Flying can be a daunting thought for parents; and tackling a long-haul flight is enough to put some people off. Virgin Atlantic’s cabin crew have revealed some of their insider secrets to help parents battle the boredom of little ones whilst on board. These tips to tackle the fear of flying, known as aviophobia, have been tried and tested to help make people’s journey as smoother.
“With countless families travelling with us every day, we understand the difficulties parents face trying to keep children entertained. We do a lot to make the journey as easy and enjoyable as possible for our customers,” Mark Anderson, Executive Vice President, Customer at Virgin Atlantic said, adding, “This includes showing kids their favorite TV shows, serving children’s meals and handing out special kid packs to help give parents a little break on board.”
Here are the ten top tips to help you help your children get over their fear of flying:
1. Explore your airport
Many airports, like the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, provide day care rooms for infants and toddlers. These room are available around the clock for the comfort of the family. They even have a children’s play area located at the departures. When flying out from the UK, Heathrow and Gatwick airports have family rooms equipped with amazing soft play areas and games rooms available for free, so you can let the kids enjoy themselves whilst you sit back with a well-deserved cuppa!
For a pre-flight chill out destination, you might want to upgrade to Upper Class as Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses provide a place to relax and enjoy some first-class cuisine while your children can enjoy the play area. If you’ve booked your holiday with Virgin Holidays you can also book to use the v-room lounge at Manchester or Gatwick.
2. Grab a goody bag
When you board your flight, pick up one of the special goody bags filled with treats for your kids to explore. Inside they will find a special eye mask with a variety of fun designs – including Kanye West style shutter shades – warm socks for cold toes, and a special pen and Lonely Planet Travel Journal for doodling about their exotic adventures.
3. Snack attack
Take advantage of the on-board meals for children by ordering one online 48-hours in advance. They offer children-specific stuff like ice cream, jam sandwiches, fresh fruit and dinosaur pasta to add some fun to in-flight mealtimes. However, they also say it’s a good idea to come armed with plenty of healthy nibbles and tasty treats to ward off mid-flight tantrums.
4. Get networking
Respectfully befriend other parents on the flight and offer to sit all of the children together, giving the adults an opportunity to chat to new friends and the kids a way of avoiding boredom by playing together. Everyone is a winner!
5. Tune out while they tune in
With Virgin Atlantic’s ‘gate to gate’ inflight entertainment, you don’t even have to wait until the plane takes off to get your little ones immersed in endless episodes of ‘Peppa Pig.’ Simply sit down and plug in. There’s a lot available to keep them entertained, with over 45hrs of Family entertainment on-board including Movies, TV, Audio and Games.
6. Change of a-dress
What to wear on a flight is a dilemma that we all face – do we opt for fluffy boots or flip flops? Virgin Atlantic suggests packing your bag with a couple of changes for your kids, such as some comfy pyjamas to help them sleep on night flights or new summer clothes to get them excited and battle drowsiness when they land.
7. Say “sweet dreams” to aviophobia
Nothing passes the time on a flight like a good 40 winks. In addition to blankets and eye masks for older children, the airlines offer specially designed in-flight cots for tiny tots, which can be pre-booked free of charge. Since familiarity is often important, you can also bring your child’s own car seat as long as it meets safety regulations.
8. Forget your fear of flying by taking a stroll amongst the clouds
It is easy to get restless on long flights, particularly for toddlers who are used to running around! When it is safe to do so, take your kids for a small walk up to the aircraft tail so that they can stretch their legs and have a change of scenery from their seats. The cabin crew loves making new friends; encourage your kids to chat to the crew and they could receive one of their special packets of Love Hearts, or even be given some to hand out to other customers!
9. Secret Surprise
It is always a great idea to have a few tricks up your sleeve for when the kids inevitably start to get cranky. Pop into a £1 shop prior to the flight for some tactical toys for when the tantrums hit and bring them out at hour intervals, keeping your kids on their toes and excited. Most importantly, don’t forget to bring some sweeties for the trawl through immigration and luggage collection at the end!
10. Relax, you’re not alone!
Don’t forget that the Virgin Atlantic cabin crew will be on hand throughout your flight, so whatever you need, don’t hesitate to ask!
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