Economy to Europe

[Anonymous]

We are going to Italy for spring break. We've traveled to Europe as a couple but this is the first time we are taking our 9 year old. It is an overnight flight.

Do any of you have products or tips/tricks for being able to sleep in coach. I'm ok with one of those neck things and a blindfold sitting up. It's not the best, but survivable. Has anyone used one of those inflatable cushions that fits in the seat space so that our son could lay down. (he is a small 9 year old) Anything else to make things more comfortable?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I've never tried one of those inflatable beds. Curious what other's experience has been because IME some airlines would not permit it. We've had flight attendants check multiple times through the night that our kid was still in her seat belt, and get harassed about anything on the floor in front of the seat that isn't fully stowed. So I personally wouldn't risk taking it only to find they won't allow it.

My kid usually sleeps better than we do on the plane but not well. Here are things that help:

-Sit him in a middle seat between you, or on the aisle if he can keep his body out of the aisle. Window is bad because the temptation is to lean against the window/wall of the plane and it gets cold. My kid does best when she can lean against one of us.

- Eye mask, comfortable headphones for white noise or sleep music. Do "bedtime" on the plane after dinner -- go brush teeth, read a book, etc.

- Biggest issue is where the legs go, it's hard for kids to get comfortable seated if their legs don't touch the ground. This takes some experimenting. When my kid was younger, she'd put her legs on my knees or my husband's knees (starting to see why we don't sleep well, here). Now that she's a bit taller, she cans sometimes reach her feet to an overstuffed backpack on the floor in front of her.

- Assume everyone will be exhausted the next day and plan accordingly. Easy activities, long meals, let people zone out on devices or in general if they want, lots of sitting and little walking (good day for like a boat tour), check into your hotel as soon as you can and plan on an early night. It's not a "lost" day but it's not a true vacation day and you just have to accept it and do the best reset you can before the next day. Jet lag is the number one hardest thing about traveling overseas with my kid, everything else is pretty easy.

[Anonymous]

Having flown red eyes with kids, I would say that she’s more likely to sleep than you are, but neither of you is likely to sleep very much. I would just go into it with that mindset. I like the neck pillows and would maybe bring over the ear headphones for her. Unless she’s tiny you probably won’t want the inflatable thing. My kids like having access to their backpacks under the seat. One of my kids is anxious and telling him he might not get much sleep but he’ll be ok regardless helps lower his stress.

[Anonymous]

They are cracking down on the inflatable bed type of thing and not allowing them. Some may still allow if they are on the window seat and not blocking anyone’s ability to exit quickly.

[Anonymous]

Keep expectations for sleep low. Think of it more as a nap. Neck pillow and eye mask are good. We also bring thin travel blankets because planes can be very cold. Don't start expecting them to sleep till a while after their normal bedtime. It helps to be tired.

[Anonymous]

A 9 year old, even a small one is likely way too big for those inflatable beds. They're really only for babies and toddlers.

I've flown overseas with my 7 year old a few times. We put a familiar show in the screen or IPad and he conks out, usually putting his head in my lap or on my shoulder.

For me, I ball up the provided blanket behind my back and that helps and usually put an audiobook on headphones and go to sleep as best I can.

Some of it is just accepting you won't sleep that well and you will just need to power through until sleeping time the day you get there. My kid tends to handle it pretty well as long as we keep moving and fed the next day.

[Anonymous]

A lot of the European airlines ban those inflatable beds and I have heard of inconsistent enforcement so I wouldn't even bother wasting the space.

I book my room to start the night before and let them know we are checking in, in the morning so they won't mark you as no-show.

Kid will be fine. Let them watch as much TV as they want and go to sleep when tired, trying too hard to get enough sleep is just frustrating for everyone.

My kid at 10 was able to curl her feet up in the seat and lean on me to sleep enough. She brought her own small blanket and pillow (not a neck pillow). I brought my own neck pillow and used the airline provided blanket and pillow.

[Anonymous]

You will not sleep well and it will be uncomfortable. Not much to do about it sadly.

[Anonymous]

You child can lay across you. Pillow on one arm rest and lay legs across a parent. that’s one benefit of economy - the arm rests raise.

make sure child is full, not hungry. We bring cereal boxes - A shredded wheat, etc.

[Anonymous]

It helps a little to have Economy Plus/Comfort Plus. It helps more to have Premium Economy. Honestly, though, I need more recline than any of that if I am going to sleep.

Maybe look at daytime flights to Europe and going to bed right after dinner?

[Anonymous]

For all three of us, I really like the foot hammock. It gives an option of a different position, and can sort of be used to stretch out for the 9 year old. It works way better and is so much easier to carry than the inflatable bed thingy.

https://www.amazon.com/foot-hammock-plane-travel/s?k=foot+hammock+for+plane+travel

[Anonymous]

Second good quality eye masks (for everyone), and I like to bring a hoodie for the kid to wrap into as it gets cold.

[Anonymous]

I personally find it easiest to get to sleep if I’m in a window seat and can lean against the wall using the pillow, a neck pillow, and sometimes my coat balled up to make the armrest more comfortable.

It’s better to book the 10pm flight than the 6 or 7pm flight.

The one thing that has really messed me up was when other passengers near me were drinking and chatting (free wine) and I wished I had noise canceling headphones to drown them out.

You can experiment with melatonin ahead of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It helps a little to have Economy Plus/Comfort Plus. It helps more to have Premium Economy. Honestly, though, I need more recline than any of that if I am going to sleep.

Maybe look at daytime flights to Europe and going to bed right after dinner?

The only daytime flights to Europe are from New York and Boston to London. If going to Italy, would have to stay overnight at Heathrow and take a flight the next morning, probably getting there 1-2 PM. Might also have to stay in New York if you can't get a connecting flight early enough from DC (some of them leave at 8 or 8:30 AM from JFK). So could easily add a full 24 hours to your trip and 2 hotel nights.

[Anonymous]

Sorry but no, we’re flying to Paris and taking the morning flight into London, so we can get a good nights sleep. We find the overnight economy flights to be miserable and then the day you get there is miserable so there’s so point.