With Babies and Toddlers

Practicalities Getting There Air With Babies and Toddlers 

Changing Nappies

New aircraft are generally supplied with changing tables in the lavatories. If you are unlucky enough to find yourself on board one without this kind of facility you have the option of changing a child on the seat or seatback table, potentially incurring displeasure from neighbours, or trying to find a surface in the lavatory itself, which may be unhygienic. In either case a folding changing mat would be useful.

One tip is to use an extra absorbent night-time nappy to avoid in-flight changes.

Note that hygiene restrictions on cabin staff - who handle food - mean they cannot take a dirty nappy for you so in all events at some point after changing you will probably have to leave your seat.

With Babies

Although not all airlines may allow this because of the safety issue of leaving a baby unsecured, on a long-haul flight when your child wants to sleep a sheepskin or blanket on the floor plus a blanket draped over the seat-back table can make a peaceful tent when the overhead lights are still on.

For Toddlers

It is wise to take any toilet-trained child to the loo before boarding as they will not be allowed to use the in-flight loo until after takeoff. Similarly take them before landing. While you are encouraged to give liquid during landing to promote swallowing and prevent pain in ears, on the ground you may not reach a loo until a good 10-minute walk after disembarkation. This can be a particular problem at larger airports like Gatwick and Heathrow.