Traveling With Your Kids

Taking a family vacation can be fun, but traveling to your destination with children can be taxing. There are many websites out there that are devoted to giving advice when it comes to traveling with kids. The following are some tips and strategies for traveling with children taken from some of these specialty sites.

• Things do not always go as planned; the same is true when traveling with children. Try to have a positive attitude and it will rub off on your children.
• When taking an airplane- if possible plan the flight around your child’s nap schedule
• Take toys to entertain your children. Stay away from toys that have small parts that can get lost easily.
• Books, stickers, crayons and paper are great ways to entertain children
• Make sure to take some of your child’s medication with you such as children’s Tylenol
• Pack some laundry detergent with you so you can do a quick spot wash in the hotel sink
• Bring baby wipes; they can be used to clean anything from faces to tables
• When traveling by plane, make sure you inform your children of the security process. Let them know that they will have to take off their shoes and that they will get them back
• Before boarding the plane- use the bathroom since the ones on planes are small and cramped
• Make sure to bring a change of clothes for you and your children
• Due to cabin pressure; your ears will pop. Pack some hard candies, pacifier, or bottle to give to your children during take off and landing

There are some airports that are kid-friendly. At Seattle’s Sea-Tac Airport there is a designated play area for kids. If you are planning non flying, check out the airport’s web page to see if there are any family friendly attractions or areas in the airport. There are also some games and activities that you and your child can play while waiting in a terminal. Such as:

• People watching
• Airplane watching
• Conveyor belts
• Counting how many ‘red’ bags can be found
• Counting seats
• Explore by walking around the terminal

Additional web pages devoted to traveling with your children:

Flying With Kids, Kids Can Travel, Travel With Your Kids, Traveling With Kids

American Airlines to Charge for Checking Bags

According to ABC News and the Wall Street Journal, American Airlines will be charging $15 to check a bag. This new fee comes on the heels of numerous other airlines announcing that they will be charging $25 to check a second bag. American is hoping that the new fee will help them end up in the black by the end of the fiscal year. With crude oil prices being higher than ever, airlines are having to look for new ways to improve their bottom line. Some airlines are charging for amenities such as a blanket, more leg room or an aisle seat, while other airlines are limiting the number of flights they offer. To some individuals, the implementation of this new fee is not a surprise. One would assume that competitors of American Airlines will get more business since they do not require such a fee. But in order for the competing airlines to make money, they will have to cut costs in other areas, whether it be amenities or the number of available flights.



So what does this new fee mean to passengers? This new fee will probably make the number of carry-on bags increase, which will mean that there will be fighting over the already limited overhead space. What happens if you plan on storing your bag into the overhead bin and there is no room? You'd better be prepared to fork over the extra money to have it checked. How much longer will it be before all the airlines start to implement similar fees?

Getting Through Security

One of the greatest stressors about traveling by plane is getting through airport security. Going through security can take a long time and can be very intrusive. There are some ways that one can expedite their security check. Here are some suggestions on how to reduce your stress.

• Plan ahead when choosing the clothes you will wear on the airplane

• Be aware of any metal items that you are wearing i.e. belt buckles, steel toed shoes, watches, body piercings, hair clips, jewelry, etc.

• Don’t over pack your carry-on

• Remember that anything that you pack in your carry on might get handled by security personnel

• Be prepared to take off your shoes

• If carrying medication with you, make sure that it is clearly labeled

• If carrying any type of electronic equipment (laptop, camera, cell phone, PDA, etc.) be ready to remove them from your bag and place them in a bin to be x-rayed

• If bringing a gift, don’t wrap it until you get to your destination

• Double check what items are prohibited

• Remember 3-1-1

• Make sure you have your boarding pass and ID ready

• Remember to take a deep breath; everyone has to go through security

Are the New Full Body X-Ray Machines Too Revealing?

Recently, the TSA has installed new x-ray machines and full body imagers in airports. These new x-ray machines are more advanced than the current ones and allow security personal to screen carry-on bags more clearly and efficiently. The new x-ray machines will limit the number of hand searches that are conducted on passenger’s carry-on luggage. The new full body imagers will allow for TSA personnel to quickly and thoroughly screen travelers, limiting the number of pat-downs.

