Why do airports make travelling with children so hard?

[MidnightPatrol]

I have travelled several times with my now toddler, and every time it has been a nightmare vs just going through the normal check in process.

I seem to be forced to use manual check in each time (for the pram I suppose). This means you have to queue or in ‘special assistance’ rather than use bag drop.

What is better with a toddler than standing in a queue for an hour, waiting while every other passenger that needs assistance is dealt with, late arrivals ushered in front of you etc.

On to ‘family friendly security’ where… again always a huge queue vs the standard queues - both to get your boarding pass checked, and to get your bags searched.

While I am allowed to take my yo-yo pram on board, it is sometimes confiscated and checked in. But… no airport I have been to in the U.K. provides prams in the airport. So you are carrying masses of luggage and a wriggling child while trying to move through the airport.

To accommodate all of the above, you have to be at the airport the full three hours before your flight just to accommodate standing in all these extras queues they’ve created for you. I’ve almost missed flights twice because they’ve managed to take 2-3 hours to get me checked in and through security.

Just…. Why?

The airports actually talk about how family friendly they are, while actively making the experience worse.

I have three 7/5/3 and we've taken them in airports every year bar 2020. Granted there's two of us. But we've never had the buggy confiscated. We check the big buggy/pram and use a carrier if we've had a baby and a faux yo-yo for the toddler. One backpack and one wheels case. We pack all the liquids in one bag and all the tech in another so at security one adult takes out tech and the other takes out liquids. Have always had to queue for the check in - bloody buggy, but pay for fast pass for security. The only time it's stressful is carrying them up the steps of the plane and through the plane because we the buggy and carry on to carry so it's harder to have a hand on kids. We usually redistribute everything in the bags before we get on the plane so the airport stuff goes overhead and the backpack is a ton weight but we have everything we need for the flight. We've had fewer airport rows since having kids. I'm a really chill, like to browse don't care if I'm the last on the plane (never late tho) whereas dh wants to be the first person at the gate potentially queueing first also for the joy of being the first on the plane. The kids mean I have to buck up a bit and he has to chill out a bit.

@Porridgeislife I think you may pack more than me. But if you need more then fair enough. I had visions of OP trying to travel with hand luggage only and taking things on the plane she didn’t need.

I think it’s because often people with small children take longer to do most things, if you group them all together then it’s a recipe for a long wait. When travelling with DC, I look upon the e-gates with envy while someone is dicking around in front of me on a Trunki.
At Gatwick, it felt longer in the family security, but it wasn’t, it’s just because we were surrounded by other families and travelling with families is generally more stressful. The last time I flew it was much easier but that was because I was on my own, I could just whizz through without having to parent. I did kind of appreciate being able to do that without waiting for a slower family ahead of me.

I still have trauma from my only flight with kids (7, 3 and 6 months) last summer from Bristol. That mightve been Ryanair though.
By the time we got through check in and security, we were knackered and there was no gate info still. Flight over an hour away so got a coffee. No sooner sat down and had a sip than gate info changed to FINAL CALL. Abandoned everything to panicky shove baby in pushchair, grab bags, run. We were running with buggy, shouting at kids to run, for fucking miles. Whhhyyyy is bristol airport so big with no travelators?! Why do they go from no info on gate to final call with nothing in between?? Made it to the flight but at least two of us were crying by then!

We've flown to and from turkey with a 2 year old and 6 month old, and to and from Corfu with a 3 year old and 1.5 year old. And didn't have half as much chaos as you seem to have had...

We use an airp pram and fold it up to go in the overhead lockers so take it right to the gate.
Each child has a small back pack as hand luggage, I use the changing bag and DH has a back pack. The DD1 carries her back pack herself and DD2 has hers hanging off the pram.
Whenever we've queued for check in we've been lucky enough to be sent near to the front of the queue, and the same for security.
Still manage to browse duty free and grab some food before our flight

W don't fly much, but Manchester, Copenhagen and Nice airports have all fast tracked me when travelling with babies/preschoolers. Maybe I just look particularly pathetic.

Not my experience, I've flown from different UK airports- larger ones, and regional ones and found it pretty easy. I particularly liked Gatwick's family security line which was super quick and easy. Flying back from Europe, The US and Caribbean hasn't been easier or better. I was particularly shocked at how awful Munich was.

Just travelled long haul from manchester and was allowed to keep the pram to the gate and security was a special lane and took all of 10 mins to get through, never had a pram taken off us when we have travelled.

I've not had this sort of experience BUT my husband uses a walking aid so the staff normally take one look at us managing a toddler and being disabled and whizz us though...small perks! I do wish there were more seating though and activities for children, we flew out of gran Canaria airport recently and they had an indoor playground, with plenty of seating. Only a small area but it was so amazing to have!

Here they always take prams to the door of the plane and gate check them if necessary.

I always used an umbrella stroller for my kids and could wheel it to the seat and then stick it in the overhead bin.

But it is indeed challenging traveling with small kids.

My toddler days are gone, but living abroad I travelled alone, frequently with DD and don't recognise this description either.

