Tips for an 'easy' flight with a very active and inquisitive 19 month DS???????

[CJMommy]

Finally booked a holiday to Lanzarote = 4 hour flight. Any advice on flying with a little one who's into everything? It's a daytime flight so don't imagine he'll sleep so need entertaining tips. He is booked as an infant so won't have his own seat.
DH is also concerned as to how he will eat his flight meal with a 19 month old on our laps .
Can you take bottles of milk (cows) onto the plane or will they provide it? Am flying with Thomson, incase anyone has experience of these?

Thank you

ahhh my top tip was going to be get him his own seat!
my 18 month old was a bit of a nightmare on our 2.5 hr flight to malaga and we have sworn never to do one again where we have to have a child on our laps lol
he just wanted down ALL the time, screamed when strapped in, grabbed anything within reach.

blah.
but I don't want to put you off do i
eating meals- we didn't have a meal as flight was so short, but we had some snacks and just had to take it in turns with one reading books to ds2/walking him up and down the aisle while the other ate

yes, you can take bottles of milk on the flight, but you'll most likely be asked to taste it on your way through customs

If you buy your milk after security you can buy as much as you want and leave it sealed until you need it, and of course it will have been in the fridge longer.

Fluid restrictions only apply as you pass through security.

I was wondering this, about taking DS water in his cup? Can I take it through?

look here

Yes you can ccm - they will make you drink to show it's ok.

Take tons of snacks for him. New small toys (little doodlepro things are great). Let him have a run up and down the aisle when it is safe for him to do so (with one of you of course checking he is not harassing other passengers). Take turns eating your airline meal! We flew to Portugal with DS1 when he was 19 months and it was "challenging" but it was ok.

I am pretty sure when I asked for some milk on plane (he had drunk ours), they didn't have any as only have those little long life individual thingys.

We now have 16 month old DTs as well as DS1 who is 3.3 so don't even dare think of getting on a plane any more .

Also standing up with him near the loos worked for us. Everyone made a fuss of him when they went to the loo which helped entertain him!

We always take a portable DVD player when we travel with DD. Seems to keep her quiet for a bit and we just keep the volume low so as not to disturb other passengers rather than use earphones. Snacks are another good way of keeping her occupied.

When you check in ask the staff on the desk really nicely if the flight is full and whether they'd be able to allocate you and DH seats with an empty one next to them. It does work sometimes if the flight isn't busy. If check in won't help it's worth asking the cabin crew too.

When boarding the plane, they often call for families with infants to go first, I believe this is so that young children can get settled on the plane. However I recommend not boarding until as late as possible as it means you'll be sat there for less time.

I also second Dadinsteadofmum's suggestion about buying milk after security.

My point about waiting until last to board the plane only applies if you have seats allocated, which I believe Thomson do. If you're travelling with one of the airlines that just leaves everyone to get their own seat, make a rush for it with sharpened elbows then plonk DS on a seat next to you so that people think it's occupied or avoid the row with the toddler who is likely to scream and fidget the whole way.

Good advice from choppy there!

the fluid restrictions don't apply to baby milk thouigh. they will allow you to take as many bottles of milk for a baby through as you like, but you will have to taste each one.

Thank you for all your advice. Will let you know how I get on!