Special thanks for this article go to Sharon, an American expat mother in France and a former flight attendant for two carriers in five countries over thirteen years.


26. Electronic Items

Before leaving home, make sure anything electronic is fully charged. It's rare that these items can be recharged onboard, although this is possible on the ground while waiting for a connection. If you are flying internationally, make sure you have a converter for whatever type of plug is at not only your destination but also your layover locations. For example, if you are going from Europe to Australia and stopping in U.S., make sure you bring the plug converter for both North America and Australia. These are small, not very expensive items and you may be very grateful you do not have a sad-faced child staring at you, unable to play his favorite game because you couldn't recharge his gadget. You usually do not need a transformer even if they electricity is different.

Portable DVD players are popular. Because they are expensive, I am hesitant to recommend them. I waited until my youngest was 3 1/2 before I used one for the first time. I imagined my children fighting over it, dropping it, spilling drinks on it, etc. I honestly do not think they are necessary for any flight three hours or less. Very young children aren't good about wearing the headphones. My children prefer the kind that have a stiff band over their head. The small ones that stuff in the ear do not work very well with children. Experiment at home to see if your child will wear the head phones for extended periods. Another option is having the child watch the imagines without sound. Even if you turn the sound down low, this will annoy neighboring passengers so make it clear this that the headphones must be used on the airplane. You may want to never play the sound out loud so that your child is not aware that the sound can be played through the speakers at all.

A portable computer can serve the same purpose. It's heavier than a DVD player and you may have conflict if an adult is planning to work on something while the child is clambering for Barney. The battery life too, isn't usually good on them but check your equipment before deciding either/or to bring.

If flying with a toddler, look for a feature in your DVD player that folds the controls away from fiddly fingers so that they only can see the screen. For long flights, get one with a long battery life, at least 5 hours. In the store, they explained to me that it was possible to order a second battery so that they could be exchanged when the first one runs out. You may need to order a second battery to take along if you already have a DVD player with a shorter battery time. I decided this was too complicated and opted for a long-term battery instead. I am mentioning this as a possible option but I can't speak from experience. Either way, learn to turn the light down to save battery time (mine calls it "night mode") and Do not be surprised if the battery does not last as long as it's supposed to, just like car mileage...

I bring a brand new video they have never seen before. This once backfired when it turned out to be too scary so try to go for a sure winner, and not make my mistake.

Our DVD player has plugs for only two headphones so I had to buy an adapter allowing a third (although it's rare all three watch together). Check how many plugs you have and even if it's unlikely all your children will watch at once, be prepared for a bored school child to watch a "baby" video simply out of boredom. Plug adapters are not expensive and easy to bring, as are extra headphones, a good idea if one gets stepped on or lost. The headphones the airlines for their in-flight entertainment use are usually incompatible with personal electronic products.

Before leaving, we talk about the fact that while we are watching the video, we try not to laugh out loud or to poke the other and make comments. We also do not sing along to the songs. We bring sippy cups so that there are no "open" drinks sitting on wobbly tray tables next to the portable DVD player. A sports bottle can work if sippy cups are no longer used by your offspring. All rules are discussed before each and every flight. I do not assume they remember every rule for each journey.

For international travel, a portable DVD player or computer is a good idea if you are going somewhere that the DVD's are "zoned" differently. They can still watch their favorites from home while away, without having to de-zone anything. If you are going somewhere with a different language, television options may be limited and they can still watch their videos instead. You may want to explain that they have to watch their videos from home only on the machine you brought and not on your hosts' DVD player. They are also useful for the car, if you have any long journeys planned while away.

Remember too, that anything with a remote control will not be allowed onboard. Any remote for the DVD player is simply not necessary. Those robots, cyber dogs and dinosaurs are delicate, and checking them is probably not a good idea. My son wasn't the only one with one tucked under his arm in the airport once. The remotes were all in the checked bags. Many have of these toys have a switch which makes them move automatically. Not as fun as having the remote but they still were able to play with it onboard (once the seatbelt sign is off). Just please Do not turn it on if it barks or roars.

If your child asks why all electronic products have to be turned off for take-off and landing, here is a simple explanation. The only problematic electronic items are actually those which draw in outside signals. Originally, when I started flying, we were told to look out for specific products. Well, these items became more and more sophisticated and complex, taking on more and more tasks. Most Flight Attendants do not have Master's degrees in electronic engineering and basically, we didn't have time to analyze each and every one. Basically, simply for practical reasons, it's just simpler to ban all products during take-off and landing. Assure them that it's not for very long.

If your child has a cell phone, double check that these are shut off because it could ring in-flight. Some have game options or other activities but I would recommend that they remain off for the duration of the flight. Do not have an uncomfortable incident onboard if a Flight Attendant sees it being used. Messaging is also banned in-flight.

For Nintendo Game Boys, DS machines and other electronic games, make sure your children shut them off to save battery life when not used and again, that it's clear that they are to be played silently, or with headphones onboard. A little guessing game machine keeps my son occupied for ages. Leave the really small electronic toys behind, since many do not have the option to turn off the sound and changing batteries is problematic. There are so many electronic gizmos out there: take a look and see if something will intrigue your little person, if you have no practical or moral objections to them.

Come up with a system for keeping the games safe. These small game chips can be expensive and easy to lose on an airplane. Either you the parent keep them and/or put them in plastic cases when not in use, etc. Whatever procedure you can manage, depending on the age of your child(ren).

Check seat pockets yourself before leaving the aircraft or oversee your children while they do it. This is a good routine to do while landing. Apparently putting personal items in the pockets is no longer allowed for landing. As one Purser on Southwest announced, "Make sure you have all your electronic items or the next time you see them may be on ebay!"

For future updates to Sharon's information, or to contact Sharon directly, please visit her Blog: http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com/

Sharon's Disclaimer: This article is not a legal document and cannot be used as proof of any of the laws or rules that I refer to throughout. Check the FAA websites, or other relevant agencies to confirm any statements that are made. I try to provide links where I can. Be aware, also, that airlines often have their own policies which might be stricter than their own government's laws. Most of the employees that you encounter do not have the power to change or make exceptions to any rule. They simply must follow them, even in cases where logic or safety is questionable.