The best (and worst) airline activity kits for children
You don't want your child to be the one who's endlessly kicking the person in the seat in front, or screaming at the top of their lungs, or stuck on an iPad from London to Sydney. But, if your brood is of a certain age, preventing any of the above from happening involves a great deal of parental input.
Luckily, a number of airlines are happy to help by providing child passengers with complimentary activity packs. Some will give you a couple of moments' peace, others may well become keepsakes. With the help of an expert panel of young testers and their parents, as well as educational consultant (and mum to kids aged one and five) Ruth Lue-Quee, we've reviewed the offerings of six airlines to see exactly what's inside. Read on to discover their favourites…
Virgin
The details
A red duffle bag containing a fidget toy keyring, mini aviator sunglasses with UV400 protection, a set of coloured pencils and two booklets ('my flying activity book' and 'my holiday activity journal'). Available at UK airport gates for those aged two-12.
The verdict
Our oldest testers loved this one, especially the fidget toy keyring (which is similar to the patches that Amelie, aged 12, and her friends have on their phone cases). Meanwhile, Sonny (10) liked the idea of using the bag for his PE kit post-holiday. The little ones had great fun with the sunglasses and parents liked the fact that they could be used while away, though we found them too small on all our testers aged seven and over.
The booklets, which work a bit like holiday diaries and would make good keepsakes after the event, were among the best in any pack. Clever questions inside about plane seat numbers and flight details should engage kids aged four and up for a while onboard.
Score
8/10
Etihad
The details
A backpack with water bottle, superhero cape and activity book for those aged between four and eight.
The verdict
This airline brought in the big guns for its packs: a triumvirate of DC super heroes from Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi Yas Island. A special mention should go to the satiny superhero cape too. It's the dream for those in Reception but Sonny and our seven-year-old tester Jemima found the theme a bit young. 'It's better for four-year-olds,' she said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Out Dubai
2 days ago
- Time Out Dubai
19 throwback photos show what DXB Airport used to look like — and you won't believe it
We could be forgiven here at Time Out Dubai for thinking our city is the centre of the universe. But this wasn't always the case. There was a time when what is now DXB Airport was just an expanse of wasteland on the edge of the burgeoning city. Over the years Dubai International Airport has undergone a significant amount of change which has seen it grow from just one sandy runway in the desert into the world's busiest airport for international travellers. You may also like: How much Dubai has changed from the 1960s to today The visual history of DXB is striking and it's high time we had a look through the archives to see just how much the airport and the city around it have changed. History of DXB: The early years Old DXB: Crowds queue up outside Dubai International Airport in 1960 (Credit: DXB Airports) While Dubai International Airport started life in 1960, the city had served as a stop en route to Pakistan from the UK as far back as the 1930s. Huge flying boats from the old British Overseas Airways Corporation would stop at Dubai Creek on their way to Karachi. Stopping in Dubai would give these slow, long-haul flights an opportunity to refuel and restock before taking flight once more. And, initially, this was the purpose Dubai International Airport served. In the 1950s, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai at the time, ordered an airport to be built since there was no direct air service to Dubai. Curiously, Sharjah did have an airport at this time which was run by the British army. This meant that people who wished to travel to Dubai would first need to fly to Bahrain, take a short flight to Sharjah then drive to Dubai. Changed days indeed. The initial desert runway of Dubai (Credit: DXB Airports) By 1960, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum had his wish. Dubai finally had its own airport. It was built on a 4km expanse of wasteland in Al Garhoud and was only capable of handling aircraft the size of a DC-3 (which could hold between 21 and 34 passengers). But Rome, or rather Dubai International, wasn't built in a day. Originally, the plan was to build an airport in Jebel Ali but this was thought to be too far from the city. We'll get to that later though. Middle East Airlines was the first to land in Dubai (Credit: DXB Airports) The old sandy runway at DXB (Credit: DXB Airport) The initial runway was sand-compacted and 1,800 metres long with three turning areas and a small terminal capable of handling around 200 passengers per day. Arrivals would take a matter of minutes