Kids Travel Happy: Family Lines at Airport Security

26 November 2008

Family Lines at Airport Security

As of the 20th of November (LAST WEEK!), airports around the U.S. are supposed to offer 'family' lines for Airport Security. The thought is that the business traveler (or many other travelers in a hurry) will not sigh at the sight of the family ahead of them. Instead, families will line up at their own area, and hopefully avoid the stares and frustrations of those who may not understand the 'family travel' process (or have forgotten!).

Personally, we have not experienced this convenience, but are curious to know what others who have, think about it.

Seems like a great thing.

When we traveled to Hawaii last April, it was chaotic - shoes, clothes, belts, kids, and carry-ons everywhere. I remember apologizing to a man whose laptop we had inadvertantly buried within our stuff (which, honestly, really wasn't that much 'stuff', it just seemed to 'explode and multiply' at the security check!)....

A few things that have made navigating airports with our kids a bit smoother

make sure they are fed, and have gone to the bathroom (or diaper!) before embarking upon any airport 'line' activity
have a few simple toys, or games as a distraction for long lines (we've bought a lot of time with a slide puzzle, NAMiTs Cards, or tell me a story activities)
put kids (and yourself!) in shoes that are easy to slip on and off, better yet, something an older child can do on his/her own
try to avoid belts, this will just save that extra step of taking it off and putting it back on
if you have several children, varying in age, put an older one in charge of a younger one, to help with the adult's responsibilities
make sure the adult carry-on is the only one carrying electronics that need to be removed
make sure water bottles are empty before heading through security
explain to children old enough to understand what is going on. We found that our now 5 year old is a sponge for information, and was content just chatting about the happenings around us - while we wait for our ticket, our turn at security, or in line to actually board the plane (no additional props necessary!)
if you are traveling with young ones, we found it most helpful to make sure each child could be carried (not in just 'arms') or pushed in some shape or from . This allows for the adults to have one or two hands free - try a soft backpack, a simple umbrella stroller, or a Trunki (ride-on-top luggage!) they will save you many headaches, and increase your family's overall travel speed through an airport!