Toddler twins on long flight - car seats and any other tips?

[Bellabellaaa]

Hi - We are moving to E Africa with our 19 mo twins and taking car seats with us (lightweight kiddy pro seats). I can't decide if taking the seats on the flight will make life easier or harder. On the plus side, they will be restrained, hopefully sleep in them, and less stress on my back (which is bad). On the down side, they will be so cumbersome to take through security etc plus double buggy and everything else. My husband is convinced we should put them in the hold, which raises another concern - will they get damaged there and how to protect them? Any other advice for flying with twins much appreciated!

Hi Bella no first hand experience but bumping for you incase someone else has.

Sorry, I don't have my twins yet so can't comment directly, but the subject of flying with twins cropped up on a thread in chat recently: perhaps one of the twin mums who commented on that could help you?

Hi there, i flew for the first time recently with my twin girls, although they are slightly older, 4yrs old. I would say however that the seats may make it a bit more difficult and if theyre not needed for safety reasons then maybe leave them in the hold. Can you bubble wrap them? Other tips i found useful; snacks like raisins in little boxes, drinks, 'suprise' little presents to be found in handbag when times are fraught, favourite teddies/blankets a must. Also maybe a cushion for when they are sleepy, books for quiet time. Me and my husband sat 'one adult one child' so we could share the work and minimise the squabbles:) Hope some of that helps!

I have twins and have never taken them on a flight until next month (they are 7!) but I am also a flight attendant and just wanted to say that most airlines won't let you use your own seats on board as they are not safety certified, however I know my airline provides baby seats if requested, you can ring the airline's special assistance number....good luck!

Don't bother taking the seats. I took my twins on a flight for the first time at 20m. Admittedly it was short, but they did both sleep on a seat with head in a lap for some of the time. Stickers are an excellent distraction, also I bought a Magnadoodle pad each and some small toys e.g. car, sticking filler type things. An iPad or DVD player would be your saviour, they both sat in one seat together and watched in the night garden etc. presume as you were thinking of taking the car seat that you have booked them a separate seat on the plane? Worth checking whether that means they can sit on your lap for takeoff (with infant belt) or not. When I took them on plane the next time they were of 2 so had own seat, and I had to wake one who was on my lap to strap them into their own seat for landing, cue much screaming as you can imagine!