10 Fun Airplane Facts, Safety Tips And Rules For Kids

Written by Manjiri Kochrekar

Last Updated on May 12, 2016

10 Fun Airplane Facts, Safety Tips And Rules For Kids

The sight of an airplane fascinates children so much that they run out every time they hear the sound of a flying plane. Travelling in a plane is filled with excitement and a window seat is a must for them. As we understand their fascination for the flying machine, MomJunction brings to you some safety tips, rules, and fun facts about aeroplanes. Share them with your kids.

Top 10 Airplane Safety Tips For Kids:

1. Use A Child Restraint System For Infants And Kids:

Several airlines and governments recommend that children weighing less than 40 pounds, sit in a child restraint system appropriate to their weight. If babies are carried in the lap, then having a reliable restraint system is a must. Follow the below rules while using the kid restraint system:

Find a hassel-free child restraint system which can be carried in and out of the aircraft.

If your kid is over two years and weighs less than 40 pounds, then follow the recommendations of the airlines for the use of a restraint system.

If your kid is over two years, book a separate seat for your child and use a suitable child restraint system.

If you have two infants, then you can carry one in your lap, and use the adjoining seat for the other one.

While taking a kid under the age of two, prefer using an appropriate in-flight child restraint (1).

[ Read: Air Travel With Kids ]

2. Prepare For The Possible Emergencies:

Be aware of all emergency procedures and equipment that may be necessary. Below is a list with tips to be followed in the event of an emergency:

Be attentive to the standard preflight emergency announcement or briefing.

If your kid suffers from a medical condition that may be a concern during the air travel, then make the flight attendant, gate agent, and counter agent aware of the issue before commencing the journey.

Inquire with whether the flight provides emergency equipment, such as life preservers meant for kids. Be aware of the exit locations and use of floatation devices.

3. Control Your Kid At All Times:

Supervise your children at all times. An unsupervised child may get away from the seat and access dangerous areas such as alleys. He could also reach for cups of hot tea or coffee, silverware, and other readily available but harmful objects.

In case your child is traveling alone, instruct him to sit in his seat, not to wander around, or walk down the passages, and not to touch any objects unnecessarily. Let him inform the flight attendant if he wants to get up and walk.

4. Prevent Your Child From Getting In An Aisle:

Kids enjoy getting up from their seat and exploring new areas. However, they may get hurt while doing so. They might hurt their arms as they bump into a serving cart passing down the aisle or a co-passenger. So, make your child sit between you and your spouse, or someone who is traveling with you and is old enough to take care of the child.

5. Carry All Essential Items In Carry-On Luggage:

Ensure you take enough food, medicines, diapers, and other accessories and items that your kid may need during the long haul. It is crucial to carry all the essentials with you, particularly if your child is on medication or a special diet. Avoid putting your infant’s utility items into the cargo luggage, as you may face problems if your bag is delayed or lost (2).

[ Read: Ways To Ensure Safe Toys For Kids ]

6. Have Safe Toys Along With You:

Bring along only toys which are safe, to entertain kids during the long haul. Avoid carrying toys that are heavy, delicate, or sharp. Restrict the use of toys if possible. If your kid has got an electronic game, let him use it only for the cruise portion of the airplane. Prevent your kid from using electronic games in areas of the flight as they may interfere with the navigational system.

7. Make Sure Your Kid Is Wearing The Seat Belt At All Times:

Turbulence in an aircraft can occur at any time. Make sure your kid is wearing the seat belt at all times to prevent any fall or injury. Allow him to take off the seat belt only when the sign is off.

8. Accompany Your Kid To The Lavatory:

The lavatory of an airplane may have hard and sharp objects that could injure your toddler. His fingers or hand could get trapped between the door of the toilet. Accompanying your toddler to the lavatory can ensure his safety.

9. Wear Oxygen Masks In Case Of Emergencies:

Whenever flight attendants announce the need to wear the oxygen masks, wear yours first. If your brain suffers deficiency of oxygen, then you may be confused about your course of action. Wear the mask first, and then make your child wear, to prevent hypoxia.

10. Exercise Extra Precautions When Kids Travel Alone:

If your kids are traveling alone, then you need to follow extra safety tips to ensure your child’s safety during the air trip.

Have a word with the chief flight attendant and inform him that your kid is traveling alone.

Make sure that the individual who would be receiving your child at the destination, submits proper identification.

Instruct your child to report any problems, such as feeling sick or having a suspicious person next to him, to a flight attendant.

If your kid needs to change flights before reaching the final destination, make all necessary arrangements to escort your child from one flight to another. It may cost you a bit extra.

Top 7 Airplane Safety Rules For Kids:

While traveling through the aircraft, you also need to follow certain regulations to ensure the safety of your tiny tot. Here, we list some airplane safety rules for kids.

