Posts Tagged ‘Safety’

Article by Abel Smith

Traveling is tough. Traveling with children – even tougher. Airlines generally suggest that arrive at the airport three hours before your flight is scheduled to depart. Checking in usually takes about one hour, leaving two hours in which you must find a way to occupy yours, and your child’s, time. And that is only at the airport. Once you are aboard your flight, you are forced to sit in your barely big enough seat for hours upon end. This is hard enough for an adult, let alone a child. If you are traveling with children, do not fear, there are things that you can do to help your child through the long airport process.

The main thing you will want to do when traveling with children, is keep them occupied. While you are traveling, you will spend several hours in the airport and several hours on the plane. For anyone who has children, you know that keeping them happy, even at home, is a difficult task. Therefore, keeping them content in an airport where there is little to nothing for children to do, is even more difficult. If you are traveling with children make sure to pack games, coloring books, or toys that will fit in your carry on luggage and that can occupy your child’s attention. For older children, consider beginning a journal in which your child can write down their experiences while on vacation.

Having help is a good way to ensure that you travel successfully with children. Managing more than one child on the train, bus or an aircraft can be difficult if you have no assistance. The degree of difficulty depends on the age and needs of the child. Having the care of one or more children under the age of 8 years as you travel can be challenging.

It is always a good idea to pack games and toys which can entertain and stimulate the minds of the children. Children who are bored are likeliest to find themselves involved in activities which can be troublesome. This includes marking on public walls, frequent visits to rest rooms, fusses with siblings and other challenging behavior. Be sure to bring along their favorite toys, books or games.

Language: If there is likely to be a language barrier then also purchase a phrase book. The ability to say “yes” and “no”, “please” and “thankyou”, “hello” and “goodbye” in a foreign language (at least) will stand you in good stead with the locals! If you can order food, drinks and understand menus and signs, even better – this will serve two purposes, getting you respect from locals and allowing you to take a foreign holiday confident that you will not get ripped off because you cannot understand what people are saying.

Children: If travelling with children then make sure you have something to keep them entertained. You do not need something just for the flight, but also for the evenings when you are at base. Children are easily bored, and foreign TV (especially if in a none English speaking country) is not fun for children as the only English shows they have are news channels. You will maybe need a few toys (electronic ones are best – batteries are universal and electronic chargers can be used via adaptors you buy before you go away). And they do not take up a lot of luggage space as they can be carried in hand luggage. Also take paper and pencils to allow some time spent drawing.

Is drugging kids on flights a form of terrorism? Terrorism and kids? Family travel isn’t what family travel used to be. Parents on airplanes, on flights, on vacations traveling with kids are drugging their kids, drugging children with Benadryl to keep them quiet during a flight. Terrorism? Probably no. Drugs and kids, kids and drugs don’t mix, and Benadryl? Benadryl may be a harmless sedative but drugs and kids on planes? Parents are outraged that Benadryl would be given to children to calm them on a family trip, a family vacation. Benadryl may be more or less harmless, but if we freely give kids Benadryl, what drug is next. Should kids fly first class? Should families be in the back of the plane? Why do we have to calm kids with or any drugs? Family travel and taking your kids on a vacation should mean having well behaved children. Or at least kids who can be entertained by books, DVD’s, hugs and other creative ways to fly calmly with kids. Benadryl? Drugging kids? There has to be a better way than drugs and Benadryl. Even pediatricians are not taking a stand. They say giving drugs to kids is up to parents. Really? Should parents use drugs on kids? Sleep aids? Some airline passengers say kids shouldn’t fly at all because they are too much trouble. Not toilet trained. Is drugging kids on flights a form of terrorism? Terrorism and kids? Family travel isn’t what family travel used to be. Parents on airplanes, on flights, on vacations traveling with kids are drugging their …

Traveling with children, especially infants and toddlers, puts special demands on the adults responsible for their well being. Based on analyses of dozens of aviation incidents and accidents involving children and on my own experience as a traveling parent, here are ten tips that can make the trip safer for the child.

