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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to consider taking a toddler on a four and a half flight for her first holiday?

80 replies

Littlemissindecisiveagain · 27/05/2018 13:45

Hi We have the opportunity to fly with gps to go on a holiday next year to a hotel they have previously visited and have said will be great for her. My only concern is that she hasn’t flown before and the flight will be four and a half hours. Aibu to consider this or should I go somewhere closer to begin with? I know we are lucky to have this option but I would appreciate any advice anyone can offer thank you Smile

OP posts:
Lollyb86 · 29/05/2018 08:01

My DD first flight when she was just 2 was to Australia with a stop over in.hong Kong and she was just amazing. She slept and played with toys and did stickers etc. It may not be as bad as you think

Heismyopendoor · 29/05/2018 08:03

I took DD to the Caribbean when she was 1. She was absolutely fine on the flight.

Trooperslane2 · 29/05/2018 08:04

I used to fly a LOT.

The issue isn't with the wee ones - it's the inconsiderate parents IME.

Think - Peppa Pig on fucking full volume at a 6am flight. Spoke to the cabin crew and they told the Mum to turn it right down. She kept turning it back up.

DD was fine with

  • stickers (pull the back off before you give them over - then child can do it themselves)
  • PP on iPad - WITH HEADPHONES
  • Loads of snacks as PP said
  • Book DH, child and you in same row and put child in the middle so you can take turns to distract

Genuinely, I've never really seen a properly badly behaved child unless their parents were dicks. Watch out for take off and landing ears though.

Trooperslane2 · 29/05/2018 08:05

(not suggesting you're a dick OP!)

Plus you'll have GPs with you (I think) so if you need to you can spread the load.

Ansumpasty · 29/05/2018 08:16

That’s pretty short, of course YANBU.

WildCherryBlossom · 29/05/2018 08:33

I did 11 hours on my own with an 18 month old and 3.5 year old. Hand luggage stuffed with entertainments. It was ok.

Echobelly · 29/05/2018 09:10

It'll be fine, we've done plenty of long flights with little ones. It's even easier now than when my kids were that age as you can have plenty of things downloaded onto a tablet or whatever. My kids flew pretty well without them - I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that all toddlers will go wild on a plane.

OneStepSideways · 29/05/2018 09:21

We did and it was fine. She liked flying more than trains/buses! She watched the iPad, had snacks and a nap and was fascinated by the view of clouds! The sooner they get used to flying the better imo.

The really hard age is when they're babies as you can't reason with/bribe a crying baby!

Funkyslippers · 29/05/2018 09:23

My DD was 11 months when we first went to Greece and we've been going abroad every year since. She's never had any discomfort with ears etc and loves flying. Just take some story/colouring books etc and snacks

HotChocChick · 29/05/2018 11:50

I've took my 2 DC to the Canaries oldest age 2 and youngest was 13 months. Have done every year since. No problems and they are seasoned flyers.

FASH84 · 29/05/2018 11:54

DN is two and a half, she's been to Portugal, the US to visit SILs family (she wasn't quite two then) and she came to Mexico in January to be our bridesmaid she was brilliantly behaved and loved the holidays. Take a tablet loaded with favourite shows and audio books (headphones too obviously) colouring books, snacks and so on. For and a half hours is fine and she'll love being away with family. She asked me yesterday when can we go to meckiko again and can she wear her pretty (bridesmaid) dress.

Ohmydayslove · 29/05/2018 12:14

Flight details please so I can avoid! Wink

I would have rather ripped my arm off than take any toddler on a long flight. Why would you unless relocating.

Baby great and over 3.5/4 fine but those inbetween! No totally no.

Also wondering all those posters saying how wonderful their toddlers were if the other passengers would agree? Wink

freezerfoodyum · 29/05/2018 12:54

Maybe you should avoid flying altogether if you're that delicate, ohmydays.

