Gifts for plane passengers

[Zillcat]

We fly in just over a week to Australia with our 9 month old twins (21 hour journey in total)
Talking to my brother today, he asked if we had organised a gift to other plane passengers... basically a note 'from' the twins apologising for any disruption from them as it is their first flight.

I hadn't considered it before, would you think it tacky or appreciate a small gesture from us?

I have packed as much as I can into the hand luggage to entertain them and there will be four of us travelling so enough to take turns walking the aisles too.

Any suggestions are gratefully appreciated!

[Kezzie200]

Ive never flown so far but when kids were small and we went to europe we spoke to tnose around us whsn they got on and said if kids were annying them to let us know. It went down very well and some we made temporary friends in some cases. One family rearramged so their kids were sat by ours and they kept each other company (older by then about 10) Only once did one guy take us up by complaining almost as soon as we had taken off and he didnt really have a proper argument but when youve given them the offer! We obviously had to listen given what we had said and took the minis on lots of little walks to avoid him.

A lot depends on the type of person you are surrounded by. Luck as much as judgement. I recommend a chat rather than a slightly overdramatic present.

[LarkDescending]

No need whatsoever to apologise for your babies or “compensate” other passengers for their presence.

Just don’t be like the woman who bounced her (previously happy) baby so extravagantly up and down on her lap that when she thrust him backwards over the seats to SAY HELLO to us in the row behind, he showered me in vomit, approx 1 hour into the flight from London to Sydney.

[TooGood2BeFalse]

I really wouldn't worry OP.

I can hand on heart say I am NEVER bothered or irritated by other people's children, because I'm not the one that has to deal with it. I had a short (by comparison) flight about a month ago, about 6 hrs. It was the first time I'd ever left my children (had to go to a funeral) and I was sat next to a dad and his 10month old.The little man was apparently crying for the whole flight.I slept right through it.

[Gogogadetmumoftwo]

SundayGirls I’m not suggesting you don’t make try to quieten babies (as you would at home presumably!) or that you don’t say “sorry about the noise” if that can’t be placated. It’s more the over formalisation and preemptive nature I dont like. It’s also polite if a parent is clearly trying to help their child settle and says “I’m sorry about he noise” for the other person to say “don’t worry, it’s hard with little ones” or similar. I’m just advocating give and take and politeness.

[differentnameforthis]

When we did we get bloody paranoid as parents that we feel we have to apologise in advance to a plane full of people for babies doing what babies do?

If you cannot tolerate people noise, don't confine yourself to a small space with many of them for hours at a time.

Are people going to apologise to you for snoring? For being loud and obnoxious? For taking up all the room in the over head lockers? For reclining their seats? For having stinking feet when they inevitably remove their shoes? All of which they have control over.

You only have control over your twins, so just do what you can to keep THEM comfortable and happy and don't stress it. Beside, a bag of sweets isn't going to endear them to your kids, so why bother spending a ridiculous sum trying to appease people you don't know.

[12FreeRangeEggs]

This happened to us!!!!!!!

It has forever been known as the “plane favours flight”. DH and i still talk about it, and THEM.

They had twin baby boys and their names were utterly ridiculous. I think the MN baby names board would have had a field day.

Yes they were American. Yes their twin boys sent us all a cone of “candy” with a twee note from the twins attached, apologising for any disruption they may cause during the flight.

Yes they were the most irritating, too-cool, try hard, 21st century knob head parents.

The dad was forever parading down the isle with one of the twins in a sling, doing every thing possible to catch peoples eye and strike up conversations about how cool they were for taking their TWIN yes that’s right TWIN babies to Europe. So radical. So unheard of. How strange to have identical twins, right!?!?! And to take them to Europe, right!?! OMG what amazing and interesting parents.

Still...DH and i still get a chuckle from it all and it was at least 3 years ago.

[WhereIsMyDressingGown]

Wtf? I've never heard anything like it. You're paying passengers like everyone else and don't need to apologise for your presence. Just relax and enjoy the flight. You say you're prepared with things to keep the twins occupied. Now stop worrying.

[SundayGirls]

12freerange Was the candy any good though? That's the question. If yes then performance parenting, etc, is forgiven.

If no... then what a pair of irritating, too-cool try-hard parents they were! They can take their note and their rubbish candy and candy off.

[PirateMermaid]

I flew with my two year old this week. We had just boarded and the woman in front turned round and said loudly to her companion, “Just my fucking luck to be in front of a child, if it fucking screams I’ll fucking kill it”.

Nothing would have compelled me to give her a gift or note. As it turns out DS watched an iPad for the start of the flight and then fell asleep while I sat there fuming.

[Want2bSupermum]

I fly on my own with up to 3 of my own DC. When under 3 they go in their own seat in a car seat. The cosco scenera is great for this.

You don't need to give anyone a bloody bag of anything. Don't complain don't explain. I've had my elder two scream all the way from NYC to CPH. It was 8 hours and we landed. No one died. Other passengers complained but honestly I couldn't give a damn. It's a bus with wings. Crack on. Flying sucks.