Infant near me on a flight oh NO.

When our son Max arrived into the world, I knew he would be a world traveller if he liked it or not. With parents like us who both worked on ships, love travel and grandparents in Germany it was obvious he would need a passport and flying was going to be a regular occurrence.

We have flown to Berlin Germany, Llubljana Slovenia, Tromso Norway and Orlando Florida with Max. I have to say when he was smaller it was a lot easier. Preparing for everything is the most important part I think, which is why I know Sonja is the best Mum ever. She does think of everything and lays it all out in a logical way.

When a baby is breast fed it is easier to fly rather than taking bottles through security and storing them and warming them when they are required.

Plan for changes of clothes and carry spare everything on the plane. Who knows how the baby will react. Sickness is one thing but nappy changes in a confined toilet is just another ball game. There are so many things to touch and press in an aircraft toilet. Max especially liked the fresh air blasting up his trouser leg…

Entertainment is high on the list so we got Max his own children’s headphones. These are green and fit over his ears so should be very comfortable. They have a plug in for the adult to listen in too. However, these only work if your son or daughter will leave them plugged in and not constantly unplug them and wave the lead around…

Touch screen displays on flights are logical and easy to use even for a 21-month-old. He loved touching the screen and found he could call the cabin steward from the touchscreen as well. We still don’t know how he managed to find that himself. We asked if the screen could be permanently switched off so we could get Max to sleep. This was a no. So, he stayed awake for 9 hours touching the screen most of the time and only fell asleep the moment we landed in America.

Take books or a present that your child can unwrap and play with as a new experience. Do not take anything with too many loose bits that will get dropped on the floor never to be seen again.

All in all, we have enjoyed flying with Max and are very lucky he enjoys the experience too. I would encourage any parent to ‘take your children travelling,’ as it is one of the best educational experiences a child can ever have. If you are planning a cruise with a child let me know and I can help with your plans on 0333 300 2480 Adrian