What should you do if your child cries and fusses during a flight? National Day is just around the corner, and many parents are wondering: Should they bring their little ones on a trip? What if the baby cries on the plane? Let’s take a look at how to raise an "angel baby" who stays calm and happy.
My daughter Tiantao had been to over a dozen places, big and small, before she even turned two, with a total of 30 hours of flying time.
Friends often ask me: “Does Tiantao get fussy during such long flights? Does she scream on the plane?”
My answer is: “Tiantao is very well-behaved—she’s my angel baby.”
Of course, raising an angel baby requires parents to prepare and plan ahead.
Preparation Work
The most important part of traveling with a child by plane is preparation—not waiting until the child starts crying and then trying every trick in the book to soothe them. Otherwise, not only will parents be exhausted, but it will also ruin the whole family’s travel mood.
Preparation isn’t just about packing a bunch of snacks and novel toys, which will only wear you out while you try to calm a screaming child. Just imagine how overwhelming that can be.
What I mean by preparation is work that parents and their child do together, involving the child and letting them enjoy the whole process.
Mental Preparation
Parents should tell their child in advance: where you’re going and what you’ll be doing.
Imagine putting a child on a huge machine they’ve never seen before without any explanation—they’re bound to feel scared. And if they’re not feeling well physically, their emotions can quickly spiral out of control.
Help your child subjectively understand where they’re going, what they’ll be doing, whether they’ll be taking a plane or a train… Parents can use picture books or illustrations to explain these things.
For example, when we went to Bali and visited the elephant park, I kept telling Tiantao: “We’re going to ride an elephant. Tiantao and elephants are friends. Should Tiantao prepare a gift for the elephant? We’ll first take the Thomas train, then a cool big airplane, and then we’ll see the elephants!”
Get familiar with new modes of transportation in advance
It’s also very important to help your child get familiar with transportation they haven’t seen before.
Tiantao had read picture books about Thomas the Train, so in her mind, trains were Thomas and his friends. She also loved Super Wings and called the plane she was on “Xiao Ai” or “Ledi.”
Parents can use picture books, short videos, or images to introduce different forms of transportation to their child. The earlier you start this, the better—and repeating the information helps deepen your child’s impression of these vehicles.
If there’s a plane flying overhead, point it out to your child. When Tiantao took her first flight, she was excited the whole time because she knew planes fly in the sky. It was a scene she was familiar with, and she kept looking forward to takeoff.
Tiantao talking to the big plane
When Tiantao was talking to the big plane at the airport, I just quietly stood behind her, not interrupting. It was her time with the big plane.
Prepare a few, high-quality snacks and toys
Snacks can work when your child is in a good mood, but put yourself in their shoes: when someone is extremely scared or upset, do they still have the appetite for snacks?
You can bring a few of your child’s favorite snacks. If they start getting fussy, see if the snacks help. But if they don’t want them, that’s okay—just make sure to bring plenty of water.
The same goes for new toys. When a child is upset or unhappy, how interested would they be in a new toy? Unfamiliar toys might only make them more resistant.
You can bring one or two familiar toys, like a stuffed animal that has been with your child since they were little. Tiantao’s comfort toy Kaloo is a must-have whenever we go out.
If your child likes to draw, bring a few crayons or markers. Drawing on the plane has always been one of my entertainment activities with Tiantao.
Bringing too many new toys and snacks will only add weight to your luggage and become a burden on the trip.
Some parents ask if they should bring picture books. You can bring one mini-sized picture book, but skip the big, heavy, thick ones.
If you’re flying, the colorful magazines and in-flight TV on the plane will be enough to keep your child entertained for a while. If you’re taking a train or car, the scenery outside the window is the best picture book.
Comfortable clothing
For long flights or train or car rides, make sure your child wears comfortable clothes. Non-breathable or tight clothing can make your child uncomfortable both physically and emotionally throughout the trip.
Also, choose clothing of appropriate thickness — it's not recommended to dress your child too warmly. If it gets cold, you can ask for a blanket on the plane or add a light jacket.
