Almost a third of parents avoid flying with children due to the hassle, according to a new survey. Nearly 80% of Brits say that the thought of going on holiday brings them more pleasure than anything else – but that holiday excitement is often dampened by the stress of travelling with young children. The new survey of Amazon’s 75,000 workforce, conducted as part of its Chatterbox series , found that 34% of parents cited keeping kids entertained on flights as the key issue, with dealing with larger amounts of baggage and navigating long queues with kids in tow following closely behind.
Other issues reported by parents included children needing to use the toilet when the seatbelt signs were on, not liking the food served on the plane, crying for the entire flight and even trying to get on the luggage carousel. Amazon employee Seenah said: “Trying to keep Eli entertained for two and a half hours is no easy feat, especially when the seat belt sign is on and he can’t run around. And you can barely fit one person in an aeroplane toilet, let alone change a nappy in there.
It’s a logistical nightmare – especially when you need to use the loo yourself.” Child behaviourist Elizabeth O’Shea said: “The most important thing is to actually thoroughly plan ahead and really think about the child's experience. Simple steps such as bringing sweets or a bottle to ease discomfort during the rising altitude, a bag of small toys and activities, and a comfort blanket all really he.