as a solo immigration officer processed passports. There would have been two shops at the terminal to check out before walking out to the car park in search of a taxi. A Middle East Airlines flight was the first to arrive in Dubai. When MEA and Kuwait Airways started landing with four-engined viscounts, the runway was said to blow away. By 1965, this sandy runway made way for an asphalt one along with a number of other newly built facilities. A Gulf Aviation Heron plane on the old desert runway in the 1960s (Credit: DXB Airports) A MEA aircraft on the asphalt runway in the 1970s (Credit: DXB Airports) The 1970s saw a whole host of changes which set Dubai International Airport on the path to what we know today. A new three-storey terminal building was built, a traffic control tower was introduced, there were more taxiways, the runway lengthened, aprons were extended, and the airfield added lighting. A lot happened to modernise the airport. The bigger terminal allowed for an airport lounge to be built which gave passengers a comfortable place to hang out before they flew. The lounge at Dubai International Airport in the 1970s (Credit: Dubai Airports) The 1970s saw a whole host of changes at the airport (Credit: DXB Airports) DXB in the 1970s (Credit: DXB Airport) An aerial shot of DXB in the late 1970s (Credit: DXB Airports) An Air traffic control tower was brought in during the 1970s (Credit: DXB Airports) An aerial view of DXB in the 1970s (Credit: DXB Airports) History of DXB Airport: Emirates arrives The 1980s was a transformational period for the airport, as Dubai Duty Free began operations at DXB in 1983, a second runway was installed and Emirates started operations for the first time. The launch of Emirates came about fairly quickly after the initial idea was proposed in 1984 by Sehikh Al Maktoum. The Dubai National Air Travel Agency launched the airline within five months of it being asked in March 1985. Emirates took flight for the first time in the 1985 (Credit: Dubai Airports) The plan for Emirates was simply that it had to 'look good, be good, and make money'. And it's fair to say it's achieved that goal. You may like: How Emirates went from just two planes to world's biggest airline Similar to the initial flights all the way back in the 30s which stopped in Dubai on the way to South Asia, Emirates first flights were to Karachi and Mumbai in October of 1985. And in 1988, more than 4.3 million passengers passed through Dubai International Airport. Departures at DXB in the 1980s (Credit: DXB Airports) History of DXB Airport: Terminal 2 opens As Dubai continued to expand and grow in the 1990s, so too did its airport with a second terminal opening by the end of the millennium. In 1998, Terminal 2 opened at Dubai International Airport which increased capacity by two million passengers per annum. Dubai International Airport in the 1990s (Credit: DXB Airports) Dubai International Airport in the 1990s (Credit: DXB Airports) History of DXB Airport: The modern era Once we reached the 2000s, things started really ramping up at the airport. In 2002, it was named the fastest growing airport in the world with good reason. A Dhs2 billion project to expand the airport saw the capacity more than double from 10 million passengers to 23 million as a new concourse was constructed. The capacity grew once more in 2008 when a third terminal was built which allowed room for 60 million passengers. A year later, 40 million passengers passed through DXB for the first time as work began on another concourse and terminal 2 got a makeover ahead of the launch of flydubai. And in 2014, DXB became the world's top airport for international passenger traffic as it welcomed 70.4 million people in one year. A title it has held onto ever since. Dubai Airports 2024 (Credit: DXB) Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (Credit: DXB) DXB: The future Earlier in 2024, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced plans for a massive Dhs128 billion expansion of the city's other airport Al Maktoum International Airport. Dubai's second airport is based in Jebel Ali (see, we did get back to it as promised), a part of the city that decision-makers want to develop, and has been in operation since 2010. A render of plans for Al Maktoum International Airport (Credit: Dubai Media Office) The plans for Al Maktoum International Airport will eventually see it have capacity for 260 million passengers once complete. Currently, it serves a small fraction of that number. But plans could take more than a decade to come to fruition. As for DXB? It is unclear what the future holds for the city's current biggest airport once Al Maktoum International is complete. Flying from Dubai soon? How to spend your stopover in Dubai – no matter how long you're here for We've got your To Do list covered 48 hours in Dubai: all the best things to do in two days Your dream itinerary for a fleeting trip Revealed: The 5 top holiday destinations for people living in the UAE Is your favourite in the top five?
