Is your child traveling alone for the holidays to visit family? This can be a very nervewracking time for parents who worry about their child’s safety as they travel by themselves. The Houston Chronicle has some great tips for parents about how to handle their child traveling solo for the upcoming holiday season:
If your child is flying solo, make sure you have the names, phone numbers and addresses for those picking up your child at the other end. You’ll need to give that to the airline. Also, give your child a card with that information and make sure they know how to reach you. Ask for a gate pass so that you can wait with your child at the gate. Don’t rely on the airline to entertain or feed the kids either. Pack a sandwich, snacks and plenty to entertain your child. Stash a new toy, CD or book in their backpack along with a favorite treat.
If teens are flying on their own, make sure they understand that they’ve got to speak up if they miss a connection so that airline personnel can make sure they’re not stranded. (Yes, that has happened.) Also make sure they have some money and a cell phone.
Summer is upon us and for many that means the annual family vacation. Airports can be a frightening place for not only children, but parents too as they try to navigate their way through the crowds and keep the family together. MSNBC offers up some tips as well as information about several airports that have air themed areas for children to play.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has an aviation-themed play area with a miniature air traffic control tower, runway, aircraft and so on. The gear, meant to be handled, is padded, and there is a place for parents to sit down while they keep an eye on the young ones.
Remember to allow your family plenty of time to make your flight so that a mad dash to a plane doesn’t result in a lost child.
Did you know that when you fly with your child that the safest place for them during turbulance is in an approved restraint and not sitting on your lap? The Federal Aviation Administration outlines the safety guidelines for small children when you travel with them on a plane.
Be sure the shoulder straps are properly adjusted and fasten the airplane seat belt around the CRS. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using a CRS. FAA recommends that a child weighing: -Less than 20 pounds use a rear-facing CRS -From 20 to 40 pounds use a forward-facing CRS -More than 40 pounds use an airplane seat belt -A child may also use an alternative, such as a a harness-type restraint, if it is approved by FAA. FAA has approved one restraint appropriate for children weighing between 22 and 44 pounds. This type of restraint is not safe for use in motor vehicles.
The site also provides parents with a downloadable brochure to print out and take with you when you fly as a reference.
Summer is upon us and for many that means the annual family vacation. Airports can be a frightening place for not only children, but parents too as they try to navigate their way through the crowds and keep the family together. MSNBC offers up some tips as well as information about several airports that have air themed areas for children to play.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has an aviation-themed play area with a miniature air traffic control tower, runway, aircraft and so on. The gear, meant to be handled, is padded, and there is a place for parents to sit down while they keep an eye on the young ones.
Remember to allow your family plenty of time to make your flight so that a mad dash to a plane doesn’t result in a lost child.