Kids on the case when it comes to holiday packing

With August set to see 8.6 million Brits jet off on a summer holiday*, parents across the country are about to face-off with their kids on what they can and can’t cram into their little suitcases.

A survey of 1,000 children by London Luton Airport (LLA) shows that a case containing all of the items children want to take on holiday would weigh in at 42kg; more than double the average checked baggage allowance, and that’s without clothes, shoes and toiletries.

Some of the items kids wanted to pack, which could make their parents laugh or cry, included a trampoline (26%), musical instruments (23%), a bike (46%) and a scooter (44%). But thankfully for most parents this summer the top items on their children’s packing list are a bit more sensible:

The top 5 items for kids to pack are:

1. Book (83%)
2. Pencils/crayons (80%)
3. Bag of sweets (80%)
4. Teddy (73%)
5. Colouring book (74%)

Oli Jaycock, spokesperson for LLA, said; “A big part of the summer holiday experience for most families travelling with young children will be the annual negotiation about what they can and can’t take in their suitcase. We don’t see many trampolines coming through the airport, but whatever you’re bringing it’s best to check your airline’s rules on baggage.”

Top tips for summer holidaymakers flying through LLA this summer:

• Consider public transport - during the busy summer get-away heavy traffic is expected on the roads around the airport.
• If you do travel by car, leave in good time and pre-book your parking space.
• Save time and money by checking in online where possible, and don’t forget your travel documents. Children under the age of 12 also need a children’s ID or passport. If in doubt, check the requirements with the airline you’re flying with.

Remember there are restrictions on liquids in hand luggage. For further information, please visit www.london-luton.co.uk

[ENDS]

Notes to Editors

*ONS statistics on UK residents’ overseas travel, August 2015.

Research carried out among 1,000 children aged 5-11 years, June 2016 by One Poll.