Tips for surviving flights with tykes

With many folks preparing to fly the “friendly” skies for the upcoming school break, I thought I’d share a few tips that helped us (and our fellow passengers!) survive our recent cross-country trip to San Francisco.

Allow extra time. It seems obvious but, when I travel for work or on the rare occasion I get away with Des, we’re always down to the wire. Sweating as we repeatedly check our watches, wondering if we’ll make it through security and dashing to the gate just as they’re about to close the door. Do NOT take this approach if you plan to take tots onboard. The one time we did, we missed our flight. This is true. It is why we now build in an extra hour before take-off and I’d suggest you do the same. This way you won’t be foiled by a long security line or unexpected diaper (and outfit!) change (or changes!).


Keep ‘em busy. Fortunately, children are easily entertained. This is extremely good news as long as you have a plan; this is extremely bad news if you don’t and your mischievous tykes decide that in-flight entertainment means kicking the seat in front of them.  Admittedly, your kids will find this highly entertaining but, your fellow passengers will not. So, a few things to be sure you carry in your carry on include crayons, stickers, pipe cleaners, PlayDough, matchbox cars, mini etch-a-sketch... you get the idea. And, of course, if you can fly an airline with seat-back TVs featuring the most recent episode of Junior’s favorite show, all the better!


Flying time = feeding time. If you have a baby, have a bottle. If you have a toddler, a sippy cup or lollipop will do. In fact, a lollipop will work wonders for kids of all ages – and maybe for Moms and Dads too! Having something to suck on during take-off and landing  will minimize your little ones discomfort. Once airborne, we’ve had great success with serial snacking; after all, snacking is just one more way to keep kids busy and it happens to be one of our kids favorites! Cheerios, raisins, goldfish, all the standards will do – although, if you up the ante and offer HoneyNut Cheerios, yogurt covered raisins and Rainbow Goldfish, you just might feel like a hero. Until the plane lands, anyway!


Don’t travel light. It pains me to suggest this but, since you just never know if your flight will be delayed or if your kid will be the one they leave those paper bags on planes for, I think it’s best to be prepared. For me, that means extra diapers, wipes, provisions and outfits. Do I feel like a pack mule as I load our brood on board? Yes. But do I want to land in Florida in pee-soaked khakis? (Again?) NO. So, while packing your carry-on with outfits for your little ones, please toss in a change of clothes for you too. I hope you won’t need them but trust me, if Buster has a diaper blow-out, you’ll be really glad to have them!


Oh, and one last thing: velcro!  It will be much easier to breeze through security if you're not struggling with shoelaces.

With these tips in mind, you just might find the skies a bit “friendlier” than you imagined and you’ll be sure to arrive at your destination with a sunny disposition. 

Tales from San Francisco: Part One -- Travel & Trunki

Much to the disbelief of family, friends and several strangers who watched us somewhat aghast, on Christmas night, the Lyons Family Circus took our act on the road and went to visit my sister in San Francisco. Why you ask? Because my sister, brother-in-law and one-year old nephew have made at least three cross-country trips over the past nine months and frankly, couldn't bear the thought of doing it again. And, we were game for adventure and eager to drag our little Lyons Cubs out to California before my sister and her family return to New York this fall.

The logistics of it all were admittedly staggering. When I first tried to purchase tickets, the online booking system essentially blew a gasket and advised us all to stay home. When I finally gave in and called Continental to book the flights, the kind gentlemen on the phone kept asking just how many minors we'd be travelling with, as if he couldn't quite believe that any sane folks would drag five kids six and under on a cross-country flight on Christmas... needless to say, I've been called many things and "sane" has never been one of them!

After confirming flights, the next step was configuring our seating arrangement; it was an especially complex task to accommodate our family of seven on a plane with only two three-seat aisles.  The nice man on the phone suggested we take one complete row and then a single seat. "Really,sir?!" I couldn't help but exclaim, "Let's just be realistic about what you're suggesting here, which would be ME in a row with FIVE over-tired, over-Christmased tots while my husband peacefully snoozes elsewhere on the plane? I don't think so!"   We settled on four of us in one row (middle/aisle, aisle/middle for those who like the details!) and three of us in another (window/middle/aisle) and I must say, our trip went pretty much according to plan.

We were all fairly exhausted when we got to the airport for our 8:30PM flight thanks to the events of the prior 24 hours: Christmas Eve dinner for 18 at our house, Christmas morning/present frenzy at home and then an early Christmas dinner at my parents in NJ... who wouldn't be tired?!

As we got in the security line with the triplets comfortably reclined in a single and double stroller, four-year old Ciara was left to wonder why we didn't bring our second double stroller because "I need somewhere to sit!" Enter the saving grace of our trip -- a nifty little piece of luggage called a Trunki:

This little ladybug of a (carry-on!) suitcase easily held Ciara's clothes for the week, a few new toys that couldn't be left behind and, not only served as a seat for her weary little legs as we waited to get through security but, best of all, provided a ride as we made our way to the departure gate.

The one thing I hadn't planned for was landing in San Francisco (at midnight PST/3:00 AM EST!) with five kids sound asleep.  I mean, it was my hope that they'd sleep for most of the flight and, thank goodness they did but, what I failed to account for was how to get five sleeping tykes, two strollers and five carry-ons OFF the plane.  When we boarded, each tiny tot carried something (even if only their fleece!) and each marched on in eager anticipation of going "up up and away!"  As we touched down and I looked at the sweetly snoozing faces surrounding me (including, of course, my husband!), I panicked.  Fortunately, as we taxied to the gate, the little ones (and Des!) slowly awakened from their slumber;  unfortunately, Ciara immediately began to protest that she simply could not/would not walk off the plane because she was "more tired than ANYONE EVER WAS!"  Fortunately, the Trunki once again saved the day (and night!).

With Christmas outfits changed to comfy new PJs and the time zone changed from East Coast to West Coast, we all made it off the plane -- a bit bleary-eyed but excited to see my sister and relieved to have had an uneventful trip... especially since we just barely dogded the "Blizzard of 2010"!

And so our adventures began.  Stay tuned for Tales from San Francisco: Part Two and, if you've got an upcoming trip with tots onboard, I'd highly suggest investing in a Trunki!  (http://www.trunki.co.uk/contact.php)

Have you ever seen a "Cub" fly?

It’s official. Our little Lyons Cubs are ready for take-off. The tickets are purchased, the excitement is mounting and my four-year old has already packed her bag -- she seems to have inherited my genes for advance planning!

On Christmas night, we will be flying the friendly skies from New York to San Francisco to visit my sister and her family. The only thing is, as you may have noticed, the "friendly” skies are gone. The have been replaced by hostile skies filled with haughty flight attendants, hungry passengers and, from what I hear is the worst case scenario, BABIES! Yep, you got it, just when you thought air travel couldn't get any worse, it did. You’ve gotten used to standing in long security lines and paying to check a bag, but children? Messy, noisy, tantrum-prone children?! They apparently represent the next wave of indignity.

Don't believe me? Just check out this article from last weekend's New York Times Travel section (http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/travel/14babies-journeys.html): Passengers Push for Child-Free Flights. If these ornery folks have anything to with it, you probably never will see a "Cub" fly… unless, of course, you happen to be on our flight this Christmas… in which case, consider yourself warned!
 Are you an advocate or opponent of tot-free air travel? All thoughts welcome!