Long Flights with Children - what tips do you have?

[runnermum]

hi there everyone,
we are off to Canada in a couple of weeks for 8 weeks! I have a just turned 5 year old who has been on numerous flights before, including Australia to Canada when he was 2.

I have ear plugs for him, speical pillow, special wrapped up 'pressies' for the flight, special meals for all 3 of us, and even a calming herbal tonic recommended by my nathapath. I think that flying with a my 5 year old however, will be different than when he was 2.

What tips do you have? I have the added issue that my son has Aspergers (high function Autism) so crowded, noisy places like airports are very difficult for him but generally he is a placid boy.

we have contacted the airline and because of his special needs, they say they will provide 'assistance' but really, what does this mean??

thanks in advance for any wisdom ladies (and gents!)

[Smoke Jaguar]

I am so sorry that I only saw this thread now!
How did you go?
there was another thread that addressed this.
I'm going to take a long haul flight in about 30 days and will be implementing some of these ideas. I will take an airtight container (Tupperware, what else??) with a moist face cloth so that I can drop my travel essential oils onto it and wipe DS with it when needed (thinking of Chamomile, Lavender and Mandarin). I think his Shape-O needs to come on board with us, too, as it's light and keeps him occupied. My travel agent suggested sticker books, too. I have a bunch of Mr Men books that will come, too.
I have an Ergo that we will use in transit, and we will borrow a harness and leash for airports.
Ideally, I would have done a stopover in Dubai on the way over, but DP doesn't seem to think we need this. Cos he knows, being a person who has never travelled long-haul before...and I have...it's bad enough with no children! So, I'm going to let him learn that one first-hand (I know, I'll be suffering myself, but he won't budge and I have no choice but to be smug and be armed with a well-timed "I told you so"). We will stop over for one night on the way back...I insisted on that one, actually. I will not suffer because of his inexperience TWICE in one trip!
ANyway, hope the flight over was good and that you have a good flight back, whatever form 'good' takes!

[Phteven]

I hope your flight goes ok.
I've got a long haul flight with 2 toddlers in a couple of months. EEEEEKKKKK.
I'm prepared for tears, tantrums and dirty looks from fellow passengers.
Do you have a portable DVD player? They're wonderful, we've used them to great effect on long car flights.
For a flight I'm buying one of the power cables that plugs into the plane seats for my macbook so I can use it as a DVD player for them.

I don't really fancy a stopover unless it is for a couple of nights. When I flew to London with Yasin a couple of years ago I preferred the flight that had no stopover to the one with a stopover. The stopover didn't really make me feel a lot better at journey's end, just dragged it out and added the extra dimension of negotiating customs and getting to my hotel and back. Luckily when we landed in Dubai someone told me to get on a buggy so I did as I was told and was deposited in front of the customs queue where another nice person took pity on me and opened up a desk so I could go straight through without queuing.

[Smoke Jaguar]

I haven't made enough Tupperware money for two night stopovers! This isn't so much a holiday as a family trip for a wedding, so there's no holiday spending on this one. I think I prefer the stopover as the journey back is not so broken (there it is a series of 7 hour flights, on the way back is 7 to Dubai, then all the way home!) and I'd like to get a good rest and change of scenery before hopping back on the plane for Melb. I was lucky to get one night on the way back, let alone trying for two each way. DP won't be going back to work on our return, so he's definitely thinking of cost - I'm the spender in the family.
I have my iBook that I'm taking - where do you buy the plane lead? Not sure it's worth it in our case. We watch so little TV (as in, none!) that when a TV IS on, DS watches for about 2 minutes before he moves on to more tangible activities. Like booby feeding and Shape-O (it's such a reliable distractor!)