Taking the kids: Traveling military families
If you see Aimee Hulett at the airport, give her a hand. She'll be the young mom trying to manage three little boys, their accessories and a double stroller all by herself. The boys will be wearing bright "Welcome Home, Daddy!" T-shirts. The Huletts are flying cross-country next month from Atlanta to San Diego so that they can be at the pier when Machinist Mate Chief Taylor Hulett steps ashore from the USS Nimitz after a 7-month deployment on the aircraft carrier. "We've been counting down the days," says Aimee Hulett from her LaGrange, Georgia, home. There's just one problem: The 30-year-old has never flown by herself with her boys -- 7-year-old Cameron, 3-year-old Carter and 18-month-old Collier -- and she's very nervous about how she'll manage through security, get on and off the Delta flight (at least it's nonstop) and retrieve their luggage and rental car. "She can ask for a 'meet and assist' for her flight and they'll wait for everyone to come off and then get the stroller and walk with her and the kids up the jet way, as far as luggage claim," said Delta spokesman Anthony Black. Another tip: Join a free rental car frequent-user club, like Hertz's No. 1 Club, www.hertz.com, or Alamo's Quicksilver, www.alamo.com, and you can bypass the lines at the rental counters. (Alamo also has a pre-pay program that saves you an extra 10 percent off the lowest Internet rates. Families like the Huletts appreciate all of the goodwill from those in the travel industry who offer discounts to military families. One program, Here's to the Heroes, www.herosalute.com, which was launched by Anheuser-Busch, offers a service member and three direct family members free admission to Busch theme parks, including Busch Gardens, SeaWorld and Sesame Place. Now if only Aimee Hulett could prevent the inevitable nasty looks from travelers who think children, especially noisy, rambunctious little boys (I had one of those too), don't belong on airplanes, especially with moms traveling solo. "You hear that service people get applauded when they walk through an airport and they deserve every bit of it," she says. "But people forget about the military families. All I'm asking for is a little help and understanding along the way." Talking to Aimee Hulett made me think that it would be nice to give every mom or dad traveling solo with young children a little help -- whether hoisting their diaper bag onto the security belt, carrying that cumbersome car seat onto the plane, or offering to retrieve their bags from the overhead compartment and off the luggage carousel. I traveled with three young kids more times than I can remember and it was never a picnic -- and that was before long security lines and record delays that have stretched everyone's patience, including flight attendants, one of whom recently suggested that a mom dose her talkative toddler with Benadryl to keep him quiet. No wonder I've been hearing more and more from worried parents and grandparents who are planning flights with young children. To the grandparents flying with a 10-month-old to his dad's wedding in Jamaica so that the bride and groom could have a couple of days on their own: Anytime you travel with a child who isn't your own -- especially out of the country -- it is wise to get a notarized letter from the child's parents authorizing you to travel with him or her and to get medical care should an emergency arise. Bring along a copy of the child's insurance card and the pediatrician's phone number. Check also the latest passport regulations at www.travel.state.gov/passport/ and the latest carry-on rules at www.tsa.gov. To the dad traveling with three young children who asked if he should check their car seats, I suggest bringing them onboard for the 3- and 1-year-olds. The FAA, http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/, strongly recommends the in-flight use of infant and toddler car seats, though doesn't require them, because thoroughly secured children are far safer in turbulent skis. They are also more comfortable in car seats, which means you'll be more comfortable too. Yes, this means that you will have to purchase a seat for your child under 2, but check to see if your airline offers a discounted infant fare. Southwest does. If you fly often with young children, or are traveling with two or three little ones and can't figure out how to manage the kids and the car seats, consider the FAA-Approved CARES, www.kidsflysafe.com, an innovative belt-and-buckle child airplane restraint that attaches directly to the seat belt and is designed for kids who weigh 22 to 44 pounds. For the dad traveling solo on connecting flights with his 3-year-old and 14-month-old, I suggest bringing double the food and diapers you think you'll need. If your flight is delayed and you miss the connection, you may be stuck a lot longer than you think. Pack empty water bottles and sippy cups that you can fill once you are through security. Energy bars are also a good bet. Clif Bar, www.clifbar.com, has just launched an entire kids' line, complete with Organic protein bars (chocolate chip anyone?), a "twisted fruit" rope equivalent to a serving of fruit and "splashers" that kids can mix into their water for flavor -- and electrolytes. Aimee Hulett plans to bring plenty of toys, food, the portable DVD player and extra clothes. "I have so many lists that my lists have lists," she laughs. "We'll manage. Hell or high water we'll be on that pier." |