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
I forked out £136 trying the lost luggage trend – I doubled my money but my most exciting find turned was a BA freebie
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WE'VE all heard of return pallets, but have you seen the lost luggage trend that's taken social media by storm? Recently, influencers have been going wild for unclaimed suitcases, with many splashing hundreds of pounds on the mystery bags. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 With everyone going wild for the lost luggage trend, I ordered myself an unclaimed suitcase to see what I could find Credit: Abigail Wilson 7 Personal details are removed from cases, but 'apart from that, everything is left as is' Credit: Undelivrd 7 Not only did I spot dirty boxers and worn socks, but the smell left me close to gagging Credit: Abigail Wilson 7 There was a football scarf and a toiletry bag from The White Company Credit: Abigail Wilson But would you risk spending over £100 on someone's lost luggage - not having a clue what you'd find inside, but with a chance that the contents could be worth thousands? After seeing many TikTokers and YouTubers open lost luggage and finding all things from a Kindle, a huge selection of clothes and even hair straighteners, to a brand new pair of Ugg boots and an iPad, I decided to see what the fuss was all about. Last year alone, Google Trends saw a 100 per cent spike in searches for 'lost luggage' - abandoned suitcases usually full to the brim with clothes, souvenirs and random items. The 'lost and unclaimed' luggage comes from 'the world's busiest airports' and while some may find designer buys, quirky gifts or sometimes even gadgets, the possibilities are as varied as the travellers who once packed them. But there are a number of major drawbacks when buying lost luggage…the size and brand of the suitcase you receive will be totally random. Not only this, but if a person loses their luggage on the way back from a holiday, there's likely to be worn clothing inside - yes, you heard that correctly. After hearing countless content creators order theirs from Undelivrd, I managed to get my hands on one. According to those at Undelivrd, selling the lost luggage is a 'sustainable and economical way of dealing' with it. Rather than piles of suitcases heading straight to the dump, airports are auctioning them off to give the abandoned cases and the items inside a new 'forever home'. Of course, personal details are removed, but those at Undelivrd claimed that 'apart from that, everything is left as is.' Unveiling the Shocking Reality of Lost Luggage Purchases So I ordered myself a suitcase, which was listed online for £129.99. It ended up costing me £136.98 once the postage fees were piled on top, so not cheap. But would I find some steals? Or just a bunch of tatt and some dirty knickers? Much to my surprise, the suitcase only took a week to arrive. No box in sight, the case was wrapped in a black bin bag and was far from luxe. Not knowing the contents made it very exciting, but unsure on the condition of what I would find, I nervously got my Marigold Gloves at the ready. The sweaty, stale smell that was equivalent to the stench of a teenage boy's bedroom was horrendous Abby Wilson In the hope of stumbling upon some unexpected treasurers, I eagerly ripped off the bin bag, to find a black American Tourister case. After a quick Google search, I spotted that such suitcases are available to buy online for £129 - so technically you've made the money back on the case itself, even though it had clearly been used on numerous occasions and was visibly quite battered. But I didn't even have to unzip the case for the grim, musty smell to invade my nostrils. Think of a room full of years of mould and mildew - that's what it smelt like. The sweaty, stale smell that was equivalent to the stench of a teenage boy's bedroom was horrendous and is still, days later, giving me flashbacks and lingering in my nose. 7 The American Tourister case was pretty battered Credit: Abigail Wilson 7 These Asda shoes were practically new Credit: Abigail Wilson 7 My haul proves that ordering lost luggage is definitely a gamble Credit: Abigail Wilson While I was hoping to get my hands on a woman's suitcase, in the hope of topping up my wardrobe with some new clothes or maybe even some jewellery, I was disappointed to see that I had been sent a man's case. And I was even more gutted when I noticed that it was full of clothes that had clearly been worn. If you thought smelly socks were bad, I was on the verge of gagging when I spotted three pairs of worn pants. It appears that the man this case belonged to had potentially been on holiday to Portugal, as I immediately spotted two Algarve Jazz Festival grey t-shirts. Alongside