Traveling to new destinations or revisiting beloved ones can be an exhilarating experience, particularly when you choose to bring your children along and create lifelong memories. Nevertheless, traveling with children can be demanding, particularly when air travel is involved. As a parent, your goal is to ensure that your journey is as smooth as possible while taking care of your child's safety and well-being, especially when aboard an airplane. Fortunately, the Mom Squad Team is here to provide you with some useful advice on how to travel with children.
Tip #1: Gate or bag check your stroller
To begin with, we suggest that you gate check or bag check your stroller. While going through airport security or finding your way to your designated gate, you may find itconvenient to have your child in a stroller. However, you might face the dilemma of
what to do with the stroller when you're boarding the plane. Every aircraft has varying overhead bin and storage space sizes, which might make it difficult to find a suitable spot for your stroller. As a result, most airlines do not recommend storing your stroller in the overhead bin or under the seat, even if it can be folded to a compact size. The
solution to this issue is gate checking your stroller, which allows you to push it to the entrance and give your child a comfortable seat until it is time to board the plane. Once you arrive at the gate, the airline will request that you gate check your stroller.
In addition to using a stroller, you may consider carrying your child in a baby carrier or letting them walk while making your way to the gate. In such situations, you may still opt to gate check your stroller, or you can decide to check it at the baggage counter.
The stroller can come in handy for carrying items like your child's car seat up until it is time for gate check. Nonetheless, the stroller could also become an additional item that you have to monitor during your travels.
One question that may arise in your mind is how to ensure your child's stroller remains undamaged during air travel? A zip stroller case is one available option to keep it covered from potentially damaging events. When a stroller is gate checked, it is one of the last items put into the belly of the plane, making it one of the first ones out, leaving less opportunity for damage. While there is always the chance for damage to be done when traveling with any item, gate checking your stroller is probably your best bet to prevent damage from happening.
At the time of this article’s posting, Mom squad strollers are not small enough when folded to be used as a carry on but they can easily be gate or bag checked!
The Mom Squad Diono Traverze Lightweight Stroller is our most ideal stroller for traveling by plane. This stroller features a compact fold that can be done at the press of a button and is lightweight, making the travel experience just a little bit easier.
Tip #2: Bring an aircraft certified car seat
Ensuring your child's safety and security during a flight is of utmost importance. It is crucial to note that while in-flight, unexpected incidents such as ground issues, severe turbulence, falling items from overhead bins, and spills or burns may occur. According to research, young children are at a higher risk of being injured during drink service due to spills and burns. This is often caused by children being seated on a parent's lap or not being adequately secured during the flight. To mitigate such risks, the most effective approach is to bring an aircraft certified car seat. It is worth noting that the airplane lap belt is not designed to fit a child under 40 lbs., and younger kids require an age-appropriate, aircraft-approved child restraint for optimal safety during the flight.When traveling with toddlers, a car seat can prove to be an invaluable asset for parents, particularly during flights. Toddlers are naturally active and mobile, and attempting to hold and restrain an 18-month-old throughout a two-hour flight can prove to be a daunting task. Additionally, a car seat can benefit slightly older children by providing them with greater access to the tray table. Furthermore, the child's car seat can serve as a secure and comforting space amidst unfamiliar sights and sounds, potentially even promoting sleep during the flight. It is worth noting that securing the child's car seat during the flight ensures its availability and usability upon reaching the destination, unlike if it were gate-checked or bag-checked and potentially lost or damaged in transit.
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