6-hour flight with a 1-year-old

[sugarpie honeybun]

Is it ridiculous to think this can be done? My extended family is planning a holiday vacation in December and has invited DH, DS and me along. It’s a 6-hour flight to our vacation destination. DS will be 14-months-old at that time, and I’m a little nervous about taking a 6-hour flight with a toddler, especially since I’m not too sure of what a 14-month-old is capable of (i.e. meltdowns, won’t sit still, etc.). At that age, I would assume there aren't too many things you can do to keep them occupied for a long period of time.

Not sure if having a layover would help the situation, or make it even more difficult?



Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

[jewelz617]

I flew with my daughter when she was 12 months old and she slept almost the entire time. Something about flying is very lulling, like being in the car (if your child tends to fall asleep in the car).

One thing I wish I had done was just buy the seat next to me as well, so I could put her in the car seat. Have lots of snacks, books, toys and drinks handy. Sing softly, and if you have a portable dvd player, some Elmo or Yo Gabba Gabba videos can really curb the fidgeting for a couple hours.

 

[Pandora II]

Wouldn't worry me at all. Kids are very portable.

Heck, my mother took 3 of us under 6 round the world on her own in the 1970's.

14 month olds are very capable of tantrums - just take loads of books, games etc and be prepared for a possible meltdown. My sister often does trips this length with her two and swears by a dose of Tylenol before departure!

Oh, and take a bottle or something for take off and landing.

 

[sugarpie honeybun]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad to hear traveling on a long(er) flight is feasible with a toddler. We will likely buy the next seat, as PinkAsscher suggested, just so we don't have to hold him the entire time. Pandora, I like your sister's way of thinking! Maybe we'll book the red-eye flight, give him a dose of Tylenol and pray he sleeps the entire time.

I will feel badly for the other passengers if he does end up having an uncontrollable tantrum

 

[redfaerythinker]

I could be mistaken but I think Tgal traveled to Oz with her daughter when she was around that age, maybe a little younger.

 

[puffy]

we took our then 1 year old son to hawaii and that was a 6 hour flight. he was fine on it, but the kid really loves to fly. bring lots of toys, snacks, dvds, etc. DH and i prefer to fly first class so he also gets a ton of room to play and stretch out and i don''t have to worry about him kicking the chair in front of him.

if you do a search, there should be a thread or two about traveling with toddlers and there are lots of good tips.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I just flew from Boston to Phoenix on Sunday with a plane FULL of families. Seriously, I was in the infant and toddler section (loved it!) at the back of the plane. I had an 8 mo old on one side and an 11 mo old on the other and they were both angels. Actually all the kids on the flight were great and behaved themselves with very little diversion. Their parents both timed their meal/naps around the flight, so I think that helped, but they were both incredibly well behaved just with flirting with those of us sitting around them. This was a 5.5 hour flight.

Ultimately I think it depends on the child and the parent's willingness to entertain and work around the child's needs (napping, etc), but it's definitely possible to successfully take a decently long flight with a 1 year old.

 

[Mara]

oh also don''t know if red-eye would be the best option because the kid will be super tired (and maybe cranky? you know your boy best!) but might not sleep super well--but also the REST of the passengers will prob be trying to sleep so if your son doesn''t and is fussy, the rest of the passengers might be more PO''d than if it was a daytime flight where most people are awake, KWIM?

 

[Dreamer_D]

We did a 6 hour flight with our 3 month old, did it again when he was 8 months old and will do it again when he is 18 month old. Just bring lots of toys and other things to amuse him, plan to walk/crawl around on the plane a lot. And then don't worry if he cries, it happens. I only look ascance at parents who don't even try to amuse their kids. If they are doing their best and baby is pitching a fit, what are ya gonna do?

ETA We flew in the day once and at night once and in the day way MUCH better. He will not sleep so well on the plane, so we found that one poor nap was much easier to handle than a tired baby at night time who could not get to sleep.

 

[Octavia]

No advice, but when I first saw the title of this thread, I though it said "6-hour fight with a 1-year-old" and I was really curious what a 1-year-old could spend that much time fighting about! Going to sleep, I guess? Would have to be a REALLY strong-willed kid...

 

[sugarpie honeybun]

Date: 4/20/2010 1:30:28 PM
Author: Octavia
No advice, but when I first saw the title of this thread, I though it said '6-hour fight with a 1-year-old' and I was really curious what a 1-year-old could spend that much time fighting about! Going to sleep, I guess? Would have to be a REALLY strong-willed kid...

Ha ha!

I pray that my son and I don't have 6 hour fights when he's that age! But anything is possible, I guess?

HH – a plane full of kids! I would’ve been on edge the entire time (before I had my own child), wondering which one would be the first to have a temper tantrum. Glad your flight went well.

Mara and DD - you both bring up good points about avoiding the red-eye. And the last thing I’d want to do is disturb passengers in the middle of the night.

Thanks again to everyone else for your feedback!

ETA: DD I can’t believe how much you’ve travelled with your LO! You are a pro.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I was concerned when I saw the parade of strollers boarding, but it went remarkably well all things considered.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Flying is tough b/c my kid is neither flexible or easy going. I bring the dvd player (with a new dvd), LOTS of snacks, some toys, books, coloring stuff, stickers, small blanket, binky and her favorite little bear. The younger they are the easiest it is b/c she will NOT sleep on the plane. Once she started walking traveling got tougher. I try to plan trips around her nap time. I think direct are better BUT keep in mind a lot of airports have playrooms now so it allows kids to get some energy out in between flights. My kid gets bored so it helps to be towards the back of the plane but not the last row so she can flirt, talk, sing to strangers. I have been lucky to be surrounded by grandmother types that eat it up.

