What to bring on the plane

[Alida]

We'll be taking a looooong flight with four little ones. I'll pack fruit and sealed packets of nuts, each one a favorite blanket, books and a tablet for games / videos for the kiddos, kindle & a book for me, a toy for the 9 mnth little one. Don't know if it will be enough !!?? We still have to figure out what hubby is going to do with himself ...

Does anyone know if there are USB ports at the economy class seats on int'l planes ? If so, the tablet will go a loooong way ... and so also our peace ...

[ruditrix]

Must everything be sealed when you take it on the plane? Aint some of the stuff not allowed on the plane?

[KCT]

Just make sure when you book your ticket, they include childrens meal if travelling with youngsters. We flew SAA to Perth in 2010 and they did not have a kiddies meal for us, let alone offer an adult replacement. It was an old plane and entertainment was still via the overhead TV, needless to say it was a veeeeery looooong flight.

However when we boarded Quantas for the flight to Melborne, everything was in order, we were looked after like a family should be travelling with a child.

I wont start with the experience in OR Tambo we had before we left SA!

[Bronwyn&Co]

Must everything be sealed when you take it on the plane? Aint some of the stuff not allowed on the plane?

Trix just make sure that any toiletries (even toothpase and sprays) over 100ml go in your suitcase and not hand luggage. Put things like shampoo in a few plastic bags in the suitcase anyway, in case it leaks a bit and messes up your stuff. The things swell a little with altitude.

In your hand luggage you can pack deos, facewash etc only if it is less than 100mls. But put it in a clear sandwich bag. Then when you go through the scanners they won't give you any problems.

If you forget the sandwich bag you may have problems depending whether the person at OR Tambo likes the look of your stuff. So take a couple.

If you have anything over 100mls or nailscissors or a pocket knife, they will throw them away...

Edited August 22, 2014 by Bronwyn&Co

[ruditrix]

Thanx was just thinking on what i can take on for the kids to eat.

[Bronwyn&Co]

Thanx was just thinking on what i can take on for the kids to eat.

No that doesn't have to be sealed. Better to eat it all on the plane though otherwise you have to declare it. You definitely mustn't try & take fruit off the plane (not even fruit from the airline).

[rozellem]

Ruditrix, hedge your bets by packing in a few zip lock bags with things like: packets of raisins, little pots of yogurt, a sandwich, a bit of sliced blitong, dried fruit bars, a juice box, etc. Just incase your child suddenly decides the perfectly fine meal he/she gets on the plane is made from pure poison and refuses. It also passes time to discover bags of treats. Keep those blood sugar levels up and everybody pleaseant. The kids movies on the plane is good enough. I have heard (but never investigated) that there is a USB port under your seat, where you can watch your own movies on the screen in front of you. Never needed that though. In Jan coming back from RSA, I bought two A4 size white boards at Plastics for Africa (R18) and it kept them busy for a long time. I always get them new toys for the flight, I think the element of surprise is the thing. Got them a small book with felt figures once. Another time little LED torches (like on a key ring) and a Wheres Wallly kind of book where you had to look for things. My kids are 3 and 4,5 and they have no games/electronic devices in their lives, but I know of older kids who just play games from point A to B without a peep.

[BriD]

I haven't read all the replies but this is what I would consider essentials. We did the trip with a 4 and 5 year old.

The FLIGHT

1. Invest in a pair of GOOD headphones for each family member. For the kids, buy kid sized headphones. When you are at the airport (or you might find them in a shop beforehand) go to an electronics shop in the duty free area and buy a headphone adapter for each set of headphones. This will turn you headphones into flight compatible headphone - you will be able to hear the sound through both ears.

(I hate the cheap uncomfy headphones the airline gives you...they SUCK and the kids are too little for them.)

2. For each child pack a backpack. Put in a couple of small toys they like ( or even pack some new small toys to surprise them with ). If your kids have a leappad or an IPAD or something...USE IT! Both my kids have Leappads and they can use their headphones with these too and it was awesome. (and not only good for flights but long drives boring places etc). Pack a book or two, some colouring in stuff etc. Pack a change of clothes, some warm socks for sleeping and a small cuddly blanket (Sometimes the airline blankets are a bit scratchy). Also pack in an empty juice bottle...like the ones that cap or straw ones...you can ask the air hostess to fill those and you have less spillage than with their plastic cups they offer.

3. For each adult, pack a backpack. Your headphones, maybe an inflatable neck pillow, a book / kindle. A change of clothes.

4. Keep with you all your important documents...unabridged birth certificates, marriage certificates, immunisation records etc. Last thing you need is your luggage to go missing with all those things.

5. We brought all our camera's, ipads, computers etc in another bag on the plane.

The majority of the entertainment will be based on the in flight entertainment. Movies, series, documentaries. That is why good headphones are so essential. You can while away many an hour watching the movies. And usually the offerings are pretty good.

When you book your flights specifically state that you would like child meals. When you receive confirmation of the flights double check a child meal is booked. This has to be done in advance.

WHAT TO PACK INTO THE BAGS

Obviously...this was what I wanted in there...it is really about personal preference.

1. Kids - We bought 2 of those small pop up tents that fold into a flat circle. We put a range of small to medium toys in. Once on the other side we put up the tents as "playrooms" and kept the toys in there. Gave each child a space of their own and a place to store the stuff.

2. We brought some plastic plates, bowls and mugs...just the bare minimum. One pot, one frying pan...a spatula and a serving spoon. A bare minimum amount of cutlery.

3. We brought about 4 SA/AUS adapter plugs and a couple of strip plugs...which we then changed to an aus plug and then could use it in the wall and plug all our sa stuff into the strip part.

4. We brought a selection of clothes to cover both hot and cold conditions just in case.

5. We brought some bulk supplies...like toothpaste, lipice etc. In hindsight was not necessary though.

6. We brought a small selection of medications. So that we knew we had the basic's if we needed them before we had found a pharmacy.

7. We brought sleeping bags and pillows...we used those special plastic bags that sucks the air out and makes stuff flatter. So we used the sleeping bags and pillows while we waited for our container. We also packed blow up mattresses.

8. We packed a suit for my hubby for interviews.

9. We packed a selection of kiddies dvd's and some cd's into a pouch to save on space. Left the boxes to be brought in the container.

ONCE ARRIVED:

1. We bought a printer/copier/scanner

2. We bought a Universal DVD player...can play DVD's from all areas.

3. We bought all appliances (did not bring any in our container)

4. We bought ourselves a bed (we needed a new one and I couldn't face a month on a blow up mattress)

[Bronwyn&Co]

Great suggestions BriD! That printer/scanner was also almost our first purchase. And then a GPS

[SurferMan]

I could not bring any biltong in, so I suggest you don't, you can check with the aussie DIBP though. Travel light, you will be grateful, we came in with 40kg each allowance. Daddy had to do all the humping!

[OnYellowBrickRd]

Okay, this might sound super frugal (read "stingy") but we saved heaps by packing lunchboxes and good water bottles for each of us. A can of coldrink is a lot more expensive than "aanmaak koeldrank" and sarmies will save you heaps of dollars instead of buying something to eat while on the road. And in the first days you are on the road A LOT and mostly still spending Rands.

[SurferMan]

I agree,

We burnt criminal sums of money the first few weeks driving around and eating fast food/junk. I could the same with 20% of the money I burnt, knowing then what I know now. Great advice OYBR.

[nicknel]

Great tips guys, thanks!