According to research released by London Heathrow Airport*, the number of under-five-year-olds taking their first flight has increased by 15% compared to five years ago, with the average five-year-old predicted to fly over half a million miles during their lifetime. With the summer school holidays just around the corner, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has launched a Flight Survival Guide including details on the inflight entertainment available on major airlines as well as top tips on making the journey as stress-free as possible.

Available at www.aph.com/flyingwithchildren, the guide includes a detailed comparison of the inflight entertainment and services provided for children on-board 19 airlines as well as downloadable APH colouring sheets for children to print prior to their departure.

The research shows that 16 of the 19 airlines offer some form of on-board entertainment, from TV favourites such as CBeebies, Cartoon Network and The Disney Channel with British Airways to an Ice Age mini TV series with Virgin Atlantic. Seven of the airlines also allow passengers to stream in-flight entertainment onto a personal device, with Delta offering a free Gogo Entertainment App and Monarch providing the MPlayer App, which allows children to stream TV programmes for £1.99 and films for £3.99. Unsurprisingly, three of the budget airlines do not offer in-flight entertainment including Ryanair, WOW air and short-haul flights with Thomson Airways.

With regards to off-screen entertainment, 10 of the airlines provide a children's activity pack including a Lonely Planet Kids pack for those flying with Emirates and a Bluey character passport holder and activity book for young passengers travelling with KLM.

For interactive fun and budding artists, both Air France and Qantas offer downloadable apps for children. Air France's Kids App allows children to colour a picture on a phone or tablet and view it as a 3D image, whereas Qantas' Joey Playbox app provides four mini-games, including a game that lets children design their own airport.

Teenagers keen to share selfies and social media updates while in the sky will be pleased to know that on-board Wi-Fi is provided on 10 of the 19 airlines. However, the price was found to vary from complimentary Wi-Fi on-board most Norwegian Air Shuttle flights within Europe and between the US and the Caribbean, to £21 for a 24-hour pass with Delta Air Lines.

To ensure savvy families can plan ahead and avoid tantrums in the terminal, APH has also put together a selection of top tips available at www.aph.com/flyingwithchildren to help parents and grandparents make the most of the journey to the airport and on the flight.

Nick Caunter, Managing Director at Airport Parking and Hotels, says: “Family holidays are supposed to be a relaxing and enjoyable time, but the journey can sometimes be a stressful experience for both parents and children. A family holiday should start from the moment you leave the house and we hope the APH Flight Survival Guide will ease some of that stress and make the journey as enjoyable as possible.”

For further information on Airport Parking and Hotels (APH),
Visit www.aph.com or call 01342 859515.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS
*According to London Heathrow Airport in October 2016, available atwww.mediacentre.heathrow.com/pressrelease/details/81/Brand-News-22/7887

About Airport Parking and Hotels (APH)
Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is an award winning airport parking operator and retailer, after winning the Best Airport Parking Company for a seventh year running at British Travel Awards 2016. This year APH also celebrated its 36th year as a retailer and operator of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. APH offers parking at all major UK airports as well as airport hotels and airport lounges. As well as supporting the World Land Trust through the purchase of more than 1,000 acres of endangered rainforest, APH is also a proud corporate sponsor of the University of Southampton Centre for Cancer Immunology, where the world's most eminent experts come together in the quest to find new and innovative treatments.

Media Enquiries
Jennifer Jones / GEC PR / jennifer@gecpr.co.uk