Traveling with your children on Royal Air Maroc planes

Taking a plane with a child (or more): Practical advice from a traveling mom

You are going on a family trip, and you are wondering about the plane trip with the children. How to make sure that everything goes well? How to occupy them and survive a long haul flight? To help you, some tested and approved tips for having a good time in flight.

For babies traveling without a seat in an airplane (on their parents’ lap). These benefit from a tariff reduction of 10% on the price of plane tickets.

When will we arrive?

Flying with a child can be a little stressful. If your budget allows it, prefer a direct flight for long haul. If not, rest assured: it took 5pm with several stopovers to get to Mexico, and everyone has fond memories of this trip! If you also have the choice, night flying is an ideal option.

The trip by plane

Beyond 3 hours, a plane trip seems long to a child. That said, there is no question of giving up long trips! It can be difficult, even exhausting, to occupy an 18 month old baby for a ten hour flight … but big children are different. And they will surely be as happy and excited as you are to go on a trip, so ready to put up with any inconvenience.

If the trip takes more than 4 hours, try to make sure you have individual screens on the plane: the trip really goes faster in front of the cartoons! On “long haul” flights, this is ideal when all the seats are equipped with a small individual screen, with films for parents, cartoons and games for children …

Remember to order a “children’s” menu when you reserve or buy your tickets (at check-in, it’s often too late!)

For distant destinations, the outward or return flight often takes place at night: a few hours of sleep is always a winner.

Before leaving, choose one or two magazines together (you can always abandon them when they have read them …)

Why not take short walks to visit the plane? “Kitchens”, hostess area, toilets, view from the appliance door porthole … everything is good for entertainment.

For the youngest, we take a blanket and pacifier of course! For older children, possibly chewing gum or candy for takeoff and landing to avoid possible pain in the ears.

To make your life easier, you are allowed to keep a foldable, lightweight stroller right up to the aircraft door. Very handy when making stopovers and having to run around the airport between two planes.

The more in advance you buy your ticket, the better your choice will be: airline, times and fares are the deciding factors. For a long-haul flight, it is advisable to purchase tickets between 6 and 10 months in advance if possible.

Take a long-haul flight with a child

While for some going far away with a baby is an inconceivable thing, for travel enthusiasts or people wishing to move abroad this should not be a barrier. A baby can travel the world from 3 weeks of life. So why deprive him of so many discoveries and magical moments shared with his family? We are a French family living in California. Our daughter, just 3 years old, has already taken more than 20 different flights and often long haul. Here are some tips to help you approach your first flight with confidence.

Before leaving

A long-haul flight often means a flight overseas, so your child will need their own passport. Make sure you take the necessary steps in advance to receive it before the day of departure.

When looking for your flight try if possible to take a night flight. The trip will be more enjoyable if your child sleeps a good part of the trip. Also look for a flight with a minimum of stopovers and select the routes with the shortest stopovers. The sooner you get there, the better.

When you buy your tickets to Royal Air Maroc, specify the presence of your child. He will not pay or shortly before his 2 years, but will have to stay on your knees.

Bassinets are available for infants. They allow them to lie safely in front of their parents. In addition, these seats are more spacious because there is no front seat, so they are very popular, hence the need to reserve them in advance if possible or when checking in at the airport. They are available for children up to 70 cm tall.

If unfortunately no more basins are available, still ask for a place at the start of the row, in order to have more space.

To take in the cabin suitcase

– Eat

Milk (powder), Water, Bottles or Gourds, Bibs, Small jars or compots, Cakes or Boudoirs

– To sleep

Soft toy, Pacifiers, Baby carrier, Familiar blanket

– Get dressed

Nappies, Complete change of clothes, Hat and sunglasses, Scarves / Gloves / Hat, Coat, Slippers.

– Treat

Pain relief, fever, diarrhea / nausea, usual medications,

– Have fun

Books, coloring pages / pencils, activity toys, dolls / cars, mobile apps, cartoons

How to dress your child on a plane?

Obviously this list is general and can be modulated according to the sex / age / particularity of each child. But it will allow you to see it a little more clearly. Start packing your suitcase several days in advance. This will prevent you from doing it at the last minute and risking forgetting something.

Much more than a question of aesthetics, your child’s outfit can be really awkward during the flight. Always bring a warm sweatshirt or sweater. Even if you go in midsummer to tropical islands, it is always cold on a plane. Avoid as much as possible the closures which will take you too long to put on and take off (a lot of pressure for example). Don’t put overalls on him.

Remember that the space in which you will be changing it (in the bathroom on a retractable board) is very small so keep it simple (a bungee jog will be perfect). Remember to take a towel for the changing table, as a hygiene precaution and because it is cold. Choose his shoes carefully, do not put on shoes that are difficult to put on with laces to do, again this will save you time and energy in the event of a change. White outfits are not necessarily a good idea. It’s very easy to get dirty on planes because of the limited space, especially during meals.

Your child can also play / crawl on the ground. If you have a little girl, don’t give her a fancy hairstyle. On arrival it will inevitably be disheveled, again kept as simple as possible: a ponytail with a large reusable elastic. But above all, TAKE CHANGES! For your baby but also for you! Because in the event of an accident it would be a shame to spend hours wet or with a sticky stain.

Boarding the child on the plane

Families can get on board first. But this is not necessarily a good idea as you may have to wait a long time for other passengers to settle in. You can take advantage of this time to move around with your child. If he already knows how to crawl or walk, he can let off steam before being cramped in the device. This advice is also valid during stopovers.

The pressure difference between the interior of the cabin and behind the eardrums is greater during takeoff and landing (in flight the cabin is pressurized). To keep your baby from sore ears, breastfeed him if you are breastfeeding or give him a drink or a pacifier. This will force him to swallow and prevent him from feeling uncomfortable.

Hydrate your baby

Getting your child to drink is not only important for pressure rebalancing, but also throughout the flight. The air inside the plane is dry. Your baby therefore needs to be hydrated often. Take skin cream and lip balm with you to prevent dry skin.

Feeding your child on board

First of all, be aware that despite very strict liquids laws, you are allowed to take water or milk with you to feed your baby. In the worst case it will be tested (and therefore opened) during security checks, but not destroyed. Some companies like Royal Air Maroc also provide meals and jars for children. Our daughter is very picky, so we always took food on board. Washing bottles is complicated on the plane, take several to avoid this hassle.