Ask your questions about airport facilities or security to Heathrow airport - £150 voucher to be won ANSWERS BACK

[JustineBMumsnet]

Answers are now back, you can find these here .

Being in an airport can be a challenging experience, especially if you’re with small children who just can’t wait to get to their destination. Ahead of the Easter break, when more families than ever are expected to fly abroad, Heathrow would like you to ask your most pressing questions for making a journey smoother for you and your family. Whether you have questions about airport facilities or activities, or you’d like to better understand security measures, Heathrow’s experts - Amanda and Nicola - would like to help answer your questions.

Here’s what Heathrow have to say: “We know travelling with children can come with its own challenges for busy parents, so we are dedicated to doing all we can to helping you plan and prepare for your journey. We have services like complimentary kids’ eat free meals and dedicated play areas to ensure both parents and children feel as excited as possible when they come through Heathrow.”

So, ask Amanda and Nicola your questions about airport facilities or security by posting them below by the 3rd April. We’ll then choose 20 questions for them to answer and post a link to their responses as soon as possible. All who post a question below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £150 voucher (whether their question is chosen or not).

Here’s some more information on Amanda and Nicola:

Amanda West – Customer Operations Manager
“As part of her job , Amanda develops family-friendly services at Heathrow – including baby changing facilities, and dedicated play areas to keep your children busy ahead of boarding.”

Nicola Tibbles – Security Assurance Manager
“Nicola helps to manage the flow of passengers to ensure family journeys are as smooth as possible.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

I'd just like to know what you think is the best thing we can do to prepare children for airport security? Like most people we only travel once a year or so and it is so difficult getting a child through it all and very, very stressful!

We have avoided Heathrow as it just seems more chaotic than other transfer airports (we would end up flying in from our regional airport as other options are costly and a hassle) so tend to favour Schipol as it seems to be less stressful despite being absolutely huge.
Flying with kids can be such a faff so anything that reduces the hassle is good. Going through security is fine at our regional airport but DH says its just not as well organised when he goes through Heathrow. The real challenge is coming off the flight and getting luggage, passport control etc sorted with tired grumpy children.

What are the current rules about taking baby milk and food on to a plane?

Family lanes would be great - is that an option? They have one at Edinburgh airport & it makes a huge difference.

And do children have to remove coats, belts, shoes etc at security? Perhaps at a certain age?

And yes, clarification on the laptop/tablet ban.

Lastly, it would be great if we could board last to minimise time on planes with young kids.

Whilst we all appreciate the importance of security what provisions are there to ensure that the amount of time queuing to go through security is minimised especially as children never like to queue.

are there any chuld friendly play areas that can relieve the boredom for the kids that doesn't cost alot of money

Shannon airport in Ireland has recently introduced a Sensory Room for autistic children [ m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx-48IdCsjw#action=share] does Heathrow any plans to introduce similar rooms in the future?

A lone travelling parent with multiple children can be a challenge getting through an airport, especially security with all the extra checks and removing things like shoes and emptying electronics and liquids into trays. Would an airport be able to provide some sort of assistance service, like they do for those with mobility issues. An airport 'Nanny' service to help us through all the gauntlets would be amazing.

What are the rules around food and drink (including milk) for small children and babies? What can be taken through and what has to be purchased in departure lounge?

I think some pictures and displays reminding passengers that we were all children and babies once would be good - the airports for me are fine apart from the experience combined with the snidey looks from grown ups who doN't like kids. It's such a pressurised environment that spelling it out for those people would help - then we could just point to the pictures rather than saying 'do FO dear!'

Is free wifi available throughout to keep my son entertained?

Would it be possible to have drinking water fountains signposted better? I did find one to fill empty bottles with eventually.

What I find really difficult is getting the kids to understand the need to wait in queues for security and stay in their seatbelts on the plane. Is there a way that airports could display fun boards for children in the airport that they would be attracted to and understand?

Why do i have to check in 2 hours before!!!???

Do you have unisex family toilets? I've never used Heathrow airport but so far my experience is that most family toilets are located in the ladies, which makes it awkward when my husband has to take our daughter to the loo.

Are there any toys that are not allowed in hand luggage? I would assume toy guns are a definite no-no, but what about things like playdoh?

If the unthinkable happened and a child went missing, what training do airport staff have to deal with the situation?

My little girl suffers terribly from travel sickness in the taxi to the airport and then on the plane, I now always take the pram with me to the airport as I've found when I don't and I'm rushing her through the airport that it too makes her hot and sick. I don't use the pram on holiday so don't really need it, I'd love airports to provide complimentary prams that you could pick up with your trolleys and then just drop off as you get on the plane. They do this in Dubai and it would be wonderful to be introduced over here, are there any plans for this?

Would it be possible to get a complimentary 'travel' magazine for kids with stickers, colouring in and so on that could occupy them both while waiting to board the plane and once onboard, it would also be useful if airlines could look at more child-friendly and appropriate snacks, not just the usual crisps/pringles.

Is there free wifi or sleep pods for sleepy ones?

The security process can be stressful. More child friendly information (animated instruction videos) could lighten that.

Airport waiting area seating can be uncomfortable on long waits at the best of times, even moreso for children. Are there any special children/family seating areas at Heathrow with more comfortable child friendly seating?

Is there anythingyou can do about the passport queue when coming into the country.

Apologies if this isn't the case in Heathrow (it certainly is in the last two UK airports I've flown from) but I wondered why there were no hooks on the wall/door in the disabled toilets. I find it easier to use the disabled toilets as I use crutches, and find that they don't have hooks, whilst the 'normal' ones do. I just found it a little unfair- and extremely impractical! It's tricky to juggle kids/bags (not literally!).

Check in queues far too long for kids to wait, especially with BA - should be allowed to leave just one to check in(i.e. husband!) whilst the kids could have a play area to be in

Is it ok to go through the security scanners holding a child, dont think our youngest would be happy walking through on his own.