Don’t give children orange juice on planes, warns travel expert

TRAVELLING with a young child can be a daunting experience, so knowing how to make that journey easier is the key to stress-free travel.

Travel experts Mark and Jocelyn Wolters have been holidaying all over the globe with their sons Caleb and Liam for the last 16 years.

The husband and wife duo started travelling with Caleb when he was six-weeks-old.

In the years since, the couple have learnt a lot along the way, including what their kids should (and shouldn't) be drinking onboard a plane.

Mark told the Sun Online Travel: "Kids get upset on a plane because they're dehydrated, so it's important to keep them hydrated.

"It means more trips to the toilet, or diaper changes, but hydration, especially on long flights, is key to dealing with jet lag and helping your toddlers feel better when you land and start your holidays."

Mark, who creates travel advice videos on his YouTube channel , recommended letting kids drink water or apple juice on a flight, but he suggested avoiding two other popular beverages.

He said: "It's a no to orange juice and fizzy drinks because they can cause dehydration."

According to Mark, if a child is dehydrated on a plane it's likely to make them upset and tired, so having them sipping on water frequently will help to keep everyone's sanity intact and dehydration at bay.

Because your children will be drinking plenty of water, it's likely that they'll need more trips to the toilet.

This is where Mark's second piece of toddler travel advice comes in to play.

He strongly advises families to sit at the back of the plane.

He said: "You will be close to the restrooms and that is always good with little ones if you are potty training or need the changing table."

There are other perks to sitting at the back of the plane too.

Mark added: "The engine noise is great white noise to help little ones fall asleep.

"It also muffles their fussiness so it disturbs other passengers less."

Mark strongly recommended avoiding booking seats at the front of the plane because it's often a quieter part of the aircraft where children are more likely to annoy other travellers.

Parents Vanessa and Kelvin Weir from New Zealand took their two kids on a three-and-a-half-month trip through Europe and picked up plenty of tips along the way.

The main thing they swear by is boarding the plane last, even if you're invited to board first as a family.

Vanessa told : “The least amount of time in a small confined space the better."

Meanwhile Travel journalist Rosalyn Wikeley shared her top seven tips for travelling with young children.

Here are the most child-friendly airlines.