Travelling alone with 2 toddlers and a baby

[cfh2287]

I'm flying from Stanstead later this week with my 3 children aged 8 months, 2 and 3. Any and all tips gratefully received! With all the news about how bad things are at airports how far in advance should I arrive at the airport? I'm not checking anything in and have booked meet n greet car parking. I don't want to get there so early I've got hours where I have to contain the kids before we get on the plane but then don't wanna be stressed and running through the airport trying to make the flight!

Don't worry everyone, I've got a letter of permission, a copy of his passport and their birth certificates. I am covering all bases and desperately trying to ignore all the stories of buggies going missing in transit!! I've been absolutely bowled over by all the kind words and useful advice on this thread so thank you all.

In reference to the permission from the dad

I'm not with my ex as he tried to kill me and injured my child

Since we managed to escape we have flown to around 15 different countries
Only once in Germany were we asked
The man in passport control was a dick about it but there was no huge issue thankfully

The buggy will be fine. Can I just say you're mega. I can barely fly with my 2 year old. I will be tuning in to hear how you got on!

I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has already been suggested, but you can arrange for assistance to get you through the airport - they pick you up at the entrance and take you through the airport on a buggy, so you don't have to stand in queues . If you ring the airport they will tell you how to sort it.
I did it when I travelled with elderly mum a few years ago.

You've already had loads of advice, but thought I'd just add mine as I've traveled with my 3 and 1 year old a few times alone with Ryanair recently (not Standsted).

1. I had so so so many offers of help: security staff, random travellers around the airport, airline staff, people on the plane- I genuinely never even needed to ask anyone. People would see what I was about to be faced with and ask to help: getting everything back after going through security, collapsing buggy, getting buggy down steps, etc. So if no-one offers, please just ask. Yes, it was stressful, but actually my trips alone gave me such a 'high' about how kind people are in general.

I promise you there will be people who will happily carry your case up the steps onto the plane and put it in the overhead for you (and get it down for you too). I literally had a woman behind me pulling my coat sleeve off for me as I struggled to do it holding the baby).

Please ask someone to carry your case down for you, as you need your hand free to safely get you and 3 children down the plane steps.

2. As soon as you get into the airport ask if there is a lane you need to go to specifically with the buggy. I've travelled through 4 airports- all have had assistance lanes at least to check boarding passes which passengers with young children/ buggies have been directed to. I've had an extra assistant with me at security a couple of times who have helped me by holding things, putting my items into the boxes, etc. I had the person directing people to the security lines ask if I was on my own and then send me straight through to fast-track at one airport.

3. Don't feel panicked and rushed. Obviously I don't mean with the chaos there's been recently, but just generally, I found it much easier if I just accepted it was going to take me a long time at security, people could go on past me. When 'packing up' after security, people could just go round me. I'm the kind of person though that hates being in the way, so I just had to focus on me and my boys and not worry if I very slightly inconvenienced or slowed down someone else.

4. Put everyone in very easily removable layers. If the sun is coming through the window when sat on the runway, it gets baking! The 4 of you will be squished in with baby on your knee. With staff shortages, one thing happening quite often is sitting on the plane either end of the journey for a while.

5. Take everyone into the accessible toilets. (Liverpool Airport has an amazing one- it has a child sized toilet in too so me and my toddler could pee together!).

6. Take empty water bottles. Most airports have free water fountains just through security.

But mainly, just ask for help. People will be falling over themselves to give you a hand.

Good luck

I’d go to the assistance desk when you arrive and ask them if they can offer any help. Even if it’s just allowing you to use the fast track lane. People with disabilities are able to go and ask in the day for help at the desk if they haven’t pre booked. So I’d say it’s worth a try.
Also I’d pack more snacks for the kids than you think you’ll need and a good variety. Plus new little toys they’ve never seen before.
good luck!!

This is for people with disabilities, not for people with small children. I’d be fairly annoyed if I was one of the many many disabled people left on a plane for hours because someone didn’t fancy walking through the airport with children.

I'd check your suitcase if you can. Get rid of it as soon as possible. There is a fair chance you will have stairs onto the tarmac to disembark. Most of the smaller airports won't have airbridges. How will you manage that with a suitcase and three children to carry/handhold? I'd happily take a bit of queuing/waiting to make that easier.

I did it! Some thoughts for anyone else who might be travelling alone with little children...

• I got free fast track through security so that was great until the staff asked me to 'wait for my husband' before getting the kids out of the buggy. Stansted security was not too busy at all, only took about 10 mins but the departure lounge was absolutely heaving. Nowhere to sit, long long queues to get anything to eat.

-the baby changing toilet is also the gender neutral toilet so I couldn't use it as someone was in there taking ages (they weren't using it as baby changing as not with kids because they didn't lock the door so I walked in on them.) Disabled toilet out of order too so had to squeeze everyone into a cubicle.

• nobody bloody offered to help at all! In fact a guy walked around me while I was struggling on the runway trying to fold the buggy etc. I think ppl were stressed cos airport was so busy and flight was delayed. Ended up having baby in sling and 3 year old in buggy because I was so worried about losing her in departures, it was so rammed.
• actual flight was fine and as soon as we landed in France I got so much help! The baggage handlers carried the toddlers down the steps for me, someone else got the buggy, someone from the airport carried my bags and I got fast tracked through passport control. So different from the UK.
• no-one asked me for a letter of permission or birth certificates and also I was allowed to take the buggy right to the plane and it was given back to me as soon as I got off.

Right, going to pass out now!

Ah, well done! Any time I travel with my one toddler on my own I feel like an absolute hero, three is awesome.

I hope you all have a lovely break. Although I notice you put the three year old in the buggy and baby in the sling - two year olds not still at the gate, right?! 😉

Well done!

You are amazing !!!!!

So sad to hear that some people walked by and didn't help

You meet all sorts when travelling with babies

Well done !!!!!

Have a lovely trip ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Glad you made it!!

I used to travel solo with my two (there’s a 3 year age gap) and I just hooked the suitcase handle over the handle of the buggy on one side, so it rolled itself along, and got DS1 to hold onto the other side.
If you have a double buggy, you’ll be able to manage the same arrangement with two in the pushchair.
Give your oldest a little backpack with toys, books and snacks and a spare set of shorts/T-shirt for the inevitable juice disaster.
You will be fine. Staff will help where they can. And you’ll be super proud of yourself!

Oh FFS - RTFT @toughtimes 🤣🙈

@PragmaticWench were you not embarrassed that your crying because a pram wasn't where you wanted it to be got you to the front of the queue? Maybe we should all burst into tears at the slightest inconvenience

I was once moved to the front of a very long immigration line in Latin America because one of my toddler DT's was crying and trying to sleep. When we needed to be constantly moving.

I felt like crying and must have looked very stressed.
I wasn't embarrassed at all to be rescued I was just profoundly grateful.

Being offered help and accepting it when we need it is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Oh well done!! @cfh2287 - absolute hero

I travelled a bit in South America. Lots of airports have fast track for people with disabilities and pregnant women. Sometimes it was the crew gate.