them sweets, as that will only make them jumpier later on.
  • Allow your kids to engage in quiet play amongst themselves or with each other. If you’ve packed books, toys or portable movie players in your carry-on, this is a great time to bring them out.
  • Ask for help, if needed. Flight attendants and airport staff will be more than happy to assist you in finding the nearest shops, restaurants and toilets if you ask.
  • If your flight is expected to delay many hours, consider getting a room at the airport hotel. Sometimes, having a private place to play and rest can ease the kids’ anxiety (and your own too!) about the delay.

After boarding the plane

  • Make sure to always have some snacks on you. Granola bars, crackers, bananas, water, and apples are all great ideas for treats you can bring on your carry-on. And they’ll be lifesavers if you’re stuck on the plane too long.
  • If the plane door hasn’t been closed yet and your children are getting antsy, ask the flight attendants if you can bring your children outside to the jetway. Flight attendants don’t like crying children either so it’s more likely than not that they will be understanding. Walk up and down the aisle with them or simply let your little ones play with their toys on the floor while you wait for the plane to be ready for take-off.

Flight delays are a nuisance but the most important thing when dealing with delays when you’re travelling with kids is to keep your attitude in check. Children will pick up on your frustration or anxiety so make sure to keep a positive attitude so that your little ones are happy while they wait.


Picture of Andy

Posted by Andy
on 20th September 2014 and
updated on 17th August 2023

Filed under

Flights

Similar blog posts

From the UK's most popular travel bloggers

...

Six ways to save money on flights

13th March 2024 by Rhian

Flights can be one of the most expensive aspects of a holiday, especially if you’re travelling long haul. But they’re pretty essential if you want to get out of the UK! There were a few years when I went away almost every month and I couldn’t have done that without saving some pounds on flights. While the prices of everything has increased you can still grab cheap airfares to Europe for the same as you’d spend on a meal out or a gig ticket. I once went to Copenhagen for the day...

...

Organising a Flight from Manchester Airport: 4 Essential Steps

30th June 2023 by Big Family Little Adventures

Manchester Airport is one of the UK's busiest airports, connecting travellers to a large number of domestic and international flights. To ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience, it is important to plan and organise your flight in advance. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your time at Manchester Airport:...

...

How to save money when booking a flight

17th August 2023 by Andy

There are loads of ways you can save when booking your dream getaways. We’ve already covered how you can save money when booking a holiday and when booking a cruise, so this time we’ve decided to focus on flights. There are way too many myths out there about the best times to book flights and ways to save money on tickets so we’ve decided to give you some insider tips to help you out.Get onlineThe best way to make sure you’re getting the best deal on your flight tickets is to get online...

...

Bali beckons - UK to get its first direct flights to the tropical island

17th August 2023 by Stuart

It's about to get a little easier for British holidaymakers to find some tropical sunshine in the Far East. From January 22nd you'll be able to fly direct to the tropical paradise island of Bali when Indonesian national airline, Garuda Indonesia, launches the first non-stop flights from the UK. The service will be departing London Heathrow on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 21.55, arriving in Bali Denpasar at 21.15 the following day - 15 hours and 35 minutes later. But it's not going...

...

British Airways Club Europe review: Is it worth the upgrade?

17th August 2023 by Paul

I recently had the opportunity to fly to Copenhagen with British Airways on a Club Europe ticket - the airline’s short haul business class service. It was the first time I’d flown Club Europe, so I was interested to see how the experience would differ from their economy Euro Traveller offering. Fast track security I had a late night flight out of London Heathrow T5 on Friday evening. I didn’t use the inclusive hold baggage allowance with my ticket, so having checked in online I...

...

Ryanair announces London Southend Airport base and flights from 2019

17th August 2023 by Stuart

Ryanair is opening a new base at the somewhat confusingly named 'London Southend Airport' in, umm, Essex - from April 2019.  With three aircraft and an investment of $300 million, Ryanair clearly see Southend as a viable alternative for future expansion and air travel opportunities. The airline will be offering 13 routes to 8 different countries:Alicante, Barcelona Reus, Bilbao, Mšlaga and Palma in SpainBrest - FranceCorfu - GreeceCluj, RomaniaDublin - IrelandFaro, PortugalMilan...

...

Two new flight routes announced for Turkey's Mediterranean coast

17th August 2023 by Stuart

Thomas Cook Airlines and Turkish Airlines have both recently announced new routes to Turkey's stunning Mediterranean coast. Thomas Cook has already commenced weekly flights from Norwich to Dalaman, with return fares on the 180-passenger Airbus A320 starting at £219pp. You can check them out here. And from June 13th Turkish Airlines will be flying from Gatwick to Bodrum twice-weekly. Fares are currently on a launch offer at a great-value £99 return. Their website has more...