When flying with my kids people often comment on how easy I make it look. I guess after 100+ different airplane rides with children I should be pretty good at it by now!
I think one of the most intimidating parts of air travel with young ones is getting through security. I spend days assembling my flight bags only to have to take t hem all apart at security. With all the travelling we’ve done I’ve come up with a few tricks that really help with getting through security checks quickly and easily.
Things to remember:
- All liquids must come out of your carry-on bags. Anything that is NOT medicine or milk/water for young children must be less than 3 oz each and must fit in a pint size zip bag (1 bag is allowed per person). Generally you can take as much breastmilk, formula, water, juice, and baby food as needed for the flight though I’ve never been stopped when carrying large amounts of frozen breastmilk.
- All large electronics must also come out of your bag and be put in their own plastic bin. This means all laptop computers and sometimes iPads/tablets (I always ask about the iPad since some airports say yes and some say no).
- All adults must remove their shoes, no matter the style, but kids can now keep theirs on. And EVERYONE, including tinies, must remove coats/jackets, belts and hats.
- EVERYTHING must go through the x-ray machine. This includes buggies/strollers (they usually need to be folded up and put on the conveyor belt), car seats, bags, shoes, coats, EVERYTHING.
- Depending on the airport, liquids you bring for babies may need to be checked for explosives. This usually involves you opening the top and the TSA officer waving a chemical strip over the top and putting strip through machine. I’ve never been asked to drink anything I’ve taken and would throw a fit if they ever did ask me to!
- Most airports are now using the advanced scanners for most passengers. They do not put children into the scanners and usually adults travelling with little ones do not have to go in them either (I’ve thankfully never been through anything other than a standard metal detector!)
So that’s what you need to know, now here’s my tips for easily surviving the ordeal!
- When packing I usually put everything that needs to come out of my bags (liquids, electronics, etc.) in a smaller, open top, shopping type bag. This way when I get to Security I just pull everything out of the bag to put in the bins and afterwards I can quickly gather everything and put back into the bag. After clearing security I then pack things into my other bags where I will want them during the flight.
- I also dress for security. I wear slip on shoes with socks and I pack my belt in my carry-on and put it on after I clear security so I have one less thing to worry about.
- I only carry on necessary liquids. If we check a bag I put all of hubby and my toiletries in the checked bag. I always carry on the kids’ medicines (pain reliever/fever reducer, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, gas drops, laundry stain stick…all the stuff I never use but would hate to be without!)
- When I get to the security line I grab a bunch of bins. I put my shoes and liquids in one, computer in another and my purse, sling, coats, etc (basically anything that can get caught in the conveyor belt) in another.
- Car seats and buggies with straps should be put on with straps facing up (so car seat with the open, seat part facing down) so the straps don’t get caught in the mechanisms of the machine.
- I put all of my things on the table/conveyor belt and then take the baby out of the buggy and send the buggy through the x-ray machine FIRST if possible, this way I can get the buggy at the other end and put baby down before collecting everything else.
- Most TSA agents will let you carry younger children through the x-ray machine. Make sure the kids don’t touch the sides of the machine when going through or it will set it off and they will have to go back through again. When my girls were younger I found it easier to walk through with them, having them hold both of their hands on one of mine. Now that they are older most TSA agents make them walk through on their own and I have to remind them not to touch the machine!
I don’t worry about holding up other people. I try to stay out of the way when collecting my belongings and keep my kids off to the side but sometimes it’s hard. I just try my best to be courteous and respectful to others (and frankly, I expect the same from them!) but I have just as much right to be there as any other passenger and I feel as long as I’m trying my best to hurry and be out of the way, then I am doing fine. I figure anyone who gets upset by me and my (rather impressive, I think) process is just a grumpy person anyways and it doesn’t hurt my feelings one bit!