1. Seating Rules For Kids:

If your child weighs less than 20 pounds, then place him in a rear-facing car seat.

If your child weighs more than 20 pounds but less than 40 pounds, you may put him in a toddler car seat.

Ensure that the child safety seat you use in the flight bears the label ‘certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft’.

Use the airplane’s seat belt if your kid weighs more than 40 pounds.

Airlines may not permit booster seats and vest restraints or harness. If you intend to bring a booster seat to use it in your car at the destination, better check it in at the airport as luggage.

[ Read: Facts About Cars For Kids ]

2. Ground Level Safety Checks Apply To Kids Too:

Just like you must go through the metal detector check, your kid also needs to go through it. Only infants get an exemption as parents need to carry their newborn in their arms through the

metal detector. Remember to not push your child’s stroller through the detector. Also, do not run a baby seat through the metal detector with your infant sleeping in it.

3. Liquid Regulation Waiver For Kids:

Very often, baby’s milk, juice, or water is exempt from the airlines rules that specify how much conditioners, shampoo, or any other liquid you can carry in three-ounce bottles or whether you should not carry liquid at all. It is entirely up to the airport personnel to decide how much infant milk you can carry on board. Regulations concerned with this are lenient, and they help to accommodate parents and their babies as much as possible. However, your child’s diaper bag undergoes the necessary inspection through a screener.

4. Necessary Paperwork And Passport Rules:

Infants and children need to have a valid passport if they intend to travel international destination that requires their parents’ passports. Apply for your kid’s passport well ahead of your planned travel date. Carry paperwork, such as a birth certificate that proves your child’s nation of citizenship and birth date during the journey (3).

5. Instruct Your Kid To Behave Properly In The Flight:

Most kids are active, and they may find it annoying to sit in a place for hours during the long haul. So, tell your kids to spend time reading books, listening to music, or taking a nap. However, there are certain things you must tell your children to avoid.

Do not keep ringing the call bell to ask the flight attendant ‘Are we there?’

Avoid pushing the call signal unnecessarily and indulge in mischievous acts.

Do not ask silly questions to the other passengers on the flight.

Do not blow your nose unnecessarily and irritate others.

Do not yell ‘Pillow Fight’ as the attendant provides you pillows.

Do not drop a pen and other things in the aisle and shout ‘That’s mine!’ when anyone picks it up for you.

6. Safety Rules For Kids Under 18 With Special Needs:

Children with physical challenges who weigh greater than 40lbs may also need child restraint system or similar device during their air travel for support and security. Most airlines allow a kid under 18 years to use an approved child restraint system. Make sure the restraint system bears an appropriate label, it’s suitable for the child’s weight, and your child uses it correctly and securely (4).

[ Read: Air Pollution Facts For Kids ]

7. Prevent Ear Pain During Air Travel:

Kids often suffer ear pain (aerotitis media) due to a change in air pressure in the eustachian tube. You can help prevent the ear pain by encouraging your toddler to swallow food while in the flight, particularly during the descent. Choose sipping water, nursing, and chewing for toddlers, and avoid holding the nose and blowing it out. Do not hold a cup full of steam over your child’s ear as it can force moisture into his ear canal thus infecting it. Medical experts recommend a saline nasal spray to prevent itchy, dry nose. If your kid has a history of ear pain, then wake him up on the descent.

Top 10 Fun Airplane Facts For Kids:

Children are quite fond of watching and playing with aircraft toys, and they may bug you with lots of queries about the mechanism, history, and other aspects of an airplane. So, here, we list some interesting facts about airplanes for your kids.

Air travel is widely popular as the second safest mode of travel.

Wright brothers, i.e., Orville and Wilbur Wright, designed the first successful flying airplane.

In 1920, the cost of a plane ticket was just $5.

The rear side of each of the flight’s wing has a part known as aileron that aids the aircraft in turning left or right.

Experts determine the life of a plane by the number of times it undergoes pressurization. Every time you subject it to pressure, the fuselage i.e., the body of the airplane, experiences stress that develops tiny cracks which are irreparable.

An airplane either lands or takes off every 37 seconds from the Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, i.e., about 100 planes per hour access the Chicago airport.

As an airplane starts, air flows over the top of its wings faster than it flows below the wings. As a result, higher pressure develops beneath the wings than above it, and this forces the aircraft up into the low-pressure area. The technique is popular as ‘lift’.

Blimps and airships being lighter than air, make use of buoyancy for flying. They need gas which is less dense than the surrounding air, such as helium.

International airplanes tend to flaunt their painted home country’s flag on their tail.

Most flights possess a flight data recorder which keeps a track of everything that the airplane does. The flight data recorders are popular as black boxes even though they are orange in color (5).

Willing to share these fun facts, safety tips, and rules with your curious little ones? Which facts and tips did your child find interesting? Share your experience and knowledge with fellow moms by leaving a comment below.