KilburnOriginal · 29/05/2018 13:11

She'll be fine, pack colouring books, fave cuddly toy and small toys to play quietly with and even a tablet (with headphones) if you are ok with her using one. We did this with DS when he was 3 1/2, flight to Tenerife, he was so quiet the woman behind us said "oh isn't he well behaved, I didn't even know he was there" as we all stood up to get off the plane after landing.
He's always behaved well on planes, we just make sure he has a variety of things to entertain him and food! - we always pack plenty of snacks as hunger can affect behaviour...

goose1964 · 29/05/2018 13:17

My kids always slept on night flights, the only problem we have is that DD hates taking off and landing. She grabs my hand so hard it cuts off circulation 😀. Last time we flew I ended up hold some random woman's hand during landing because she hated it too.

Gromance02 · 29/05/2018 13:26

No problem. As long as you are certain she will be quiet for the flight.

GaryBarlowsTaxReturn · 29/05/2018 13:47

You'll be fine op! It is nerve racking though. Done quite a few flights with my toddler; longest was 4 hours to Morocco.

Take loads of distractions; ipad with headphones - load this up with ceebeebies app and the ceebeebies game. A magazine with plastic tat on the front. Variety of snack foods. I don't worry about diet when I'm travelling, all the junk comes out.

Have a great holiday.

freezerfoodyum · 29/05/2018 13:48

As long as you are certain she will be quiet for the flight

No one is going to expect a two year old to be deadly silent for the whole flight, don't be ridiculous Hmm

ineedwine99 · 29/05/2018 13:52

My daughters first flight was at 10m old, 11 hours to LA, she's 21m now and just done 11hrs to the Caribbean, as long as you take plenty of colouring books and some other quiet toys, plus a tablet full of toddler games/videos, you'll be fine. She didn't cry at all, napped on me or my husband, i tried to encourage her to drink during landing as i find that helps stop ears popping.
Go for it :-)

MargoLovebutter · 29/05/2018 14:09

It will be fine. I was a fairly frequent flyer with mine from 9 weeks onwards - quite often on my own.

Most flights were fine. I think for a 2.5 year old, accompanied by 4 adults - it will be a walk in the park. I always had a small stash of 'never seen before' small toys and books that I could pop out when things got a bit stressy. Ideally do lots of walking and running around in the terminal before you get on the plane, so don't have a massively over-active child wriggling on your lap. Don't have loads of high sugar snacks either - go savoury or low GI and have stuff to drink to help with ear popping.

I had the odd flight where for whatever reason, everything went wrong & I'd have a screaming baby & hyper-active toddler - but I lived to tell the tale and so did they. At the end of the day it is only 4.5 hours - not a lifetime!

Quartz2208 · 29/05/2018 14:18

Its fine - mine have been doing flights since they were 5 and 7 months and do 4 hour and transatlantic ones.

Why shouldnt children fly - the greek and canary islands are often the best for early and late season weather

And Vogue people get sick - I used to get terribly airsick

15star · 29/05/2018 18:40

To be fair who even cares if your child does cry. Kids cry, it's annoying yes but that's life. I've been on a flight where the person next to me got into a fist fight with the person in front about the chair being reclined. I had to stop the air stewardess mid safety drill to break it up...THAT was more annoying than any child crying. Also don't forget the many adults that get drunk and loud on flights. At least the child can't help crying!

coffeebreak38572 · 29/05/2018 19:35

We took our DD on a 7 hour flight recently she has just turned one. We were lucky as the seat next to us was spare. I was very nervous but she was great. At the end of the day even if DC wasn't great with flight it is 4 hours it will end.

Longdistance · 29/05/2018 19:38

I took dds 14mo (and not walking) and dd1 not quite 3 from Oz to the Uk... on my own 🤷🏼‍♀️

Take magazines with crappy toys attached, snacks, iPad drawing stuff, DVD player if no inflight entertainment, share care between the two of you if there are two of you. What’s the issue?

TroubledLichen · 29/05/2018 19:46

Was the seat actually free coffee or did your supposed to be seat mate see you coming and ask to move?! DD got her own business class flat bed this way on our last long haul trip Grin

For the record, I don’t let her blast Paw Patrol at full volume or ignore her to watch movies whilst she cries. I’m really conscious about her disturbing other passengers so we tend to alternate walking her up/down the plane and any crying means she’s taken to the galley (sorry cabin crew). This guy saw us board and asked to move straight away. We’re flying long haul again in August so fingers crossed it’s not a full flight and it happens again as an extra seat makes life so much easier! Do you think it would be too much to poke her as we board?! (obviously joking)