Flying with a 2 year Old

[p1975]

Sorry if this may have been asked countless times but I need some advice please?

We are flying next July to Turkey (4 hour flight) and my youngest will be 33 months old. We have booked him a seat on the plane but should we take a car seat for the journey or will he be safe without one?

We did not fly with our oldest son until he way six so this is all new to us.

We have car seats booked in with our transfer company so wont need one for the holiday itself, plus we already have a very good isofix seat in the car which we don't really want to take abroad but we are happy to invest in another seat if needs be for the flight.

What are peoples experiences/advice?

Thanks

What time do you fly? Take lots of little things they can that can keep them occupied - books, drawing, toys & snacks etc

I'm guessing they will have a sleep at some point too.

I wouldn't take a car seat for on the plane, i never did and my daughter is small for her age, the seatbelt fit fine and was loosened anyway once in the air so she could move around.
Have snacks, lots! Calpol just in case, at that age i took the crayola magic pens and books/paper so i didn't risk her drawing on the plane!
We always take a tablet for her with lots of kid shows/games and some kiddie headphones. The Cbeebies apps are good, BBC Iplayer kids and if you have it Disney plus.
Nothing noisy as would annoy other passengers.
Sticker books? We took them though she never used them
Blocks, maybe the magnetic ones or duplo so less likely to fall all over the place

Don't need a car seat for the plane.

Take snacks, colouring, stickers, whatever could interest him and perhaps a trusty tablet/iPad/phone.

@finished31

What time do you fly? Take lots of little things they can that can keep them occupied - books, drawing, toys & snacks etc

I'm guessing they will have a sleep at some point too.

We are flying out 13:30 so a good time as we land at 20:00.

He should sleep once we board and take off as that's his usual nap time.

Thanks all for the help. Feel more relaxed already.

He has his own tablet (a hand me down from my work) which we use on car journeys on the back of the front seat. Its loaded with fireman sam, disney plus etc so all good there.

We are taking the small stroller as he will run riot in the airport I expect, he's coming up to his 2nd birthday so running around is his latest new thing!

Not going to take a car seat, I didn't want to in the first place as its more to carry around and pack.

Flying Turkish Airlines and they are apparently very good at looking after you if you have young kids.

This will be our first abroad holiday since 2017 before little one came along and hopefully by July 2021 we should be a little way out of this Covid-19 madness.

Thanks again

Paul

I’ve done a lot of flying with DD, mostly transatlantic and genuinely find it quite easy even on my own. It depends what works for you but personally I don’t take crayons, drawing or a lot of toys because in my experience they typically end up dropped on the floor, in the seat and then they get upset and it’s way more trouble than it’s worth. I wouldn’t take the car seat as they often want to stretch out when they nap but do consider taking a small pillow and blanket as short haul doesn’t usually provide. We pack a lot of snacks (remember anything liquid must be 100ml), take an empty water bottle and fill up past security, an iPad with lots of cartoons downloaded and headphones (practice with these before you fly) and that’s pretty much it actually.

Lots of toys and downloaded TV shows for the tablet and lots of snacks for take of and landing.
My little one was great until he had to be strapped in for landing, so feeding him was a great distraction, plus a drink from a bottle with a sports cap so they are sucking for landing.
I also gave a preventative dose of calpol incase his little ears hurt from the cabin pressure.

Exactly what ShyTown says - I add in a bag of haribo because that's how I roll :)

I'd also check everything you can, and just go on board with the stuff you need for the flight, rather than have hand luggage. When I fly with the kids I have just a tote, with the ipads/headphones/haribo/water/purse - and when little a change of clothes/nappies - so I always have hands free to do whatever, and don't have to waffle around in the overhead lockers.

I know it goes against the advice to have a spare anything in your handluggage, but TBH, I just assume that if the worst happens and my luggage goes astray I'll just go to the shops.

I bring playdough and tablet and of course a few changes of clothes.Turkish Airlines give kids a gift bag.DD got a plane, bendable chef and an aviator hat.it's really cute.

That's fantastic Rua13 - glad they do that. Hope they still do.

My previous 10 flights to Turkey were with Sleazyjet or other equally awful carriers so this is the first time flying with a "proper airline" if you know what I mean.

Plus it was actually cheaper than Easyjet, Pegasus and the like!

Remember a nearly 3yo is very different to a just 2yo... Very likely to have stopped napping by then.

We first flew when DD2 was 2.5, similar length flight to Cyprus. Take snacks and stock up on drinks at airport. Magazines,little toys that won't be a disaster if lost. Child headphones for tablet (practice before hand). Plus play airports do he understands the scanners... They have to go through alone.

I'd also check everything you can, and just go on board with the stuff you need for the flight, rather than have hand luggage.
^This 110%

I agree with all of the above but would also add (just from my own experience!):

• Plastic bags. Both my DD unfortunately suffered from travel sickness and would throw up regularly either on the way to the airport, on the plane or just as we got off.

• Change of clothes for DS and a top for you - not just in case he vomits but also for spills. There isn’t much room on the plane & with all the wriggling around that goes on, juice can go everywhere. Sitting next to a sticky toddler who smells of both juice and vomit is grim (I know, I’ve done it!)

• on descent once, youngest DD screamed the plane down and wet the seat because her ears hurt. On the flight back, we played a gurning with our mouths and haribo’s game which she thought was funny and all the mouth stretching meant the pressure didn’t build up in her ears.

I’ve probably made it all sound horrendous but honestly, the holidays made it worthwhile. Have a great time!