Many families enjoy exploring other countries and if you are flying with small children on a family holiday, there are some travelling safety tips to be aware of that will ensure your trip abroad goes smoothly.
Although many of these tips are common sense, sometimes its good to remind ourselves that we are responsible to take care of the little ones and keep them happy. Everyone is excited when going on holidays, and its best to keep everyone safe to make your holidays a memorable and happy occasion.
Today, airlines do diligent safety checks to keep everyone safe for your peace of mind, even though these security points can be a little tiresome for families. Everyone needs to go through these security checkpoints, and in some airports, there may be more than a single check done before you get on board.
The airport security personnel need to screen everyone, no matter what ages and this includes babies and little kids. During the security check, the officers will try and keep families together for as little discomfort as possible.
Make absolutely certain that all your travel documents; passports, boarding passes tickets etc, are all correct for everyone, and always make and give copies to your spouse, just in case they go missing for some reason
Children are handled with respect and as gently as possible by security officers, and flight attendants, and they fully aware of parents concerns, and if you are helpful during security checks and when boarding flights, then everything will go smoothly.
Here are some guidelines for going through security airport checkpoints:
1. Remove babies from prams and carry them while the carrier, and your carryons go through the x-ray machines.
2. All items of luggage will go through X-ray machines, including baby carryon bags, handbags, laptops, toys, blankets and diaper bags without exceptions.
3. If Possible, collapse the pram, baby stroller, or baby seats so that they are compact enough to go through the x-ray machine. Ask security officers to help if needed.
4. Remove any items that you have placed in the prams, or child equipment, and place it in the plastic bins provided for smaller items to go through the x-ray machines.
5. Larger prams, strollers and baby seats that cannot go through the machines will be visually inspected by security officers, and should they question you about certain features, answer politely and honestly.
6. If your family has substantial child baggage, prams, and other items babies or small children need, ask security officers for assistance in gathering everything after the safety check as airport boarding can be busy with many passengers waiting to go through the security points at a time.
7. Before final boarding, you will need to go through metal detectors, and if your small children can walk, they will need to go through individually without any toys or metal objects.
8. If you need to carry babies through, the alarm may sound, and if so, security officers will ask to screen you and your child separately, or do an alternative security check?
9. Do not pass children and babies to security officers unless expressly requested to do so, and neither to another person in front or behind you during the security check.
10. Always remember that the security personnel are just doing their job for keeping the airways safe for everyone, and by cooperating fully, the safety screening checks will go smoothly.
Try and limit what you want to take on board for small children, which will make security screening easier. You may want to take some toys to keep small children occupied while flying, so be sensible in choosing practical ones.
It can be useful to spread the carry-on bags between everyone in the family that are old enough to manage, which will make it easier for everyone, while ensuring that if you do have infants they will have everything they need during your flight.
When travelling overseas by air for your family holidays, explain everything to your children that have never been on an aircraft, in what to expect, including that they will be checked by security officers so that they are not fearful when the time arrives. Reassure them that everything is going to be fun and exciting for your holiday.
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