 

[lili]

It is doable, but don''t expect to be relaxes sans kid especially if you have a toddler who is active and hardly naps.
We took our 14 month on a 5-6 hr flight and it wasn''t too bad.
She''s not one to sit still and play w/ her toys for long, so DH had to walk her up and down the aisle a few times.
So plan on going on one of the bigger planes if you have a walker.
Then she spent most of the time standing on my laps and talking and playing w/ the passengers behind us.

 

[PumpkinPie]

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law flew to Australia (from western Canada) with their 1.5 year old. They say it went well - your flight is less than half of what theirs was - I will send hopeful thoughts that yours goes as well

 

[winelover23]

Not sure if anyone suggested this but get some sugarfree lollipops for take-off/landing to help w/ his ears. If anything it will distract your little guy for a bit. I flew w/ my daughter from Seattle to Orlando when she was 13 months and had zero issues. We did purchase a seat for her and so she sat in her carseat. I had myself pretty worked up but it was a piece of cake. Don''t worry if he does meltdown, people that don''t have kids and are annoyed by them should stay home in a bubble.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

From what I recall, you can get ear plugs to help if your toddler''s ears are bothered by the pressure in the flight/taking off/landing. Maybe try those along with the lollipops.

We took a flight with my son when he was young and we brought along Tylenol just in case. . . I don''t remember if we used it or not as that was years back.

 

[sugarpie honeybun]

Love the idea of sugar-free lollipops and ear plugs. I honestly would have never thought of that! Thanks!

 

[lizzyann]

Winelover, I am going to be taking my son on his first flight within the next month. He is turning one year old this weekend. Do you think I should get him his own seat and use his carseat or no? The flight is only one hour. I wanted his first flight to be really short for trial reasons! Sorry to threadjack!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

lizzy, I didn''t get my daughter her own seat until 2 (when I was forced to). Personal choice. Guess I am a cheapskate.

My daughter''s ears never seemed to be an issue. She has never had an ear infection so I don''t think her ears are too sensitive. Ring pops are also good distractors. Oh, not sure if I mentioned stickers but those also occupy some time.

 

[janinegirly]

Date: 4/22/2010 4:40:36 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
lizzy, I didn''t get my daughter her own seat until 2 (when I was forced to). Personal choice. Guess I am a cheapskate.

My daughter''s ears never seemed to be an issue. She has never had an ear infection so I don''t think her ears are too sensitive. Ring pops are also good distractors. Oh, not sure if I mentioned stickers but those also occupy some time.

haha, I have yet to fly but will be a cheapskate as well!

so we might fly with her the month before her 2nd b''day--and wondering how the whole car seat thing works. Is that only if you purchase the seat next to you and otherwise they''re strapped in on your lap?

 

[lili]

Date: 4/22/2010 4:40:36 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
lizzy, I didn''t get my daughter her own seat until 2 (when I was forced to). Personal choice. Guess I am a cheapskate.

Haha...me too.
We went to HI this past Feb before 2 so we didn''t have to pay for a seat.
It would have been wasted on her anyway since she sits in the seat for no more than 5 minutes.
It really depends on the kid.
My SIL and BIL got seats for their 1yr olds because they were willing to sit still.

 

[sugarpie honeybun]

Date: 4/22/2010 4:45:56 PM
Author: janinegirly

Date: 4/22/2010 4:40:36 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
lizzy, I didn't get my daughter her own seat until 2 (when I was forced to). Personal choice. Guess I am a cheapskate.

My daughter's ears never seemed to be an issue. She has never had an ear infection so I don't think her ears are too sensitive. Ring pops are also good distractors. Oh, not sure if I mentioned stickers but those also occupy some time.

haha, I have yet to fly but will be a cheapskate as well!

so we might fly with her the month before her 2nd b'day--and wondering how the whole car seat thing works. Is that only if you purchase the seat next to you and otherwise they're strapped in on your lap?

I'm wondering the same thing. Do you just install the seat the same way you would in a car? Oh, and another question- where do you change the baby's diaper on a plane?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Janine, you only bring a car seat if you buy a seat for them otherwise they sit on your lap. They are not strapped down.

Lili, I don''t blame you! T has been on so many flights I was READY for her to have her own seat by the time she was 2.

Sugar, *some* planes have changing tables in the bathroom. Otherwise you have to change them on your seat. I have also seen diaper changes where the FA''s store the drink cart (back of the plane). You gotta be quick so bring a ziploc bag just in case.

 

[lizzyann]

Tacori, thanks for the info! So if you don''t buy a seat for your child, how do you get their car seat to your destination? Do you have to check it or are you allowed to carry on? I would hate to have to check my Britax.

 

[drk]

I''ve done some reading in prep for an 11h journey with a 2mo old next month. With Air Canada you can gate check an umbrella stroller (free), but if you have a bigger stroller, it must be checked as luggage. Same with the car seat if you don''t buy the seat next to you to put it in, though that is a freebie checked piece.

My friend has traveled alone multiple times between the Congo and Canada - I think a 30+ hour ordeal with as many as 3 kids, including a newborn and toddler. Not sure how she did it!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

lizzy, I have always gate checked my stroller and/or car seat for free. I guess I would check with the airlines but I have never had an issue or charge. You can also rent car seats if you are renting a car. I would suggest bringing a large garbage bag to put your car seat in to protect it.