Flying Rugrats
With
great help for preparing
you and your young children
using proven
travel tips
about infants and toddlers
on airplane rides
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Flying Rugrats
Passport Required
Parents flying with children should be prepared for new passport
requirements. The United States is now requiring
passport identification for travelers entering the country from
Canada, Mexico and South American countries. Gone are the
days when a birth certificate was enough! So next time you
travel to one of the neighboring countries or take a cruise, be
sure that you have a valid passport in hand. If you need
to apply for a passport, do not wait until the last minute.
It can take up to 8 weeks to receive a new passport.
Traveling families have many passports and documents to organize
together. Consider using a Family Passport & Document Case
to make organizing your family's passports a little easier to
manage during times when you need to quickly present your
documentation.
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TSA Family Travel Tips
TIPS
Before you reach the airport
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Please allow yourself and your family extra time
to get through security - especially when
traveling with younger children.
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Call
your airline or travel agent for their recommended
check-in times for your departure airport.
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Talk to
your children before you come to the airport and let
them know that it's against the law to make threats
such as, "I have a bomb in my bag." Threats made
jokingly (even by a child) can delay the entire
family and could result in fines.
TIPS At the airport
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Speak to
your children again about the screening process so
that they will not be frightened or surprised.
Remind them not to joke about threats such as bombs
or explosives.
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Tell
your children that their bags (backpack, dolls,
etc.) will be put in the X-ray machine and will come
out at the other end and be returned to them.
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Let your
children know that a Security Officer may ask to see
Mom or Dad's shoes, but that they will get these
back as well.
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You may
want to consider asking for a private screening if
you are traveling with more than one child.
(Courtesy of TSA)
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Fly safely with your baby:
Listen to this public service announcement from the FAA
Live
airport status updates:
Click for interactive U.S.
map to select major U.S. airport
Access your favorite airline information:
Click here to try
our new Airlines Portal
Flying with Children Travel Tips
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The mere prospect of
boarding an airplane
with an infant or toddler can seem
somewhat terrifying for parents. This can be particularly the case if the parents did not
travel routinely by airplane before having children. Organization, patience and preparation are
key when making airplane trips with small kids.
  
  
  
  
Whether flying to locations in the domestic
U.S. like
Walt Disney World
in Orlando or traveling to far off exotic destinations on distant
continents, many of the the difficulties are the same for traveling
parents.
  
  
  
We are dedicated to sharing tips and ideas from parents who have gained
expertise by regularly traveling on airplanes with small children.
It is our goal to provide you with information that may help you better
prepare for travel and have an easier time while in the air.
  
  
  
