flying with kids

[bonnie&clyde]

the 3 year old should be a ok gum
chewer

yeah he is good with gum now, as long as we keep asking him to show it to us he wont swallow it, just gotta make sure we give it to him in time

[Sean88gt]

Candy. A little diabetic shock is much better than dealing with two screamers for hours on a flying can.

[90GT50]

Bring earplugs, ignore everyone else.

[GrayStangGT]

Just bring about 20 small bags of candy to handout to the people sitting next to you guys. Simply say we're sorry for the many inconvenience my children could cause in advance.

Candy will not fix being stuck next to a child on a plane, that requires alcohol.

[YALE]

Spirit is full of people that rarely fly. They aren't accustomed to it, and even if they were they have kids and are probably somewhat sympathetic.

Either way, you don't know any of them and owe them nothing.

People that bitch the most are the ones that fly the least.

This. Spirit is the ultimate Trailways bus. It's possibly grungier than the actual Trailways bus. They smooth don't clean those planes. Pro-tip: Do your level best to not pay any actual fees. Read the fine print on their website. They charge fees out the ass.

[likeitfast55]

We traveled a lot when the boys were small(non-rev). My guys are 14 months apart. We would split up, ea take one guy and sit in a different part of the plane. Bring their favorite toy or game that makes the least noise. Middle of the night is perfect...sometimes.

Bring finger food, it seemed to keep my guys occupied. Try and put the 3yr old by the window. No one next to them to bother.

Have fun.......

[Rotortrash]

My son is 5 now, and has flown numerous times. The best thing we've found is to keep him awake as long as possible before the flight. He would sleep most of the flight after that. the only draw back to that was delays! Any delay at all would screw the plan all up.

Good or bad, you get a new appreciation for a screaming kid on an airplane. Do the best you can to keep them happy, and hope for the best. If anyone around you gets ticked, I bet they don't have kids. I usually feel bad for the parents in these cases. Try as you might, once a small child gets upset, there's not much that can be done.

[KBScobravert]

We have flown with our daughter twice. Once from DFW-Canada when she was 8mths and then last month right at a year from DFW-Cancun. Out of the 4 flights she was a rock start for all but the last one, Cancun back to DFW.

Small toys, small snacks, several bottles on standby and the kid food squeezer packs (genius invention by the way). Keep them busy if they are awake.

Even though she would not settle down on the last flight at least she was happy and that seemed to be okay with all the passengers. No complaints from anyone. But it was a test of our nerves to keep her squeaking and singing vs crying. She is a chatterbox.

Another tip(s). We took a umbrella style stroller and her car seat (on a travel, collapsing handtruck) through security and onto the gate. Get the big orange bags from Babys'r'us made to gate check these and hand them off as soon as you get to the gate. Less shit to deal with when boarding comes. Going through security can be a bitch with all that shit. Get with the TSA folks and let them know you have liquids, powders, etc right off the bat....then they will help you get through.

[KBScobravert]

I flew from Dubai to Dallas direct (14.5hrs) back in April with a 4 year old and twin 1 year olds in my row. It was excruciatingly painful. It was all I could do to suck it up and be sympathetic about what the mom and dad must have been feeling. However, I was pissed that the folks decided to sit on one end of the row and leave the 4 year old next to me and one of the bassinets with a 1 year old climbing out at 4 feet off the deck, right in front of my seat. I caught the kid at least once. I will never fly Emirates again and I love the short direct flight...too many kids and too many Indians. 14.5hrs is just to fucking long to fly with a toddler.

[talisman]

Spirit is full of people that rarely fly. They aren't accustomed to it, and even if they were they have kids and are probably somewhat sympathetic.

Either way, you don't know any of them and owe them nothing.

People that bitch the most are the ones that fly the least.

LOL, bullshit dude. I know plenty of seasoned fliers that use Spirit because it's cheap. Don't encourage him to be "that asshole that can't control his kid" on a plane full of people. That's one of the worst parts about flying, and it is already such a pain in the ass to begin with no one needs someone adding one more annoyance to it.

[bcoop]

People that bitch the most are the ones that fly the least.

Bullshit. I fucking HATE people that fly with kids, and I've got two. Well, not all of them. But most parents I've come in to contact with don't give two shits that their kids are annoying and a pain in the ass to everyone around them. It only amplifies it when you're on a plane. The last time I flew back from Jacksonville, this kid screamed the entire second leg of the flight. Her mother just sat there and let her throw her tantrums, and did nothing to correct it. I told her if she didn't shut the fucking bastard up, I would.

[Roscoe]

LOL, bullshit dude. I know plenty of seasoned fliers that use Spirit because it's cheap. Don't encourage him to be "that asshole that can't control his kid" on a plane full of people. That's one of the worst parts about flying, and it is already such a pain in the ass to begin with no one needs someone adding one more annoyance to it.

That's funny, I don't know a single one. They have no rewards or status system, that would not be favorable to any "seasoned" traveler.

Where did I say to let his kid do whatever he wants? I completely stand behind what I've said.

Bullshit. I fucking HATE people that fly with kids, and I've got two. Well, not all of them. But most parents I've come in to contact with don't give two shits that their kids are annoying and a pain in the ass to everyone around them. It only amplifies it when you're on a plane. The last time I flew back from Jacksonville, this kid screamed the entire second leg of the flight. Her mother just sat there and let her throw her tantrums, and did nothing to correct it. I told her if she didn't shut the fucking bastard up, I would.

I didn't say to let him run wild, and I would expect him to do what he can, but it's nothing to cause you to do anything to put those around you at ease. Sounds like everyone's kid is an asshole except your's?

[GhostTX]

As said, gum for the 3 year old (we do Trident and gave 1/2 a stick) for the ears.

Finger food for the flight for both.

Let them take their favorite toy(s), but small ones. If the they like to color, bring coloring books. Then we always do a surprise toy/coloring book/gift. Something NEW. Wrapped up, even, to make it more of a surprise.

[bcoop]

Sounds like everyone's kid is an asshole except your's?

My kids most certainly aren't assholes. They don't scream in restaurants, they don't throw fits in public, they say please and thank you, etc. I also don't fly with young children. My son was 5 or 6 before he ever got on a plane, so his screaming days were long over by that point. My daughter is almost 6 and hasn't been on a plane yet. It's called being considerate.


I don't hate everyone who flies with kids. Some are very well behaved. But 90% of them suck, and their parents are fucking assholes.

[Roscoe]

My kids most certainly aren't assholes. They don't scream in restaurants, they don't throw fits in public, they say please and thank you, etc. I also don't fly with young children. My son was 5 or 6 before he ever got on a plane, so his screaming days were long over by that point. My daughter is almost 6 and hasn't been on a plane yet. It's called being considerate.


I don't hate everyone who flies with kids. Some are very well behaved. But 90% of them suck, and their parents are fucking assholes.

I didn't say your's were. Mine aren't either, and my daughter flew quite a bit when she was an infant and toddler, and has made probably 3 trips while 5-6. Only rough spot was when she was 6mo old on a flight, but you do what you can as a parent to try to calm them.

It happens. Most people aboard a flight are sympathetic because they know what it's like, which you'll find on most carriers that do a fair amount of business travel - people who are used to hearing kid issues.

Now when you talk about flying Southwest and Spirit (and the like) you have those people who rarely fly once every 5 years and feel like the experience is being ruined and want to complain to the parent and/or the flight attendants.