As summer looms so does the horrifying prospect of the annual summer holiday flight. For the most of us, flying is little more than a mildly uncomfortable means to an end. Add two children under 6 to the equation and your stuffy three-hour flight becomes an epic battle of wills involving at least the surrounding five rows of passengers.
But whilst the logistics of air travel remain an unfortunate certainty (cramped seats and hot, bored children will never truly gel) there is the added insult of cost. The majority of airlines charge the same for a child passenger as an adult. Whilst there is some logic in this (children, in theory, take up a whole seat on a flight, even if they never sit in it) why do parents have to pay for the privilege of having a two year old on their knee for four hours?
There is little continuity in airline policy on child or other discounted travellers, even if the fare is reduced, the airport taxes and charges remain the same. The best approach to booking a family holiday is to ask around, there are some discounts out there, failing that, set up the paddling pool and pray for a sunny August.
Fare deals for families
