Five Things You Need for Successful Charter Flights with Kids
Posted on: 27 February 2015
Many people believe charter flights, like those available through Broome Air Services, are the exclusive domain of business travellers or adults, but many families, eager to avoid the cost and annoyance of traditional flights, are also hopping on charters. Planning to take a charter flight with kids? Here's what you need to know to make it successful.
1. Child Restraint System
When you fly with a child under two, they have to sit on your lap on most commercial flights, but these kids typically get their own seats on charter planes. If the child is sitting in his or her own seat, ask the airline if it has the appropriate restraint system.
Like car seats, these restraints should feature a five-point harness and face the rear of the seat. If the airline does not have one, ask if you are expected to bring your child's car seat.
2. Documents for Friends, Grandchildren and Other People's Children
Of course, you can fly anywhere you like with your own children, as long as they have a passport. However, that is not the case with other people's children. Charter airlines do not want to accidentally let people kidnap other people's kids and take them abroad.
To ensure the airline is not unwittingly getting involved and assuming liability for a kidnapping, most airlines require you to have a signed, dated and notarised permission note for any kids who are not yours.
3. Snacks
While charter flights have great food, you may still want to bring snacks for your kids. If you have picky eaters, ravenous teens or toddlers who need to snack a lot, it is especially important to bring snacks for them. If your children have allergies (especially severe allergies) alert the plane. As it is a charter, the staff may be willing to change the menu as needed or even remove allergen traces from the kitchen..
4. Gum
If the charter flight is one of your kids' first flights, they may be susceptible to the changes in air pressure on their ears. Simply chewing a piece of gum can help your child with any pain in their ears. If you have a child too young for gum, let them suck on a bottle. Nursing small babies also reduces and eliminates any ear issues they may have midflight.
5. Multiple Legs
If your child has boundless amounts of energy, he or she may not want to be cooped in on a long flight. If possible, consider booking the charter flights so you take several legs to your destination instead of one overly long and cumbersome flight. Breaking up the flight gives your little one a chance to run and jump between sitting spells. If that is not possible, think of relatively active things your little one can do while sitting such as chair yoga.
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