Toddlers are fecking hard work, that much is true. But airports and airline staff I've always found unfailingly friendly and helpful. As others I only ever travelled with a cheap buggy for practical reasons but even then buggy, child, bags, stairs weren't a problem because lifts...people are generally kind and give you a hand.

All London airports were great, also all the Italian and Spanish ones I used back in the day.

I've solo travelled with twins since toddlerhood.

Cut down your hand luggage, only have one carryon rucksack, make sure you can access your documents easily.

Dress yourself carefully so you are comfortable and don't have anything to set the alarm off.

I didn't use a pushchair.

Give yourself plenty of time so you don't feel rushed, pay for anything you can afford that cuts down lines.

Ask for help if you need it.

Not my experience at all. I’ve never had the buggy ‘confiscated’, have always been able to take it right to the gate/onboard.

I’ve travelled alone with DC, more than I’ve travelled with DH and DC, and have always found most airport staff extremely helpful.

One bag with everything in, pull out milk at security, don’t take any other liquids etc onboard, security is fine.

We’ve travelled a lot with ours and the only time I’ve ever had an issue with the YoYo is on a prop plane and they let us put it in an empty row! Heathrow has great soft play. If there’s a family lane you avoid because it’s not for your benefit, rather I’m convinced it’s a way to separate amateur hour faffing with a new travel buggy they can’t fold and all those extra liquids to be screened from general population. Gatwick lets you pay £5 pp (under 2s free) for their fast track premium line too. Ask to get on the plane first, never had an airline refuse, and that ensure locker space for your carry on and YoYo. Check what you can to avoid dragging loads of stuff around with you. Bring snacks, ipad, headphone, spill free sippy cup. American TSA gives kids junior officer badges, often British border control lets you jump the passport line with little ones. Generally people are happy to help, especially if you’re traveling on your own. I’ve had a few bad experiences from time to time with cancelled flights etc but never anything like you describe! Maybe just an unlucky trip?

You are totally right. Manchester is a nightmare with little ones, dread going away that queue from passport control from Florida , with is a plane full off family's as little ones aren't allowed to use the walk through scanner thing is horrific!!! Hours to get through to pick up your luggage.

Whereas faro airport is amazing, 🤩 little ones get priority at every stage!

It is normal to take a plan or buggy to the gate and hand it over there.

I have a fold up Joie that I am allowed to take past check in?

I'm giving a hollow laugh of shared pain here, being a single parent to four kids, and disabled and in need of the "special assistance". The only competent experience of it all was in HND airport. The rest has been a fucking nightmare on two holidays abroad through six airports, no one knows who is supposed to be meeting and escorting me, no one knows how to actually deal with a real disabled person, no one remembers to come and get you to be taken aboard the plane.. I have seriously considered just going through the normal normo routes next time and not asking for special assistance. Because it made it more stressful on most of the legs of the journey. ..

It's all just so overdue improvements isn't it. Why does it have to be so stressful and disorganised?!

@fluffycatkins How were you transporting your twins? A carrier? And if so what do you do when going through security as they always make you take carrier off.

(Not doubting / challenging you; just admiration!)

I haven't had this experience at all. I've generally found airport staff pretty helpful.

At security you know you don't have to use the family friendly lanes, right? They are optional. My daughter once freaked out at Gatwick when selected for extra scanning (we were on our way to a family funeral and it had been an emotional and stressful few days). They couldn't have been more patient with her/us.

I've also found staff helpful when checking in car seats and so on.

My only gripe is the inability to use e gates with children. The queues can be really long for the face to face desks if you are travelling in the school holidays when the flights are packed with kids.

Bristol airport is shit for kids. No priority at security, just wait in the usual mega long queue. Miles to walk to the gates and then you’re confronted with a flight of stairs so don’t even think about taking your pram to the gate if travelling alone. No toilets once through passport control and you can be there for ages if the flight is delayed. The departure lounge is way too small and always rammed. You can’t get a seat anywhere. And then there’s the huge queue to fill your water bottle.

Any airport I’ve used in Europe has been better than British ones. They always let people travelling with kids jump the queues.

I can't remember which European airport it was, but I once saw a playpen at the end of the tables after security. I thought it was a really thoughtful addition and really handy to have somewhere to safely put a toddler down while sorting bags after security. In general I think buildings like airports are poor for having facilities that are easier for little people to access - for example small toilets, low sinks for handwashing and seating areas are just some I can think of. There are small adjustments that could be provided easily to make it easier for travelling families.

I sympathise with the difficulties highlighted. There are bigger issues here too. Nobody should be confronted by a flight of stairs in a terminal.

I had a Mamas and Papas Acro buggy that folded into a carry case that was checked in at the gate so I could use it through the airport. I also had a large backpack on wheels for hand luggage so I could slip it on and have my hands free.

The passport queue on arrivals is a bit annoyingly long but never really had the other issues.

Which airports? I’ve never seen this. I’ve seen parents using their own prams and get fast tracked through security, I’ve seen kids in carriers, on wheely cases, even on a scooter!