25.7.20

Vacation 2020: The Kids' First Flight

2020 was going to be a big year for our family.  Mason would celebrate his 15th birthday.  Seth and I will celebrate 20 years of marriage.  Hannah Kate will be a teenager.  So we planned to celebrate big time.  We planned a big family vacation, and Seth and I were going to take an anniversary trip.  We were so excited.  And then came COVID-19.

We had to cancel our anniversary trip.  Well, it isn't exactly cancelled.  It's more of a postponement, although we still don't have a new date on the calendar yet.  But we're going to take the trip, even if it's not until next year!  Our family grip was originally scheduled for the end of May into the beginning of June.  I postponed this trip until July hoping we would still be able to make it happen.  Our flights were fully transferable without penalty for 12 months, and all of our reservations were fully refundable up until the day of our arrival.  As the date approached, we were very comfortable with all of the precautions and protocols in place and the location we were going to so we decided to go ahead and make the trip.  Can I tell you?  Best decision ever!

There were several special things about this trip, first and foremost that it was the kids' first time on an airplane!  Of course, we had no idea we'd be masked for their first flight, but no one complained at all.  We left early on the morning of Mason's birthday to catch our flight out of New Orleans.

This was our first time at the "new" airport.  I have to say I was very impressed!  Not only was I impressed with the airport itself, but our airline really did make it so easy for us to quickly and safely check-in and get our luggage taken care of.

The airport was nearly empty.  Literally.  I have never seen it like that.  There was absolutely no line at TSA so that was a breeze.  We arrived early anticipating long lines so we ended up with plenty of time to chill before our flight boarded.  Ellie is giving you a hint as to our arrival airport (but not necessarily our final destination).

Is Mason really that much taller than I am?  Yes.  Yes, he is.

Our plane was already at the gate when we arrived.  We had to wait a little over an hour before it was time to board. 

I wasn't sure how the kids would react to their first flight.  I was pretty confident that two of them would be absolutely fine.  I was also expecting one of them to be a bit nervous.  There are two things I love about this picture:  Seth's hand on Hannah Kate's shoulder and Ellie looking up at her brother (I'd love to know what she was saying, as I'm sure it was something!).

When I told the kids about our trip, the first question they asked was if we were going to drive or fly.  They know that long drives don't phase us, and we've taken several road trips.  When I told them we were going to fly, two of them were speechless.  I think they were in shock.  But Ellie wasted no time in speaking up: "I call dibs on a window seat!"  So that was the big conversation.  Who was going to get a window seat?  I told them they could take turns.  On the departing flight, they decided that Mason and Hannah Kate would get the window seats.  Ellie would get a window seat on the return flight.  Mason, Ellie and I sat together when we departed.

Hannah Kate and Seth sat in front of us.

Our flight wasn't even half full, and the middle seats were left open unless you were traveling together with a group of more than two people.  Everyone wore their masks on the plane the entire time.  It was honestly the most comfortable flight I've ever had!  We were in the air for almost three hours, and the kids did so good!  They enjoyed looking out the windows.  Hannah Kate read her book.  Mason and Ellie spent time on their kindles.  It was a great flight and such a good first experience for the kids on the plane.  

But the best was yet to come!