I'm a flight attendant and a dad. Here's what you need to know about flying with kids.
- Christian Avaria is a father and 38-year veteran of Delta Airlines.
- He shares his tips for parents traveling with kids, from both his work experience and as a dad.
I've been a flight attendant for 38 years now. The primary function of a flight attendant onboard aircraft is the safety and well-being of our customers. We're trained to handle medical issues, first-aid emergencies, security concerns, and other situations.
I'm also a parent. Having traveled extensively as a crew member for Delta and also as a dad, I've learned my fair share of things that are useful when traveling with kids, especially since many people are starting to travel again after a two-year pause, and some toddlers will be flying for the first time ever.
Remember to be patient, both with your kids and with us working the cabin, but also know that we are there to help you however we can. I'm more than happy to hold a baby so a mom can use the restroom. While we don't have an entire toy store onboard, we'll use our imagination to keep little ones entertained.
Pack the essentials and keep it minimal
The first time I flew with my child, I brought anything and everything. But I learned my lesson and now I say less is less.
You can check your stroller when you get to the airport if your child is old enough to walk through the terminal. If you don't need your stroller, drop it at the concourse so it's one less thing to keep up with. It's the same situation with car seats, which are considerably heavier and harder to lug around the airport.
When I traveled with my child, I would check my stroller and car seat curbside rather than bring them into the terminal.
If you need to keep the stuff you'll need for your child in the terminal, you can bring the stroller and car seat into the concourse and check it at the ticket counter or gate as well,. That also means once we arrive at the destination, the strollers and car seats come up the jetway first and don't go to baggage claim. Delta, like most airlines, allows your stroller and car seat to be checked for free.
We have limited resources onboard
While I can't stress enough that keeping carry-on minimal is better, you'll still want to make sure you have extra supplies in your bag, like diapers. Many traveling moms always suggest keeping a change of clothes for every family member in their diaper bag, just in case.
For older children, you want things to keep them entertained. We have limited resources on the aircraft — there are no toys and games for children. Of course, flight attendants will also use our ingenuity and come up with something to try to help.
If you need help with anything, just ask a flight attendant
We are always ready to help. We don't always intervene if you want to work out a situation yourself, but if you're a single mom or dad and need to go to the bathroom, we can hold your child. If your child is having a bit of a meltdown, sometimes someone else, such as a flight attendant, is a distraction.
The other night, a mom came to the back galley with a crying baby. We did everything. There were two or three of us trying to help this poor child. We tried to entertain him, distract him. In the end, he was just overtired, but our distraction helped.
We'll do whatever we can, provided our time is available and it's not in the middle of service, for example.
We take special care of kids flying by themselves. Sending them alone can be a little frightening, but we're here for the kids; we're their safety net. We'll do everything in our power to keep them safe. There's documentation throughout the process, so we'll know the child's name, what they're wearing, and where they're going.
We're always checking on them and making sure they're OK or need anything. They're never alone.