 
1. Plan ahead: Ask yourself what supplies you will need to have on hand to take care of any normal or special needs for the child. Remember, it is the airline’s responsibility to carry passengers to their destination, but it is the responsibility of the parent or responsible adult to take care of any children. 
2. Use a child restraint system for children under 40 pounds (18.1 kilos): The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration strongly recommends that children weighing less than 40 pounds be put into a child restraint system appropriate for their weight. Children under the age of two may be carried on the lap of an adult, but the lap child should have some kind of restraint system.For small children, consider the following recommendations:
   • Find a way to conveniently carry an appropriate child restraint system through airports and into and out of aircraft.
   • If the child is over the age of two and less than 40 pounds (18.1 kilos), follow the FAA recommendations for using child restraint systems.
   • If the child is under two, consider buying a separate seat for the child and use an appropriate restraint system for the seat.
   • If the child is under two and will be traveling on the lap of an adult, consider using an appropriate in-flight child restraint. Also, bring along an appropriate child restraint system for a seat just in case you happen to be next to an unoccupied seat.

   AirSafe.com has further information about using child restraints on aircraft. 

3. Prepare for possible emergencies: Make sure you are aware of emergency equipment or procedures that would apply to your child:
   • Pay attention to the standard preflight emergency briefing
   • Ask a flight attendant if that particular aircraft has emergency equipment like life preservers specifically designed for small children
   • If your child has a medical condition that may become an issue during the flight, make a flight attendant, counter agent, or gate agent aware of that possibility before the flight

    

4. Take all essential items for the children in carry-on luggage: Take enough food, diapers, medicine, and other items to last through possible flight delays and lost luggage. Carrying all the child’s essentials with you is especially important if your child is on a special diet or on medication. 
5. Keep your children under control at all times: YOU and not the flight attendant is responsible for supervising your child at all times. An unsupervised or unrestrained child could quickly wander way into dangerous areas such as galleys, especially if the responsible adult falls asleep. During a very long flight from Australia to the U.S., I observed a parent traveling alone with a child fall asleep and then saw their toddler wander down the aisle. You should also be careful when walking about the aircraft with your child so that they don’t reach for cups of hot coffee, silverware, and other hazards. 
6. Seat your child away from an aisle: Small children enjoy reaching out and exploring, but if they are on the aisle they could get hurt if their little arms get bumped by a person or serving cart passing down the aisle. Ideally, two responsible adults should sit on either side of the child. Also, one can seat the child on a row with a window on one side and a responsible adult on the other. 
7. If emergency oxygen masks deploy, put your mask on first: This advice may seem cruel, but there is a very practical reason for it. If the brain is starved of oxygen (hypoxia), one can get confused or pass out and be unable to help themselves or their child. By putting on their mask first, the parent or responsible adult will reduce their chance of falling victim to hypoxia. 
8. Keep your child belted or in a child restraint system at all times: This is for the same reasons given in my more general Top 10 Air Traveler Safety Tips page. Turbulence can happen at any time and without warning, so keep your child belted in as much as possible. If the child, wants to get up and move around, let them do so only if the seat belt sign is off. The FAA has related information in this brochure about child seats and turbulence. 
9. Bring along safe toys: Try to avoid bringing along toys that are sharp, heavy, or that break easily. If the child has an electronic game, only allow them to use it during the cruise portion of flight. Electronic games may interfere with an aircraft’s navigational system during other phases of the flight. 
10. Take extra precautions for children traveling alone::
    • Escort the child onto the aircraft and check the area around the seat for hazards such as heavy carry-on items in the overhead storage bins.
    • Inform the chief flight attendant that the child is traveling alone
    • Ensure that the person meeting the child at the destination will have proper identification.
    • Make it clear to the child that they should report any problems to a flight attendant. This could range from feeling sick to having a suspicious character seated next to them.
    • If the child has to change planes, make arrangements for the child to be escorted between gates. This usually costs extra and is required for small children and is recommended for older children, especially those old enough to do it on their own but not mature enough to deal with potential problems or temptations at a busy airport
    • Check out the Top 10 Tips for Children Traveling Alone