Even parents with lots of
experience flying with small children can have
problem situations from time to time.
Preparation is key to
helping you reduce the frequency of those situations. We want you
to have knowledge and tools that will help maximize your chances of
having positive experiences when traveling by plane with your tiny tots.
Browse around our topic areas and see what tips you can uncover.
In addition, if you already have experience traveling with infants or
toddlers and you have new tips or information that could benefit other
parents, feel free to
send us your suggestions. We are always looking for new
travel ideas to share.
This site is a great place for you to start doing your homework in
preparation for flying with kids. Look around, get prepared and
then board your flight with confidence.
Make Your Airplane Trip Better Using 3-1-1
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When you are traveling with
children, the last thing you need is trouble at
airport security
check points because of your carry-on bag contents, especially
if you have an infant that nurses from bottles of formula or
breast milk.
Because of efforts to ensure air
travel security, you should expect that your carry-on bags
will be inspected by the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA). |
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Prepare
yourself by following TSA guidelines with
respect to liquids and gels. Knowing the rules can help prevent problems
at the airport and keep your travel moving along without a hitch.
You will not be asked to do anything that will separate you from your
child or children.
Baby formula and breast milk are
allowed in your carry-on baggage or personal items. You can take
these through the security checkpoints and aboard your plane.
However, you must be traveling with a baby or toddler.
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All items including formula or
breast milk will be inspected, however, you or your baby
or toddler will not be asked to test or taste breast milk or
formula. Security Officers will not test or taste formula
or breast milk. |
 View
A Video
Bringing infant
formula through a security check point. |
Except for for prescription and
over-the-counter medicines, baby formula and breast milk, and
other essential liquids, gels, and aerosols, the following rules
apply to all liquids, gels, and aerosols you want to carry
through a security checkpoint.
The TSA has
provided some guidelines in the form of the 3-1-1 for carry-ons:
3–1–1 for carry-ons = 3
ounce bottle or less; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag
per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits
the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3 oz. container size is
a security measure.
 All
liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller
containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste
tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be
three ounces or smaller.
 All
liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single,
quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags
that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not
allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size,
zip-top, clear plastic bag.
Each
traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from
their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for
X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security
officers to more easily examine the declared items.
Consolidate bottles into
one bag and X-ray separately to speed screening.
Be prepared. Each time
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) searches a carry-on it
slows down the line. Practicing 3-1-1 will ensure a faster and easier
checkpoint experience.
3-1-1 is for short trips.
If in doubt, put your liquids in checked luggage.
Declare larger liquids.
Prescription medications, baby formula and milk are allowed in
quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the
zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint.
Come early and be patient.
Heavy travel volumes and the enhanced security process may mean longer
lines at security checkpoints.
Courtesy of the TSA,
Click here to print
a 3-1-1 for carry-ons wallet-card
For additional information about carry-on
bags and the 3-1-1 program, visit
www.tsa.gov.
Bon Voyage!!!
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Do you know anyone who just had a baby or
who might benefit from tips about traveling by airplane with small
children? If so, help them prepare for their next family vacation
by sharing the Flying Rugrats web site with them. By doing so,
you will be providing them with lots of family
travel tips and advice that has been gathered from families who have
faced the same challenges before them.
Send your friends with newborn babies or small children an email to tell them about
Flying Rugrats!
Flying Rugrats
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The Parent-to-Parent Guide
to Traveling on Airplanes
with Infants and Toddlers
Are you a parent who
travels with kids?
Send us your tips and tricks!
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Flying Rugrats
Flying Kids Mission
As parents, we are
responsible for molding our precious babies into well rounded
adults who have an appreciation for the variety of opportunities
that they have available to them as they grow and develop as
individuals. Exposing children to varying geographical
locations and cultures around the world is an important teaching
method that many parents have the option to use for developing
generations of culturally aware future leaders who have
childhood experiences that help them understand and personally
relate to global issues. It is the mission of
Flying Rugrats to arm parents with information about flying
with children, toddlers or infants strategies in an effort to
dispel fear or apprehension about family travel so that families
may travel freely and better educate our future world citizens
through positive travel experiences.
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The Airport Screening Process when
Traveling with Children
At the
X-Ray
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All carry-on baggage, including children's bags
and items, must go through the X-ray machine.
Examples include: diaper bags, blankets, and
toys.
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All child-related equipment that will fit
through the X-ray machine must go through the
X-ray machine. Examples include:
strollers, umbrella-strollers, baby carriers,
car and booster seats, backpacks, and baby
slings.
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When you arrive at the checkpoint, collapse or
fold your child-related equipment. Secure items
that are in the pockets, baskets, or attached to
the equipment and place it on the X-ray belt for
inspection. Plastic bins are provided to deposit
such items.
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If any of your child-related equipment does not
fit through the X-ray machine, security officers
will visually and physically inspect it.
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Ask a Security Officer for help gathering your
bags and child-related equipment, if you need
it.
NEVER leave babies in an
infant carrier while it goes through the X-ray machine.
The
Walk-Through Metal Detector
If your
child can walk without your assistance, it is
recommended that you and your child walk through the
metal detector separately. If you are carrying your
child through the metal detector and the alarm sounds,
the TSA Security Officer will have to additionally
screen both you and your child.
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Remove babies and children from their strollers
or infant carriers so that Security Officers can
screen them individually.
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You
may not pass the child to another person behind you
or in front of you during this process.
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Do
not pass your child to a Security Officer to hold.
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A
Security Officer may ask for your help screening
your child.
(Courtesy of the TSA)
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