Almost a third of parents struggle with airport checks, survey shows

Approximately 30 per cent of adults struggle with a lack of child-friendly support at airports, according to research from British insurance comparison site Tiger, who issued advice to help parents navigate summer travel with children. The findings come as international airports adapt to the new Entry Exit System (EES), which modernises border checks across the Schengen area through the collection of fingerprints and facial scans. Rule changes have placed additional pressure on summer holidays, with some airports experiencing delays of up to five hours as the new EES registration process increases hassle for holidaymakers travelling with young people. A survey of 1,000 UK adults conducted by the travel insurance company examined the key pressure points for families, identifying queues, security procedures and transport options as the primary source of irritation for 30 per cent of respondents. Border control delays proved a specific point of frustration, with 12 per cent of parents admitting they regularly experience longer queues to have documents checked manually because they are travelling with children. Security restrictions also caused friction, as 8 per cent of respondents expressed annoyance at being unable to bring certain liquids through security or being subject to additional searches. A lack of designated play areas prior to long flights bothered 6 per cent of parents, while 4 per cent highlighted the absence of child seats on airport luggage trolleys. Other concerns raised by families included child-specific time restrictions at hotel swimming pools, adult-only pool policies, and a shortage of adequate baby-changing facilities. Due to the cumulative frustration of navigating these airport hurdles, 17 per cent of parents admitted they have been put off travelling abroad altogether. The reluctance comes despite data showing that families with young children travel frequently, averaging 2.6 holidays abroad each year compared to 1.4 trips for adults travelling without children. Official statistics show that average holiday spending reaches approximately £901 per person, representing a significant household investment of £3,604 for a family of four. Although the UK government expanded eGate access to include children aged eight and nine in an effort to speed up border checks, awareness of family-friendly airport measures remains inconsistent. Some airports have introduced priority family queues and dedicated play zones, yet poor communication has left many travellers unaware of these facilities. To mitigate travel stress, experts recommend gate-checking strollers with airline staff at the boarding door so they are returned immediately upon touchdown, saving parents from carrying tired children to baggage reclaim. Parents are also advised to pack liquid medicines, such as Calpol, into hold luggage whenever possible to avoid time-consuming secondary checks at hand-luggage security. Thorough advance planning remains essential, with experts suggesting parents prepare activity bags with snacks, seek out quiet rooms, or utilize unused airport gates where children can play before boarding. Managing luggage is another key factor, as parents are urged to leave space in their own bags for additional toys and children’s backpacks when young travellers grow too tired to carry them. Parents should also closely monitor what older children pack in their hand luggage, as failure to comply with security rules can cause delays and force repacking at security checkpoints. “It is worrying to see nearly a third of those surveyed are frustrated with airports when travelling with children,” Tiger managing director Ian Wilson said. “Airports are understandably focused on security and often that means long queues and additional checks, which are not exactly easy if you have small children,” he said. “Holidaying with kids can be stressful and require a lot of additional planning and packing but as a growing number of families venture abroad, and a substantial amount of money is invested, more needs to be done to help smooth out the process,” Wilson continued. Wilson further stated that “in some cases, it could even be worth the additional money to park closer to the airport, gain additional leg room on the flight and access express security and boarding to try and take the edge off waiting and queuing”. “It can all add up though so it is sensible to shop around and make sure to get the most competitive price for holiday essentials such as travel insurance,” he added. “It is important to remember that if passengers are running late or miss a flight due to additional queues or security checks, it is unlikely travel insurance will cover them, so it is sensible to allow extra time to handle any hurdles,” Wilson concluded.