Family-friendly Airports

Expert opinions: What do parents think of UK airports?

Finally, we wanted an in-depth expert opinion. So who better than a panel of parents who travel frequently with their kids? We spoke to a group of parenting bloggers to get a first-hand opinion on air travel and children, and their thoughts on how airports can keep improving.

“I travel once or twice a month with my two kids. I don’t find it overly stressful – as we travel so often it is second nature to us. At the airport, the family queue can often take longer than the regular one, which I do find stressful. I find it helpful when there is a playground in the terminal and transit buggies are available. The soft play area at Gatwick is great and they have buggies when you're arriving, which is helpful. However, they do need to work on the family security line.”
Karen, Travel Mad Mum

“I have two daughters and we travel abroad once a year. It can be stressful; however, now that we are beyond the baby stage things are getting easier. We've had great experiences at airports where there is a family line at security. The security officers are prepared for you to have things like baby bottles, milk and pushchairs, so it's less hassle than queuing with passengers flying without small children. I really like Bristol Airport – there's a roof terrace in departures where you can get some fresh air away from the shops and let the kids run around a bit before boarding. The airport is also compact, so you don't have to walk great distances with kids. ”
Claire, Tin Box Traveller

“I have one daughter, Boo, who is almost seven. We travel abroad about five or six times a year. I don't find travelling with Boo stressful as we're used to it; however, I do find it frustrating sometimes. Airports could recognise that parents need help with children of all ages – not just babies. The 'children's' areas I've encountered at UK airports are typically aimed at the under-5s, but my daughter would still benefit from a dedicated space. Gatwick is my favourite airport as its lounges offer a children's pack and there are buggies available at gates – however, these aren't always available, so even with a child-friendly airport a lack of consistency is a real let-down. ”
Rosie, Mummy and Boo

“I have two girls aged six and nine. We fly at least four times a year as a family. We find flying with the girls fairly stress-free, mainly as we are now nine years into our family travelling journey. Packing light is a must: one book each, pencils and paper for the girls, and if we know the flight won't have seat-back entertainment then an iPad pre-loaded with a few films. Most airports offer lots of things to make family travel smoother – they are just not always very good at advertising them. Buggies to borrow when in the terminal, soft play areas tucked away in a corner, designated family security lanes, early boarding for parents with young children. I would recommend checking out the website of the airport you are flying from before you leave for your holiday to see what they have on offer. ”
Alice, Project: Wanderlust

“I have two boys, aged 12 and 14, and we go on about eight flights a year. Travelling with children can be difficult, whatever age they are. But having said that, my kids, like most children, are genuinely excited by travel. So, airports needn't be a miserable experience. The key is to be prepared. Airports should do more to make life easier for families. The thing we find most difficult at airport is the endless queues. There are often long queues at check-in, security, passport control and boarding. Few airports offer dedicated family lanes, yet this would go a long way to make the airport experience more bearable. We try to make the airport experience as stress-free and pleasant as possible by finding a café near somewhere we can watch the planes taking off and landing, or a play area so that the children can let off steam. We’ve had better family airport experiences at the smaller UK airports, like Stansted, where the atmosphere feels a lot less rushed. ”
Clare, Suitcases and Sandcastles

“I have four children (currently aged 6,5,3 and 2 ) and we travel abroad 2 or 3 times a year. Travelling with them can be extremely stressful or a complete breeze depending on their moods, the time of day and the airport. We’ve learned queues are not our friend and snacks definitely are! (Tip: take snacks, all the snacks. Enough to bribe them with and keep them busy!) So having play areas in an airport, even just a tiny one makes such a difference as it gives them somewhere to let off steam before they are strapped down. I also think having special queues for young families for things like security and customs makes life so much easier as standing in line for up to an hour can be stressful for not only us but everyone else in the room with us!”
Becky, The Mummy Adventure

- Consumer survey from Censuswide on behalf of Netflights of 2,005 UK consumers aged 16 and over: 21/05/2018-25/05/2018
- Flight punctuality data: OAG flightview
- All information on airports, including charges and facilities, correct at time of writing according to publicly information published on airports' websites