Respect your child’s routine
If you’re catching a flight, do you need to adjust your child’s schedule? My answer is no.
Tomato took two flights at 7 AM, and we had to arrive at the airport three hours early to check in, so we left home at 4 AM.
Although Tomato was very sleepy, she quickly got into travel mode. Because she woke up so early, she slept through the entire flight — traveling with a sleeping child is such a relief.
The grandma sitting next to us kept saying, “This child is so good, she didn’t make a sound at all, just kept sleeping.” Yes, children adapt much better than we expect.
If you’re worried about the inconvenience of carrying too much luggage, you can book a nearby hotel around the airport in advance. This saves time and lets your child sleep a bit longer.
If your flight arrives late at night and you plan to sightsee the next day, you can also choose a nearby airport hotel on the first day of arrival at your destination.
Buying Flight Tickets
Many parents are concerned about buying flight tickets for their children. First, children’s tickets are divided into infant tickets and child tickets.
Infant Tickets and Child Tickets
1. Infant Tickets
Infant tickets apply to children aged 14 days to 2 years old.
Individual travelers can purchase an infant ticket for 10% of the full adult fare. It does not include a seat, and you don’t need to pay airport construction fees or fuel surcharges, but checked baggage is not allowed.
To ensure flight quality, each flight has a limited number of infant tickets. Before purchasing an adult ticket, it’s best to call the airline’s customer service to check if there are any available infant tickets on that flight.
I know of two ways to buy infant tickets: one is by calling the airline’s customer service, and the other is purchasing the infant ticket at the airline counter when checking in. It’s recommended to buy the infant ticket by phone in advance.
When purchasing an infant ticket, it is linked to an adult ticket. The airline will ask which adult the infant will be traveling with. You’ll need to provide the infant’s birth certificate or household registration book.
Generally, larger airlines offer conveniences for passengers traveling with infants, such as priority boarding or seats in the first row. Specifics can be confirmed with the chosen airline.
2. Child Tickets
Children who are 2 years old and above need to purchase child tickets.
Child tickets can be purchased with an ID card or household registration book, via websites, airline phone lines, or ticket agencies.
The child ticket price is 50% of the full adult fare, includes a seat, and does not require payment of airport construction fees.
One thing to note: when the adult fare is below 50% off, parents can call the airline’s customer service to purchase a child ticket, thus enjoying the same discounted rate, rather than ending up with a child ticket that’s more expensive than the adult ticket.
Other points to consider when buying tickets:
1. Choose a large aircraft
Large planes ensure a more comfortable, smooth, and safe journey, and are less bumpy even when encountering turbulence.
2. Choose the Right Time
It's best not to choose flights that depart or arrive in the early hours of the morning, as it's difficult to sleep comfortably on the plane, which can leave you exhausted all night.
3. Be Flexible with Flight Options
If your travel destination is far away, taking a connecting flight can be a great choice. For example, flying from Tianjin to Bali takes about 7–8 hours nonstop, but if you opt for a one-and-a-half-hour layover in Hong Kong, your baby can move around a bit.
4. Purchase Train Tickets
If the price difference isn't significant, try to choose seats that are less crowded and offer more space so your baby will be more comfortable.
Baby Crying on the Plane
What should you do if your baby cries on the plane?
Find the Cause of the Crying
There’s always a reason behind a baby’s crying. Parents just need to identify the cause and address it accordingly.
1. Discomfort
The takeoff and landing of a plane may cause ear discomfort, which can be relieved by swallowing. Parents can give their baby some water or breastfeed, and crying loudly can also help relieve ear pressure.
2. Too Hot or Too Cold
Parents should constantly monitor their baby’s body temperature. Older babies can be asked directly if they are too cold or too hot. Also, check regularly whether the baby’s diaper needs changing.
3. Fear
Parents can gently pat the baby’s back, patiently soothe their emotions, and if the baby has good language skills, parents can encourage them to express why they are crying.
4. Hunger or Thirst
This type of crying is the easiest to resolve — feed the baby if they’re hungry or give them water if they’re thirsty.
