Taking children on flights: have other passengers moaned and groaned if your child was crying?
DanielleMFM
admin
Hi everyone,
We've just read about a mum on a plan with her toddler and baby. The toddler was having a meltdown and her baby was crying – and all she could see was other passengers getting cross.
One passenger told the mum her crying child needs to stop kicking her seat, and grabbed the child’s leg, and ANOTHER woman was sat holding her hands over her ears making faces at the stressed mum, thankfully a kind stranger intervened, taking the crying baby to give the mum of two some respite.
This had us wondering, when you’ve been on flights with your babies and children, how have other passengers treated you, especially if your child has been crying? Please do come and tell us your good or bad stories about flying with kids - we’re really interested to hear your experiences.
Replies
I recently took my 10 month old (he was 8 months at the time) to Manchester. We got on the plane and a gentleman sat down beside us and rolled his eyes. I could tell he wasn't one bit amused but Arlo was as good as gold. He fell asleep on taking off and awoke just as we were landing. He was all smiles on waking and didn't cry once. I was secretly smirking to myself as we got up to exit the aircraft. To my surprise the gentleman then took me aside and admitted that he wasn't too happy to see me and my son sitting beside his seat as he entered the plane. He admitted he was very tired and was looking forward to a rest and feared that Arlo would play up and stop him from relaxing. He then apologised for his obvious grumpy demeanor and said Arlo was great and that I'm very lucky to have such a good child. He helped me out with my hand luggage and wished me a lovely trip. I was chuffed as it was that Arlo proved his assumptions wrong but at the same time I also appreciated his apology. Is it wrong that I secretly wanted Arlo to vomit on his shoes all the same? Lol
Think I might have secretly been wishing Arlo to vom on the chap too Karen2803!
️Awwh I would have wished the same haha!
This is something I have been a little worried about we will be taking our baby on holiday, they'll be around 4 months old. I was worried about the flight etc, has any one got any top tips that May have done it before?
Xx
We first took my first born on holiday abroad when he was 9 months old. We were very lucky because he fell to sleep with his milk as we were taking off and then woke up literally as we touched down. That was there and back. We then took him abroad the next time for his 3rd birthday and again, he was fine then. We just went armed with lots to do for him. He generally just watched a DVD and did a bit of colouring and had a little sleep :-)
My second was 17 months old when we first took him abroad - this was a new experience for us as we never took my first abroad around this age. It was A LOT more hard work! Luckily it was only a 2 hour flight. He slept for the first 45 minutes, but then there was a LOT of entertaining needed for the last hour or so. I think the issue was that he wanted to sit down like the rest of us - they can't have their own seat until they are 2 years old. My son is big for his age, so there wasn't really much space for him to sit on our lap and do things. Luckily we had my Mum and my sister on hand to swop him around. It was a lot more difficult and stressful at this age. But it wasn't his fault, he just wanted to explore and get down. We were really lucky in that there were quite a few children on this flight so we weren't the only ones! But to be fair, the people around us were really good when Jacob was being a bit noisy - playing peekaboo with him and things which was really nice.
If you are going abroad with a toddler, just be prepared to have to entertain all the time during the flight, and be prepared that people may stare and grumble and say things to you. I was all geared up ready to lay into people that had a go - something along the lines of "if you had kids you would know what it was like, you should be ashamed of yourself that you are behaving in this way" or "sorry that my children aren't perfect like your offspring are"! Lol. Your life shouldn't stop just because you have a toddler you want to take abroad!
Baby on flight was fine, but toddler....hmmmmm ;-)
I recently took Hugo on his first holiday, on the way there he was fine however on the way back he was screaming for the last hour due to his ears popping!
This made me very distressed and I was pacing up and down the plane I ended up shedding a few tears but not because of Hugo because at least 10 people around me joined in actions and all singing every nursery rhyme and lullaby under the sun to calm him down this was the most random act of kindness I have experienced and I will never forget what those people did for me. X
Leonna that's amazing! A very rare thing to happen I bet!