this, there was an empty toiletry bag and an unbranded navy hoodie, which wasn't short of stains. How to buy lost luggage THE famous US store which sells off unclaimed baggage has launched an online shop - so you can buy more travellers' lost items. The Unclaimed Baggage Center, located in Alabama, has long been a destination for treasure hunters wanting to find a bargain from the abandoned suitcases. Located in the tiny town of Scottsboro, which has a population of 14,000, it is an unlikely tourist hotspot. Inside is a megastore of misplaced possessions taken from tens of thousands of suitcases, rucksacks and duffel bags, all lost on commercial flights across the US. Now, you don't have to travel to the US and can do your shopping online with their new online store. The centre has launched the online shopping experience as part of their 50th anniversary, having opened in 1970. Everything from clothing to electronics are found on the website - current items for sale include high-street dresses from $8 up to 18K bracelets worth over $13,000. They also have a weird and wonderful section which ranges from gold necklaces and diving equipment to designer gowns and signed memorabilia. Legally, airlines have a duty to reunite luggage with their owners within 90 days, but if that fails, bags end up at the centre. So frequent are these deliveries that the Unclaimed Baggage Center has around one million items on sale at any time, with 7,000 new items added to the shop floor every day. Not everything that is found is sold - a third is binned, including all underwear, while another third of it is donated to charity. Brenda Cantrell, the store's brand ambassador, says: 'Less than half a per cent of all lost luggage fails to make it back to its owners, but that's still thousands of bags every year. 'And the vast majority of those make their way here. We have exclusive contracts with all the major US carriers, making us the only store of this kind anywhere in the country.' According to journalist Jonathon Thompson who went there himself, the 40,000sqft centre is "more like a swanky department store than a musty charity shop," adding that items are separated into sections, which includes electronics, jewellery and even wedding clothes. Customers have also found bargains while shopping there - one person bought a £65 vase, only to find out later it was worth £15,000, while one piece of art valued at £45 was actually worth £20,000. The guy this suitcase belonged to was clearly a football fan, as I also stumbled across a Bayer 04 Leverkusen football scarf, which you can buy online for £14. As well as this, there was also a Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2023/24 home jersey, which are being flogged online for just under £70. Next, I spotted a H&M black hoodie, which is currently on the website for £27.99, as well as a pair of blue Adidas shorts, which if you buy them new, are £35. Much to my dismay, I was only halfway through and incredibly disappointed. Having said that, things appeared to look up when I saw a small The White Company toiletry bag. Yes, you get them free when you fly with British Airways, but it was the most exciting thing I'd seen so far, without a doubt. The beauty bags, which contain an eye mask, ear plugs and a mini toothbrush, are being flogged for £7 on eBay and are perfect for travelling. While many may think that selling-on lost luggage contents could be a good earner, my haul proves that it is definitely a gamble Abby Wilson It was un-unused, unlike a lot of the other stuff in this case. Following this, I found a pair of barely worn, brown leather shoes from Asda, which are still available to order from the site for £25. And that's not all, as I also (unfortunately) found three pairs of Jack & Jones boxers, which when bought new, are £45 a pack. In total, the contents of my lost luggage - bought new - came to £223.98, not as high as I had hoped. If you add on the cost of the actual suitcase, it totals just over £350. What was in the box and what's it worth? Bayer 04 Leverkusen football scarf - £14 Bayer 04 Leverkusen jersey - £69.99 H&M hoodie - £27.99 Adidas shorts - £35 The White Company toiletry bag - £7 on eBay Three pairs of Jack & Jones boxers - £45 Asda leather shoes - £25 While many may think that selling-on lost luggage contents could be a good earner, my haul proves that it is definitely a gamble. The smell of the case is still haunting me, so the thought of going through it all again and posting it on Vinted in the hope of earning a quick buck is not something I'm up for. Despite the battered hoodies and worn socks, everything was in reasonably decent condition, so I guess you could say it wasn't a total waste of time. But if you're hoping to find a new iPad or a posh designer bag, you should be aware that you'll have to take a chance when searching through lost luggage. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Missing Brit's mum and girlfriend fly to Portugal after he vanished on night out
