There are luxury airlines and there are family-friendly airlines, but which are the best for luxury-loving families? Take a peek at the best business class options for those travelling with kids.
No matter how much you’re looking forward to your holiday, long flights can be a struggle with littlies. Thankfully, plenty of airlines offer an array of activities for kids to combat boredom, from thousands of entertainment options to fun activity packs. Combine this with business-class perks, and your family will be on your way to a perfect flight.
Top marks for flying nanny program
Child-friendly lounge ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Kids’ pack ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Etihad is continually improving its services for families, whether you are flying first class, business or economy. The award-winning Flying Nanny program has been helping out families since 2013. These certified nannies reduce the strain on parents during long-haul flights by providing unique activities such as origami, hand puppets and face painting to keep the kids entertained. While all Etihad passengers have access to a Flying Nanny, the colourful family rooms and qualified nannies in the Etihad lounges in most major airports are exclusive to Premium Class guests. Etihad Business Class passengers can also make use of a chauffeur, porter and premium check-in reception at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Top marks for dedicated family business check-in
Child-friendly lounge ★ ★ ★ ★
Kids’ pack ★ ★ ★ ★
Emirates will keep your kids entertained for hours with its 50 Disney films, 90 kids’ TV channels and more, available on the 23-inch high-definition screens of the B777 Business Class. If that’s not enough, all kids receive a Fly With Me Animals soft toy (choose from a panda, elephant, penguin or lion) and a kids’ activity pack, designed in collaboration with Lonely Planet Kids, with educational books, world facts, craft activities and a travel journal inside a retro bag or lunch cooler. At Dubai International Airport, there are dedicated family check-in desks and free Wi-Fi and designated quiet areas in the business-class lounge.
Top marks for Al Maha services meet and assist family package
Child-friendly lounge ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Kids’ pack ★ ★ ★
You’ll want to get to Hamad International Airport hours before your Qatar Airways flight so that you can enjoy the Al Mourjan Business Lounge. The lounge has private family areas decked out with widescreen TVs and leather couches, and a games room with a Formula 1 simulator and children’s nursery. Or, with the Al Maha Services Meet and Assist Family Package, a hostess can help you all the way through the airport by managing all departure or arrival procedures. Once on board, the fun continues; Qatar was voted the ‘World’s Best Business Class Airlines 2019’, after all. Enjoy 4,000 inflight entertainment options, kids’ meal packs with Hasbro games and characters and a brilliant dual-screen interface that allows kids to play games and watch movies at the same time
Top marks for kids’ radio channels
Child-friendly lounge ★ ★ ★ ★
Kids’ pack ★ ★ ★ ★
Australia’s most popular airline is also a great choice for families. On the plane, your littlies can enjoy kids’ radio station Kinderling – including channels such as Sleepy Time, Ready Jet Go and Settle Petal – as well as kids’ audiobooks and Joey Club Art Studio, an interactive colouring game. There are also activity kits for three- to six-year-olds with etch-a-sketch games and activity booklets. You can even buy mini cabin crew outfits for dressups. As business-class passengers, you’ll be able to breeze through the airport with priority check-in, a dedicated boarding lane, easy disembarkation access and priority baggage handling. There are also Joey Club zones in the Business Lounges with computers, kids’ furniture, toys and books.
Top marks for creative kids’ app
Child-friendly lounge ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Kids’ pack ★ ★ ★
Kids will think France is très chic after flying with Air France. At the airport lounges, the kids’ areas have PlayStation Vita consoles, board games and kids’ magazines. The airport can also make your life easier with baggage pick-up and delivery and meet-andgreet assistance through the terminal with an Air France guide. On the plane, kids are equipped with activity packs, with games and colouring books. Inflight entertainment ranges from cartoons and movies to video games and kids’ radio stations, all to be enjoyed with noise-reducing headphones from the comfort of your newly designed cocoon-style seat in the Business cabin. The airline has also developed a kids’ app that turns coloured-in postcards into 3D images.
Top marks for award-winning kids’ amenity kit
Child-friendly lounge ★ ★ ★ ★
Kids’ pack ★ ★ ★
Like Air France, Lufthansa has been winning families over with the use of flying-themed educational games. Its first app – ‘Take off! The fun-packed journey for little passengers’ – was designed for kids under six, while the new ‘Super JetFriends’ is for seven- to 11-yearolds. Lufthansa focuses on the details, with kids’ menus designed by Michelin-starred chef Alexander Herrmann, and an amenity kit is packed with impressive inclusions such as soft toys and chocolates. At Frankfurt Airport Business Lounge, there are drawing tables, game consoles, computers, a children’s cinema and beanbags to while away the hours. Frankfurt and Munich also have dedicated family check-in counters.
Top marks for partnership with PlayKids
Child-friendly lounge ★ ★ ★
Kids’ pack ★ ★ ★
On top of the thousands of options for inflight entertainment available to all passengers, those travelling in Business Class get an iPad preloaded with additional premium content, including Hollywood blockbusters, and a noise-reducing headset. Cathay has partnered with the PlayKids app to offer 30 days’ free access to 2,000 cartoons, 50 games and 1,000 stories, all available to be downloaded and enjoyed offline. Three- to six-year-olds will also get colourful fun packs with stationery, games and activity books. Cathay Pacific has four business-class lounges at Hong Kong International Airport, including The Pier, with a teahouse, noodle bar, food hall and showers, and The Deck, which is designed to imitate a cosy living room.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) creates fun, meticulously designed bento boxes for its inflight meals, with special meals to suit different ages and allergies. EVA Air is obsessed with Hello Kitty. The kids are sure to love the Hello Kitty-themed napkins, pillows, cutlery and more.
This article originally appeared in Five Star Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.
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