5 ways to handle hangry kids when flying
Travelling with a full stomach is much more fun than the anger caused by hunger. It’s a good idea to keep your kids’ energy levels stable during the journey. Eating is also a good way to pass the time and create fun travel memories that last. Elina Wahlman from End-to-end Disruption Management team tells how to keep children’s tummies full when travelling.
Pre-order kids’ favourites
Children's meals are complimentary on all Finnair intercontinental flights and in Business Class on flights within Europe as well. You can book the kids' meal in advance through Manage booking on our website.
“We always have a meal specially created for children in our menu. It's thoughtfully designed for young palates – food that's easy to approach, tasty but not too spicy. You'll often find dishes like meatballs and mashed potatoes or Pasta Bolognese on our kids' menu, familiar flavors that taste great even at high altitude. Each component on the tray is selected to be child-friendly, and we include a special dessert that brings a sweet touch to the journey”, says Elina.
"If you're traveling with children on holiday flights to destinations like the Canary Islands or Mediterranean, or on European flights in Economy Class, I warmly recommend pre-ordering from our onboard dining selection to ensure young explorers enjoy a delicious meal during their journey," advises Elina. "For these flights where meals require advance booking, you'll find appealing options like pizza and different combos that are sure to delight children on shorter European routes and flights to Northern Finland."
Snacks save nerves
“Tummies can start rumbling at any stage of the journey. This is why I always pack some snacks in my carry-on baggage when I travel with my children. Granola bars, crackers, cookies or raisins are handy because they don’t take a lot of space or need cold storage and can be carried through the security,” Elina says.
“On flights where warm meals are served, our cabin crew starts the service 30-45 minutes after the take-off. Children are usually among the first customers to be catered to. But when you’re starving, half an hour can feel like an eternity, and this is when snacks save nerves.”
On our intercontinental flights with two meal services, there can be several hours between the meals, so a little snack may be needed during a long flight. We also provide suitable snacks between meal services to keep young travelers comfortable throughout their flight.
“If you didn’t bring snacks with you onboard or you need more, you can always buy some from our onboard menu”, Elina hints.
A tasty start in the lounge
Would you like to start your family holiday with style? Finnair Lounges at Helsinki Airport offer some peace and quiet before the flight – and a generous breakfast, lunch or dinner buffet where children can fill their plates themselves. There is always a warm meal, snacks, desserts and a selection of beverages available.
Finnair has lounges both in the Schengen and non-Schengen side of Helsinki Airport. If you don’t have a lounge access included in the ticket or based on your Finnair Plus tier, you can purchase it as a travel extra in advance from Manage booking or during online check-in.
Remember to drink
The low humidity inside the aircraft can dehydrate you. It’s important to drink lots of water before, during and after the flight. This also applies to children; remind your kids to drink water throughout the flight.
Although you can’t bring bigger amounts of liquids through security, you might want to bring an empty water bottle with you. At Helsinki Airport, there are several water faucets where you can refill your bottle for free.
Also, we serve complimentary water and blueberry juice on all flights, excluding Tallinn.
With a baby onboard
When you travel with a baby, we recommend you bring your own baby food. You can bring milk and baby food into the cabin in its original, unopened packaging. It is good to know that due to the limited storage space onboard, there is no cold-storage available. On intercontinental flights, Finnair’s cabin crew is happy to warm up the baby food for you.
Read more about travelling with kids on our website.