who experienced a flight with 2 on their own?!

[2Loulou]

Just starting to chicken out but it's too late now.

if anyone's done it before, any tips? also, do you reckon a dvd player could keep my 3 yrs old calm for a couple of hours?!

[Fuschia]

Pickle flew with her two to nz!

[Pickle]

Yep, I braved a trip to New Zealand with mine, at Christmas when they were nearly 4 and 2.5. I was nervous, I'll admit it, but it was a breeze. I took a selection of small new toys, colouring stuff, the portable DVD player (which we hardly used, as the flight had great kids movies - all 3 Toy Story films!), and a selection of snacks.

4 hours into the first flight both kids were asleep, I was enjoying a glass of wine and doing some knitting :)

As long as you're prepared you will be fine.

[2Loulou]

wow to nz!!! i'm only flying to south of france, with a 6 month old on my lap though... I feel like it's going to be a struggle just to get them in and out of the ryanair plane with the lovely passengers pushing their way through! but if you made it to nz, i can do it..I need a portable dvd player maybe cos ryanair has hardly got the security belts for kids!

[Olga]

I flew with 2 to the south of france the flights only 2 hours so should be fine by the time they've got over the excitement of take off and had a bit of food and explored the toilets it's time to land again. I'd be wary of the steps up to the plane, 2 children and hand luggage is impossible to handle and I've never had help from the flight attendants luckily another passenger has always rescued me. Don't be afraid of asking for help! Sitting near others with children is good to as they can stare/wave at each other over the seats, plus the parents are more understanding of the hardship. Good luck

[pebbles]

I've flown my 2 to Caribbean. 2 1/4 and 3 months. DVD was a must for me

Take a sling for 6m old so u can hold hand luggage etc if pram doesn't come off plane

If u take the pull hand luggage to max size u can fit a scooter in and that was a life saver when toddler was shattered but I couldn't pick him up

Lots and lots of snacks

New toys

Sit down at last possible moment

It'll be worth it I promise.

[2Loulou]

oh, i am ordering that dvd player today was hoping to get one here but not been that lucky!

yes I am going to take a carrier and buggy (still not worked out whether small buggy or big one with storage space)

should not be long, but I get panicky on planes and usually hubby ends up taking care of the kids whilst I close my eyes and pray :( this time there is no time to be scared just get on with it...fingers crossed

if you ladies did it for long haul flights I can most probably do it!

ta

[helena handbasket]

Even though I feel like a dork, I use a backpack to put all of our stuff in instead of a bag. Leaves your hands free for children etc. and makes boarding much easier. You might even be able to get your 3 yr old to wear a little one, loaded with treasures. I've always found that a bag loaded with little trinkets (Corgi car assortment, plastic bugs etc.) goes further than a couple of bigger toys.

[Pickle]

Yes, I agree with Helena - having travelled a lot with kids using a variety of carry on options (Trunki, normal wheely case etc.) by far the easiest is a backpack. My two both had their own little ones last time with their colouring stuff, toys etc.

[Belle]

if you do that, maybe get one that's got a couple of compartments - i got one for my son at jojo's, which has a zip up bottom bit, this means i can 'hide' snacks etc, otherwise he'd have demolished them all within 5 mins! Likewise might be worth hiding some stuff in your own baggage. We have a portable dvd player we use on car journeys, it's been brilliant.

also re getting help, I think you can request assistance - surely even on ryanair?? have def seen lone parents with just one child getting help from a specially assigned member of airline staff - worth asking anyway. Otherwise, as people say, ask other passengers. Good luck - am sure will be fine.

[Moos]

I flew this week with my two on my own, although only an hour and a half's flight. 4 year old was an angel, am v proud of him. His own little wheely suitcase with his toys plus a few snacks and a couple of new tiny sticker books (60p from Just William) and he was grand. Twosling, aged 8 months, was a bit trickier - he missed a nap (plan was he'd have it in the buggy at the airport - duh, far too exciting) so was flushed & hyper throughout. I got into that disastrous spiral of offering Everything in faster & faster succession... Toy? Breastmilk? Food? Different food? while he wailed. Not cool.

So my advice is, if your charming baby turns into a wet gremlin, keep calm, ignore the glares, apologise with a smile to the people around you and just let it wash over you.

[Joella]

Not quite Pickles achievement, but I flew to Miami alone with my then 4 year old and 4 month old, You couldn?t have written the script. Waited 45 minutes to reach the check in desk, baby screaming with hunger and had gone to loo, was then randomly selected by US authorities to have all of our luggage searched so was chucked out of line and sat on the floor in departures at LHR, BFing baby whilst all my undies and baby clothes were searched (great moment).

Had all hand luggage searched again before boarding plane, incl taking off shoes ? kind of hard when got bags and holding baby and don?t have pushchair anymore.

Baby went to toilet c.5-8 x in the first 2 hours of the flight, missed dinner, landed at Miami, pushchair was not waiting for me when we embarked the plane. Walked for miles to immigration carrying baby and ensuring 4 year old didn?t run off. Got kicked out of the immigration queue because had missed one tiny section on form and he wouldn?t give me a pen to complete it and wouldn?t let me put the baby down on the counter so I could get out my pen which was in my rucksack on my back (have to appreciate I?m a US passport holder). Then saw luggage porter pushing my buggy but when I asked to have it, he refused and said it had to be dropped by the baggage reclaim of the flight I was on.

Did I cry ? YES

Would I do it again ? ABSOLUTELY ? end result, I laughed at the comedy of it (everyone said I would receive so much help with 2 kids on my own) but holidays are worth it every time. So be prepared for anything but remember you get thru it good or bad!!!

[Belle]

bloody hell joella - hope you complained!