Flying with kids is no easy task, and most parents openly admit it can be stressful. In fact, a 2016 Yahoo Travel survey revealed that 1 in 10 parents actually wish they could sit separately from their children during flights.
One father thought he had come up with the perfect plan: seat his 5-year-old and 26-year-old daughters together for a long flight. But when the older daughter discovered the arrangement, she quietly switched seats without telling anyone. As it turns out, not every older sibling is willing to take on babysitting duty for 14 hours in the air.
A woman refused to sit next to her little sister on a 14-hour fligh.
So, she swapped seats so that their dad and mom would end up sitting next to the five-year-old instead.
Parents should be ready to keep their kids entertained before and during a flight.
Many passengers complain that nothing is worse than flying with a screaming child onboard. But what they often forget is that parents are in an even tougher spot—they’re the ones managing tantrums, tears, and finding ways to keep their little ones entertained.
Boredom is usually the biggest challenge for kids, especially on long flights. That’s why experts and flight attendants advise parents to come prepared with extra entertainment. Sometimes, the in-flight options just aren’t enough.
Bringing your own devices like an iPad is a must. Parenting blogger Dina Cooper suggests packing headphones, books, and coloring books as well. Andrea Robinson from Single Parents on Holiday recommends including puzzles, playing cards, stickers, and small toys in the activity bag.
For the iPad, it’s important to preload it with new shows, movies, and games. And for parents who want to limit screen time, educational apps and programs are a great alternative.
Many passengers wish airplanes had designated child-free zones.
Children on planes remain a hot-button issue. Many passengers believe air travel should be a calm and relaxing experience, and some are strongly opposed to having children on flights. But is that viewpoint fair?
A 2022 survey by Travelzoo Australia found that 67% of respondents said screaming children were the biggest downside of flying. A 2023 poll revealed that many people support the idea of child-free zones on planes.
This sentiment is especially common among younger travelers: 61% of those aged 18-24 and 69% of those aged 25-34 think trains and planes should have designated child-free areas. Even among passengers 55 and older, half expressed interest in having child-free spaces.
However, some argue that the real issue isn’t the children themselves, but rather inattentive parents. Family blogger Lisa Goodmurphy explains, “When flying with kids, parents need to be fully attentive. Children can’t be expected to behave properly on a plane unless their parents teach them how.”
In the U.S., there may soon be a law requiring children to sit next to their parents on flights.
You might wonder why there isn’t a universal rule requiring children to sit next to their parents on flights. Shouldn’t airlines automatically assign seats so kids are beside their mom or dad?
Unfortunately, there’s no law in the U.S. that mandates airlines to seat parents and children together. However, four American carriers—Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier, and JetBlue—have official policies that let family members sit together without any extra charges.
In 2024, the U.S. government moved forward with a federal proposal that would require all airlines to seat children under 13 next to their parents at no extra cost. It’s still uncertain whether this policy will become law during the current administration, but if it does, it could relieve many parents of a major travel headache.
“Fees related to family seating arrangements are incredibly frustrating for travelers, especially because they often come as a surprise,” says Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet.
“This change has the potential to reduce travel stress for consumers and could save families hundreds of dollars in fees each year.”
It wasn’t the first time her father had expected her to look after her little sister.
Some people criticized the father, with one commenter saying, “Anyone assigned to care for this child must give their consent.”
Others felt the family should have had an open conversation rather than resorting to sneaky tactics.
However, some argued that babysitting was a small price to pay, considering her dad had covered the cost of her trip.