There are no naturally naughty children, only inattentive parents. If mom and dad are the baby’s primary caregivers, most of these issues are easier to handle.
If the baby’s main caregiver is usually grandma or grandpa, but they aren’t on this trip, things can get a bit more complicated. Parents should communicate more with the baby and explain why grandma or grandpa couldn’t come.
The portable strollers and luggage carts at the airport are free to use, but the number is limited. Parents should make good use of these airport conveniences — it really frees up your hands.
Coping Methods for Babies of Different Ages
Under One Year Old
For babies under one year old, crying is mostly due to basic discomfort, hunger, or tiredness. Meeting those needs will usually solve the problem.
One to One and a Half Years Old
Babies aged one to one and a half are in a phase where they sort of understand many things but their language skills aren’t well developed yet. Soothing their emotions is crucial, and parents should talk more, explain more, and ask more questions.
Two Years Old and Above
Toddlers around two years old can generally understand what their parents are saying, but they are also in a rebellious phase, so almost anything that upsets them could trigger a tantrum.
Parents should encourage the child to express themselves, and they can also show some vulnerability. For example, “Mommy isn’t feeling well, can you give her a hug?” or “Mommy is really sad because you’re crying — can you tell me why?”
In fact, if the crying isn’t caused by a fundamental issue, the baby will observe how mommy and daddy react.
For babies over two years old, I believe it’s much easier to handle. Introducing new things and encouraging them to explain reasons are both great options.
1. Personify transportation. Parents and their child can give the airplane a name, and talk more about the current mode of transport. Try to use lively and vivid language to reduce the child’s sense of unfamiliarity.
2. Use what’s around you. Anything new or unseen on the plane or train can serve as an impromptu classroom. Parents can patiently explain these things to their child.
3. Ask flight attendants or train conductors for help. If you need any special items, you can ask the cabin crew or station staff, as they’ve dealt with many uncomfortable children before.
4. Purchase an infant ticket in advance, as the number of infant seats on each flight is limited.
5. Inform the airline in advance if you need a front row or window seat for the infant.
6. Always, always tell your child about the upcoming journey in advance, so they have a general idea and feel less unfamiliar.
7. Almost every airport has a baby care room or child-friendly facilities (like children’s playgrounds, rest areas, or shopping zones). While waiting, parents can take their child to the children’s rest area to look around, helping to prevent long waits from increasing fussiness that might later erupt on the plane.
8. Praise your child often. When your child does well, be sure to give lots of praise—don’t hold back on compliments.
9. Your emotions will affect your child. Keep the whole family upbeat and positive.
Finally, let me praise my little angel, Tomato, who is forever full of energy and a born travel enthusiast.
While waiting for luggage at the airport, she’d say, “Where’s Big Yellow (the name she gave the suitcase)?” And when the suitcase arrived, she’d exclaim, “Big Yellow is finally here!”
At the airport, when she saw a little bird, I asked her, “Does the bird want to take the big airplane too?” Tomato replied, “No.” “Why not?” “Because the bird has to buy a ticket. Only if it buys a ticket can it take the airplane.”
When she sees a big airplane, Tomato says, “So excited, so excited, Tomato is so excited!” And if her favorite Thomas—the train—leaves, she gets really sad too.
She knows how to wait in line quietly. Every time she gets off the plane, she thanks the flight attendant, saying, “Thank you, Auntie.” The first time she flew, she insisted on walking off the plane by herself. Knowing when to let go—it turns out kids are even better than we imagine.
My little one is always full of energy, whether in a crowded train station or tens of thousands of feet in the air. She adapts to her surroundings and enjoys everything around her.
She’s happy, optimistic, and brave. With her tiny hands, she holds mine and takes one step at a time. More often than not, she’s the one who teaches me so much.
Every time at the boarding gate, watching her independent, brave, and stubborn little figure, I suddenly feel she’s grown up—as if I’m seeing her years later, traveling the world with her own backpack.
Baby, while you’re still little, Mom wants to go to more places with you and make more memories.
Travel is the best kind of companionship. Baby, thank you.