Jet2 Flight Times: Travelling with 2 little ones late at night

[iphammer]

I am looking at booking a holiday abroad for late May for myself, my partner and our 2 boys aged 2 and 8, but the destination we are looking to book has an ok flight time going out to Paphos, but the return flight is very late 11 pm take off back to Stansted if we fly from lets say Gatwick the return flight is around the same time this is with Jet2 which includes luggage in the price and car hire.

Anyone on here flown back to the UK with little ones at this time of night? How was it when you got back to the airport ?

My concern is when we land at the airport, the little ones are so tired they can't walk, so I'll have to carry one of them, most likely my 8-year-old, plus deal with the luggage whilst my partner looks after our 2-year-old.

I have looked at alternatives, so fly out with Jet2 and return with Ryanair on an earlier flight, but after adding a bag or 2 to the Ryanair flight, the price bumps up to an extra £400 compared to if we just stuck with flying out and returning with Jet2.

Depends with your children's temperant but make sure you prearrange your transport home. Ive done this with mine who are a similar age and there a few families with similar age children and it was okay. I would stick with jet2 for the luggage and transfers included.

Take a carrier for the two year old, load the pushchair with luggage and cajole the eight year old along. They'll be grumpy but will cope, they're too big to carry. And park close.

It will be fine. The 2 year old will probably need to be carried, but the 8 year old will be fine. They will be tired and maybe grumpy but they should be able to walk. If not then carry them. You can tell your 8 year old old what will be happening they’re old enough to understand

I never choose to book flights that leave so late but we’ve ended up flying at that time due to delays and cancellations and you just have to cope. I can’t carry my 8yo as he weighs 31kg but I’ve woken him up and he’s walked to the car. 2yo in a sling.

Always found the late night flights great. I travelled as a single parent with two under four and for every year afterwards. Our flight back to the UK left Spain at 23.30, with another two hours in the car at this end.

DC’s had usually fallen asleep before we taxied for take off. I would gently wake them about 20 minutes before landing.
I don’t ever think there was an issue getting off or getting to the car. They slept again at that point and straight into bed at home.

The only slight issue was that they were awake at 8.00am the next morning, having had enough sleep, where as I hadn’t gone to bed until after 4.00am.

Thanks to all for your response, very reassuring :). I think i might go ahead and book it. Has anyone been to cyprus lately ? Is there plenty to do and places to see/explore? Was thinking of booking a villa through the jet2villas deals!

Airports with small kids at that time of night are shit.

Its doable. Particularly is the 8year old can be bribed. Pushchair for 2 yr old. Put 8 yr old in and carry 2 yr old if required.

Don't take too much stuff. 2 cases and 2 hand luggage max.
Basically, between 2 adults you need to be able to manage to transport 2 kids and all luggage if it all goes to pot

My main rule after 50 years of holidays abroad with just adults or children of any age is to choose a flight before a destination.
If my preferred destination can only be reached by antisocial flight times I go elsewhere.
FWIW when mine were little they never napped and got overtired with excitement. Early morning flights out and lunchtime flights home worked best.

Won't they just fall asleep on the plane in the evening and wake up on landing?

I find it hard to believe an 8 YO will be 'so tired they'll need carrying' in those circumstances.

@Bjorkdidit can I introduce you to DS1.
We lived abroad, and had very limited flight times. 2am being the normal one.
DS1, in 5 years of flying numerous times a year has never slept on a plane.

You must have been blessed with a different breed of child to me. Neither of mine would fall asleep at any age. They just got crabbier and crabbier. I'm the same actually, never been able to sleep on a plane no matter what the hour.

Doable. The 8 year old is old enough to understand. Pushchair for the 2 year old, I would take it anyway.

The flight is 4 hours so enough time for a nap. Just make sure you either have valet parking and the car is directly at the airport or you have a cab booked.

My issue would be that everybody will be cranky the next day so I would take another day off to recover from a crabby night.

We liked Cyprus but went with a 12 year old, so the interests may be different. There are very good Greek and Roman ruins in Paphos if that's something you like to visit. We also went to Nicosia, the experience to visit a divided city is something. You need your passports and you see the UN guards but it's not difficult.

I'm dreading my DS being like this with an 11:30pm flight back from Crete in June 😬 he's a crap sleeper in a bed so I'm seriously doubting he'll do it on an airplane 😭

But they'd not be incapable of walking themselves off the plane and into the car afterwards would they? The OP was talking about needing carry the 8 YO off the plane and to the car.