Specal Family Vacations : Traveler’s Journal : Plane Sense

Knowing how to survive a long-distance flight with a small child in tow is not instinctive. Here are some lessons I’ve learned, along with advice from Vicky Lansky, author of “Trouble-Free Travel With Children,” and Dorothy Jordon, publisher of Family Travel Times newsletter.

Seats: Children under age 2 can fly internationally for only 10% of an adult fare, but are not guaranteed seats. (Kids under 2 fly free on domestic flights.) My husband and I have always gotten one by reserving seats with a single between us. As soon as we boarded the plane we told the flight attendant that we did not have a seat for our child, but would move anywhere there was one. They were always helpful. Beyond age 2, you must pay for a seat.

Some airlines provide fold-down bassinets for families seated in bulkhead rows (first rows), but Jordon recommends their use only for babies under 8 months. After that, avoid the bulkhead. Armrests on bulkhead seats don’t lift up, making it difficult for children to nap on your lap. Also, the tray tables are flimsy, there is little stowage room, and your view of the movie is often obstructed.

Equipment: Always bring your child’s umbrella stroller and car seat (which should include a label certifying its use in airplanes) to the gate. If you have not reserved a seat for your child and none is available, the airline will check the car seat and stroller and have them available at your arrival gate.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Assn. of Flight Attendants, among others, have urged the Federal Aviation Administration to require the use of approved child safety seats for children under 2, even if it means purchasing a ticket. The FAA, meanwhile, recommends safety seats for all children under 40 pounds, but does not require them, because studies have shown that higher airline costs would prompt families to travel by less safe means.

Food: “Don’t expect the airline to be ready with food when your child is hungry,” Lansky says. Bring reclosable plastic bags filled with dry snacks. Frozen juice boxes will still be cold hours later. Order a special kids’ meal if possible.

Diapers: Some airlines carry diapers, but don’t count on it. Put double diapers on your child, and use feminine hygiene pads in a pinch. Call ahead to see if your aircraft has a changing table in the lavatory. If not, practice quick changes on your best sofa.

Toys and games: Let your child select most of the toys, and pack them in a carry-on bag. Bring a mix of new toys and books, along with proven favorites.

Medications: Some pediatricians advise giving children an antihistamine such as Benadryl to calm them on long flights. We’ve never done this because we’ve heard of cases where children have become jumpier after taking the drugs. (One option, suggests Thousand Oaks pediatrician Kenneth Saul, is to try out the medication two days before the flight.) We do bring an aspirin-free pain reliever.

Prepare your child: Jordon says even babies under a year old can begin to learn what is expected of them on a long plane flight. Explain to your children, using day-to-day examples they can relate to, exactly how long they are going to have to sit in their seat. She suggests practicing on the dining room chairs.

Prepare yourself: Parents should enter the flight with the idea that the vacation doesn’t begin until touchdown, Lansky says. “Go into it knowing it will be a lot of work,” she says. “Remember, you are your child’s favorite toy. Try to think of it as a chance to catch up on quality time.”