The new x-ray machines are already being used in Philadelphia, Washington Dulles and Reagan, Los Angeles, Denver and Las Vegas. The full body imagers are currently being used in the following airports: Phoenix, Los Angeles- LAX and New York’s JFK. Within the next couple of weeks, the full body imager will be installed at Dallas- Ft. Worth, Miami, Detroit, Las Vegas, Washington-Reagan, and Denver, as well as other airports.

Some privacy issues have been expressed regarding the use of the full body imager. There is an example of such an image at Evolution of Security . This is an example of what security personnel will see when a passenger is being screened.

As you can see, it can feel a bit exposing. Be assured that the individual who is screening the image is located in a separate room; they are unable to see you and they are the only one who sees the image. The image is examined to see if the passenger has any metallic and/or non-metallic items (prior to entrance, the passenger has to empty all items from their pockets). Immediately following the screening, the image is deleted. Feedback from passengers has indicated that they prefer this method; since it does not require any physical contact from security personnel and it is much faster (total screening time is approximately 3 seconds) than a manual pat down.

Traveling Comfortably

Being uncomfortable while traveling can be so annoying and can transform a dream vacation into an awful experience. Although air travel presents its unique challenges, there are many ways you can improve your chances for a more comfortable flight. In order to start your vacation on the right foot one would want their time spent traveling to be as comfortable as possible.


There are many products available that can enhance your comfort during your travel experience. When traveling by plane, make sure to wear comfortable clothing. Anything that is too tight or doesn’t fit you well should not be worn. In addition to wearing comfortable clothes, one should also make sure that they are wearing comfortable shoes. Make sure to pack additional layers in your travel bag; it might get cold on the plane.

If you wear contacts, you may want to take them out for the flight and use your glasses instead. The air in planes can dry and irritate your eyes. You may also want to bring eye drops to lubricate your dry tired eyes; this is a good idea even if you don’t wear contacts.

Another tip would be to take some Tylenol or Ibuprofen on board with you. It is helpful to have some type of pain reliever, in case you get a headache while on the plane. It also comes in handy once you get off the plane, when your muscles are tired and sore. Remember to always pack your medications in your toiletry kit.

Another consideration during long flights (six or more hours) is the development of a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). According to WebMD, a DVT “is a condition wherein a blood clot (thrombus) forms in a vein of the deep system [veins comprised within the muscles of the body]”. The primary cause of a DVT is poor blood flow and circulation.

The following tips help prevent DVTs when traveling:

• Purchase compression stockings at a medical supply store and wear them during your flight
• Try to avoid crossing your feet for long periods of time
• Drink plenty of fluids (stay away from coffee and alcohol; these can dehydrate you)
• Get up and move around- every hour
• If you have a connecting flight, walk around the terminal

Planning carefully in advance of a trip will enhance your comfort. Rather than being preoccupied with annoying distractions, you will be able to more fully enjoy your travel experience.

More Fees for Passengers?

As previously blogged, the air industry has started to charge for checking a second bag. According to an article from the Boston Globe, US Airways and JetBlue Airway Corp have taken it a step further and will be starting to implement additional fees. The fees that will be implemented would consist of charging for a pillow, blanket, headphones, even priority seating, a window seat and a seat that provides extra legroom. Such fees have already been in effect for Air Canada (where 45% of their domestic passengers paid additional fees in 2007) and European airline, Ryanair Ltd.


These new fees are becoming more common among airlines; the airlines are trying to compensate for the rising price in fuel. Starting today, US Airways will start charging at least $5 to passengers who want to reserve an aisle or window seat, if they are flying coach.

JetBlue has started to charge passengers $10 to $30 extra if they want to sit in rows that have a greater distance between the seats. According to the article, since this new option was introduced, JetBlue has “Doubled the amount of revenue [we] anticipated for the first year of [our] rollout”

At the beginning of June, JetBlue will also start charging $1 for headphones. These headphones will be of better quality than the complimentary ones and will only be available for purchase before boarding the plane. In June, JetBlue will start charging passengers if they want a pillow or an extra blanket. Similarly, the quality of the pillows and blankets will be better than the complimentary ones and they will be for the passengers to keep.

Apparently, these new fees are not making everyone shudder. Some people are still willing to fly. Some individuals think that their flying experience might be better, now that they can pick and choose the additional amenities they would like.