Greg Monks has been missing since the early hours of Wednesday morning when he vanished in Albufeira, Portugal, while on a stag do. His panicked mum and girlfriend have flown out to join the search The mum and girlfriend of missing British tourist Greg Monks have flown to Portugal to join the search for him. Greg, 38, vanished on Wednesday morning in the Algarve while he was away with friends on a stag do. His worried dad has also cut short a holiday in Spain to join the search. The Glasgow-based mechanic disappeared when he was heading back to his holiday apartment following the first night out in the party resort of Albufeira with a large group of friends. He had flown away with a large group of friends for a stag do and was due to fly back to Scotland tomorrow afternoon. Police have checked hospitals and are trying to find out whether he has used his bank cards and get a rough location on his phone with the help of his family. Today Greg's worried sister Jillian, who first raised the alarm yesterday, said the search was focusing on a residential area called Cerro da Aguia where Greg is understood to have been seen on CCTV. She said: 'The police have been searching the Cerro da Aguia area because he was seen in or near that area on CCTV. 'He left his friends on the Albufeira strip to head back to his tourist apartment and they were on the first night of a stag do and had been drinking, so the thinking is that he could have got lost on his way back to his holiday apartment and possibly had some sort of accident and I understand inquiries are being made in that area. 'The police have asked us to try to access his banking details to see if he's used his cards but we don't have his passwords so it's not been confirmed if he's used them. 'The police have advised us that all the hospitals have been checked. I was phoning him when his friends alerted me on Wednesday morning he'd gone missing and at first it was ringing out but now the phone appears to be out of battery and getting a fix on where it might have last been or is now is not obviously proving easy. 'I've managed to get his iPad to access his Apple account but his phone is just saying it's offline and no tracking is available. 'Apple are saying at the moment they can't do anything and the police are waiting as well and I think they've also tried pinging a cell tower. 'Greg's got a tattoo at the top of his right arm which might help people identify him over and above the photos that are already out there. 'If he's not wearing a top or has got a vest top on it would be visible. It's an unfinished tattoo of a Thor-type Viking.' Revealing their mum was already in the Algarve along with Greg's girlfriend Alison Meechan Fraser, and adding their dad was due in the area tonight, Jillian said: 'There are about 10 to 15 friends all from Scotland on the stag do and Greg was due to be a groomsman. 'Obviously all the friends are actively searching for him with the police. They were all due to go out on a boat trip today and I know he would have wanted to be on that. 'Greg's a plant mechanic so he fixes big diggers and HGVs and things like that. He's a really hard worker, a quiet guy. He's not out that often. He lives quite a quiet, content life with his girlfriend and they have a bulldog and they just go out walking the dog. 'My sister and I have children and he's a great uncle to them. My daughter particularly has got a very close bond with him. She dotes on him. 'He's not got any mental health issues or issues with depression. Nothing like this has ever happened before. That's why when I got the phone call from one of his friends on Wednesday to say he had gone missing it immediately threw up a red flag. 'We're just praying at the moment that we get positive news before the day's out because the longer this goes on the more worrying this gets. 'The last calls we know he's made was to his girlfriend around 9pm on Tuesday when he arrived and a couple of hours later when he got to the Albufeira strip.' Other British holidaymakers have reacted to Greg's family's calls for help by promising their support. The missing man was staying at Novochoro Apartments, a tourist resort consisting of 31 units, thought to be around a 15-minute walk from the Albufeira strip. Last month Edinburgh University history student Gregor Thomson vanished briefly less than a full day after arriving in Madrid with rugby club teammates for a weekend trip abroad. The 21-year-old's dad Murray touched down in the Spanish capital to learn his son had reappeared after becoming separated from friends during a night out.
