Traveling with Twins Alone

I am planning to fly from Hawaii to San Francisco at the end of January with my DD and DS, who will be almost 24 months at that time. I don't know how I am going to handle this. Some preliminary questions I have:
1) Should I get seats for both of them? Or should I hold one in my lap and buy a seat for the other?
2) Do I have to use car seats on the plane? If I showed up without the car seats, would they let them sit in the seats with just the seatbelts?
3) Has anyone used the CARES harness?
4) Should I try to get seats in the bulkhead row?
5) How do I handle getting through the airport with twins, stroller, carry-on, car seats, etc.?
6) Ideas for entertaining both of them during 5.5 hour flight? This will be their first time on a plane.
Any suggestions or advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

I've used the CARES harnesses, they are a-okay. Much easier than two car seats. Check the car seats, use the CARES harness.

I don't think they'll let you do bulkhead, aren't those considered exit row seats?

As for activities, think fun but quiet. Stickers, magnadoodles, snacks, drinks, more snacks, new toys to unwrap, crayons.

 

1) Should I get seats for both of them? Or should I hold one in my lap and buy a seat for the other? I dont know what the rules are in the US, but in Canada, any baby under the age of 24 mnths has to sit on someones lap, they aren't allowed to have a seat. You may be able to do a seat and put them in their carseats though, I would ask the airline.

2) Do I have to use car seats on the plane? If I showed up without the car seats, would they let them sit in the seats with just the seatbelts? I know in Canada the answer would be no, they need to be over 2, so again, I would ask the airline.

3) Has anyone used the CARES harness? nope, the last 2 times I flew with the twins, I was with my parents, so each boy say with an adult.

4) Should I try to get seats in the bulkhead row? In my experience the best place to sit is in the back by the bathrooms and a window seat so they can look out.

5) How do I handle getting through the airport with twins, stroller, carry-on, car seats, etc.? I bring the stroller and use a backpack as a carry on. I check everything else

6) Ideas for entertaining both of them during 5.5 hour flight? This will be their first time on a plane.
Any suggestions or advice would be GREATLY appreciated! Books, fave toys, lots of snacks. If the airline does not let you get them their own seats they won't get a meal on the plane.

Hope I was some help!

 

We've done that HNL-SFO flight before with the boys, and I would say:

1. Buy one extra seat. Even if you weren't required to (one adult is not allowed to travel with more than one lap child), that flight is always full and you can't risk there being an empty seat you can score. I would plan to have one child on your lap and one in the CARES harness, and switch them out every hour. We've put ours in an empty seat, but that's with two adults and someone always ready for rescue. If your arms are full of your squirmy other child, you'll want to have the other one restrained.

2. Gate check the stroller and use a backpack diaper bag.

3. Let the airline know when you're booking, checking in, and at the gate and on the plane (yes, tell EVERYONE) that you're alone with the kids. Most people will do their best to make your life a little easier.

I have some stuff on my blog on plane travel with twins that might help you. The URL is in my sig below.

 

Thank you so much for your suggestions/advice. I will call the airlines to get some information from them regarding their policies. At this point, I think I will get one seat (using the CARES harness) and carry the other in my lap. I will definitely be using a backpack-style bag of some sort. Feydruss, thanks for the link to your blog -- your tips on plane travel with twins was very helpful -- I will need to read it carefully several more times before I go on my trip in January.

I'm trying to stay calm, but everytime I think about all the logistics of traveling with the twins by myself, I get freaked out! I'm having nightmares about one or both of them squirming and crying (screaming) for five-and-a-half hours on the plane, and all of my fellow travelers getting upset and annoyed with all three of us.

 

FWIW, I get tiny baggies from the dollar store and a giant pack of earplugs and make little individual earplug pair packages, and then hand them out to my neighbours on the plane. It's a cheap way to get a sympathy laugh and build goodwill to you and the babies.

And remember, it's only 6 hours. You are a MoM--you can survive ANYTHING for six hours!