Ever wondered if your Kidsetters are going to be made welcome on board their next flight or treated like an annoying piece of hand luggage ?
Well the results are in and it’s time to vote with your feet and choose an airline that really does understand just how challenging it is to fly with a Kidsetter or two in tow.
Our friends at Play Like Mum have done some serious work to come up with a ranking of the world’s top 20 airlines and it’s probably no surprise that Emirates takes top ranking again this year.
Emirates really stood out from the rest with little touches that make a difference. In addition to offering family check-in areas and complimentary strollers at certain airports, it offers parents travelling with babies infant kits with extra supplies like nappies, wipes and bibs.
The rankings were based on the following;
- Free Seat Selection – Does the airline allow you to select your own seat free of charge (including those which allow you to do so after checking in, when availability might be limited)?
- Free Checked Baggage – Does the airline allow you check at least one piece of luggage into the hold free of charge?
- Pre-Boarding for Families – Does the airline give priority to those travelling with small children when boarding?
- No ‘Lap Fees’ – Does the airline charge an extra fee for an infant travelling on an adults lap (usually around 10% of a normal adult fee?
- Kids Meals – Does the airline offer specific food and drink options for children?
- Free Kids Entertainment – Does the airline provide entertainment specifically for children, free of charge?
- On-Board Bassinet/Carrycot – Does the airline have bassinets/carrycots available on board? (Usually have to be pre-booked.)
- Take Pushchair for Free – Does the airline allow a pushchair or pram to be stored in the hole, free of charge?
- Seat Comfort – A score out of five for the airline’s seat comfort, based on customer reviews at Skytrax.
It was good to see Qantas moving up the list with more attention paid to family travel and making little Kidsetters welcome; but there is still room for improvement compared to the likes of Qatar and British Airways.
For domestic travel in Australia we’re pleased to see Virgin Australia making a special effort to work with families with their new baggage allowance.
