When you are travelling with your family, it can be extremely stressful. How will you all get to the airport? Can you bring your pram onto the plane? How do you keep the kids entertained? There are so many things to think about and the entire idea of travelling can be quite overwhelming for many parents.
The good news is that surviving the airport is not as difficult as you might think. Here, we are going to give you some tips on how you can do this. Keep reading to find out more.
Park At The Airport
One of the first obstacles that you are going to come across when travelling with your family is in getting to the airport. Airport parking can be a costly and stressful experience. You can save money and time by booking online in advance. In addition, researching different options, comparing parking quotes, and reading reviews (such as this secure parking review) can also help you find the right parking at the airport or nearby.
Alternatively, you can look for other transportation options such as public transportation or ride-sharing services. For those travelling from Bristol, for example, this is really easy to do. Parking at Bristol airport can be booked in advance online at bristolparking.com for a discounted price. Make sure to try this out next time you are leaving from the UK and want to survive the airport.
Bring Food And Drink
If you are flying internationally, then you are going to be at the airport for a while before your flight. During this time, your kids are likely to complain about being hungry or thirsty, but airport restaurants and shops can be quite expensive. To tackle this and survive the experience, you should think about bringing some snacks with you. Consider making some sandwiches, bringing bags or crisps or even sweets for a treat.
In all UK airports, you can’t bring certain liquids through security, so this is something to consider. You should, however, bring empty water bottles that you can fill up once you are through security and keep everyone hydrated for a fraction of the price.
Check-In Online
Our next tip for those who want to survive the airport with their family is to make sure to check in online before you go. This will save you a lot of time waiting in line to check in once you get there and your kids will be less likely to get bored and agitated.
If you’re worried about bringing your bags, then you don’t need to be as many airlines allow you to drop your bag off without having to stand in the check-in line. This is a great way of getting through the airport fast and not having your kids get worked up right away.
Bring Electronics and Chargers
If your kids enjoy watching their favourite shows on a tablet or playing games on a device – let them bring it with them. While you might not want them staring at the screen the entire flight, letting them blow off some steam while you’re waiting to board your flight can be a great way of surviving the airport with your family.
If you are going to bring these devices with you, you need to make sure that you bring chargers or power banks. A lot of airports have sockets that you can use while you wait to charge your devices so this might be worth looking out for if you have a long layover or get there too early.
Let Them Explore
If your kids are old enough to explore the airport on their own or together, it’s a great idea to let them. Many airports have lots of shops and things that can be entertaining for kids. Airports are generally safe places, so you don’t need to worry too much about your kids walking around the stores.
You can also use the opportunity to teach them about flight operations. For example, you can show them how aircraft take off from a runway, how maintenance is done, and explain how everything related to aircraft, like aviation fuel, lubricants such as aeroshell 15w50, and power units, is different from other vehicles that we see normally on roads.
Just make sure to set a meeting point or have them take a phone with them to ensure everyone makes the flight. If your kids are too young to explore on their own, be sure to go exploring with them. This will make the whole experience more enjoyable for everyone.
Final Verdict
If you have a trip coming up with your family, you might want to think about taking on board all of the advice that we have given you in this article. Think about bringing everyone together in your car and leaving it at the airport car park while you are on your trip.
You should also make sure that you bring some snacks with you and let your kids explore when they are getting a bit agitated. Follow this advice and you will be able to survive the airport and have the best possible start to your trip.