Platinum Upsell

As we draw closer to the end of the year, the month of October delivers the promise of Autumn along with the excitement of upcoming festivities. But for families travelling outside of the UK, this month has brought with it some uncertainty and the potential for unexpected traffic jams or flight delays.

Whether it’sfor some winter sun or a well-deserved break, we want to make your travelarrangements as easy as possible. We’ve compiled a list of our top tips for youand the family:

1. Keep it local

This may seem a little obvious, but if you can (depending on where you’reheaded), fly from the closest airport to you. This will help to cut down thetravel time and make traffic less likely. Better yet, opt for smaller airportsso you’ll have the bonus of fewer queues.

• Good timing

We recommend aiming to book a flight that lands in the middle of the daybetween 10am and 4pm. There are fewer flights between these times, resulting infewer people and queues to wait in. On the flip side, if you’re flying longhaul, a nighttime flight ensures the little ones are sleepy!

• Biometric passport

Not only should you double-check your passports are valid and up to date,you can also upgrade to a biometric passport to get through the border, whichall helps to reduce your wait time.

• Fast track

For a quicker way to the departure gate and some more time to relax orenjoy duty-free shopping, spending a bit extra on Fast-track security servicescould make all the difference for your family at the airport to ensure a smoothjourney.

• Comfort is key

There are endless ways to make the journey that little bit morecomfortable for you and your family. Always wear comfy clothing, bring neckpillows (make sure these have handy clips to attach to your luggage), snacksand water.

• Keep them busy

Keep your children occupied with lots of things to do, for example,magazines with free toys (so if they end up broken or lost, it’s not the end ofthe world). Download all of their favourite games onto any devices, plus throwin headphones and a portable charger for backup.

• Treats galore

Lots of treats are key, such as stickers, goodie bags, colouring booksand yummy snacks – but stick to savoury or low sugar! Snacks that requirelittle fuss and create minimal mess are ideal. Dried fruits, nuts, pretzels,grapes and cereal bars are a few great examples to get you started.

• Don’t play musical chairs

Once your child is too big for a bassinet, make sure you have a seatbooked for them. And, if needed, take a car seat on board that’s approved byyour airline to strap them into their seat.

• Be prepared!

In the event you lose any important travel documents, you could bewaiting a while to get a replacement. Ensure that you have printed and digitalcopies of your passports, travel insurance, boarding passes and any bookinginformation for your accommodation.
 

1. Under pressure

We all know how horrible ear pain can be when you’re flying, but luckilywe have a few tricks up our sleeve. Sweets that are chewy or hard are a goodplace to start to help equalize the air pressure in your child’s ears.Swallowing also helps to open the Eustachian tubes, so sips of water areencouraged. If your child’s ears get blocked, getting them to hold their noseand blow will help – you can also turn this into a fun game of pulling sillyfaces to take their mind off things.

CompetitionTime!

The onlything worse than a dead battery is the temper tantrum that follows when yourlittle one realises they can’t play their favourite game. To help the wholefamily make it through your flight smoothly we’re giving away Charmast 20,800mAh power bank!

To enter,all you need to do is head to our Facebook post,like our page & the post, plus comment with us your favourite holidaymemory.

Good luck!

TheUnexpected

Theunexpected can happen no matter how prepared you are – that’s how it earned itsname! For that extra peace of mind, take a look at our Platinum policies tosafeguard your holiday from any unexpected circumstances beyond your control: http://bit.ly/Platinum_Cover