Anyone fly overseas with small children?

[beachbunny]

It all depends on your kids. Can they sit still for 11 hours straight? I'd think at 4 and 7 they're old enough to handle it. By that age, I'd travelled cross-country and to Asia. If not, maybe break the travel into two segments (maybe California to WDW and WDW to London)?

Last week I was on a flight from London to San Francisco. Across the aisle was a preschooler, and he was an angel. He had his snacks and games lined up in front of him, and he quietly watched the in-flight movies. In back of me was another story. In that seat was another preschooler who could not sit still to save his life. Up and down the aisle for 11 hours straight. And every time he got up, his mom pulled my seat back to get stand up. And every single time, she jerked me back and pulled my hair. After telling her not to do this a couple of times, I just gave up. (I did, however, have an opportunity to pull the release your seat move so that my seat slammed back when she pulled on my seat.) This second kid also had a portable DVD player WITHOUT earphones. I had to listen to his cartoons throughout the flight. Just because he paid for his ticket too doesn't mean he had the right to make my flight 11 hours of pure hell.

 

[Freyja]

I have taken my kids on more overseas flights than I can remember. They have been anywhere from 3 weeks to 10 years old and I have never had a problem. Of course they are exeptionally well behaved children
Just make sure you have enough to snack on and maybe even a few new toys (like someone else mentioned: Dollar store...) and you should be fine. It is such an experience for kids to see new places, just as much as it is for adults, and I can´t think of anything I like to do more with my kids.

Have fun!

 

[Tink522]

My sister flew every year from NY to Uruguay for 7 years. I made this same trip twice by the time I was 2. The flight was about 8 hours plus a 3 to 4 hour transfer followed by another 2 hour flight. My mom says she loved those flights for the peace and quiet it gave her. If you think your kids can handle it go for it. And if they're too rowdy on the plane give them so benadryl!

 

[tiggerlover]

No, you are not insane. I lived in Italy for 8-1/2 years so my DS has more stamps on his passport than most kids his age. He started flying when he was 4 months old and made the trip from Italy to NY and back again about 10 times. We also took him to London when he was 7 and he had a blast. He absolutely loved the subways, the Tower of London and the London Eye. He also loved Harrods, but it was too expensive for my blood. I am sure your children would love London.