TravelSnug Review: A New Way To Fly With Kids

What do you dread  most about flying with children? For me, one of the toughest challenges is getting my child comfortable and able to sleep. My daughter (Mrs T) gets very distracted by people walking past, the aeroplane noise and the large seats which dwarf her slender frame. She can struggle to get to sleep and I am sure this is the case for many families. But, I recently tried out a new product, the TravelSnug, which could be a bit of a game changer for families who travel.

The TravelSnug is is essentially a large carry-on fleece cushion designed to cocoon your little ones into their seat – making it child-sized rather adult. It is the brainchild of two sisters, Fiona Jackson and Catt McLeod, who wanted to find a solution to some of the issues they encountered after flying frequently between the UK and the U.S with two very young children.

When I first opened the beautifully packaged TravelSnug, I couldn’t get over how soft and ‘snuggly’ it was – and stylish too.  It comes in variety different colours (including a fab looking zebra print) but we got a pink camo one – which my daughter and I loved. I think I rocked the look at airport. What do you think?

It is a very light product and easy to carry with a shoulder strap. Mrs T, who is two and a half, insisted on holding it for a bit – and did a pretty good job too. Another year and she’ll be able to carry it herself.

It comes with some simple instructions on how to fit it into the seat so when we got onto our flight from London to Dubai, it couldn’t have been simpler to attach the TravelSnug. I suppose it is a bit like a booster seat but way, WAY more comfy! You simply pass the seatbelt through the loops on each side and, as Mrs T’s was a size 1, it also had a loop in the middle too.

Mrs T really liked sitting on it. She didn’t wriggle around, she sat and watched TV and played with her games and seemed pretty content and very comfortable as the TravelSnug helped keep her snug in her seat during the seven hour flight.

The best bit… she fell asleep! Okay, it’s not a complete miracle worker: on the way out she did need a bit of persuading to nap (we had a day flight on both legs) but on the way home, she was out like a light.

I have no doubt the Travel Snug helped her get comfortable enough to nod off. And it ensured her head wasn’t slumped down on her chest or on the armrest – which is what usually happens! I tilted the seat back and she looked so angelic and rested.

It was a much different story from our last long-haul flight from Chicago to London when we had NO TravelSnug. She ended up sleeping with her head on my lap and by the end of the seven hour flight I had a completely dead leg (and couldn’t go to the loo either through fear of waking her up).

The TravelSnug also comes with a blanket. She was already a bit warm so I used it instead!

The only issue I had with it was folding it back up at the end of the flight. I would recommend getting it off your child’s seat just before you land rather than hurriedly attempting to fold it back up as everyone is disembarking – like I did on the way out. It ended up looking like this.

Fortunately, the lovely ladies at TravelSnug have since given me some instructions on folding it and I have recommended they give them out with the product along with the fitting instructions. They are also going to put a video demonstration on the website. They were very helpful and responded quickly to my queries.

Verdict
The TravelSnug does exactly what it says. It makes your child really snug when they travel!  This should relieve some of the dread that can come when flying with young children and certainly ticked a lot of boxes for us. It’s a great solution for helping little ones relax and rest their head on something soft. It’s light, stylish, incredibly soft and easy to attach and carry on (it was not counted as hand luggage). It is also very squashable so easy to store.

The TravelSnug got a few compliments too with people amazed that there was such a product out there. It also provided a bit of a distraction when waiting in queues for immigration… she seemed to amuse herself with it. It would also come in handy if you are sat around waiting for a connecting flight as it will fit onto any seat.

I doubt I would take it on a short haul flight but I think it’s a must-have for families flying long-haul and I would also take it on long train journeys and use the blanket often too.

What I really love about this product is that it is not only designed by British mums but also manufactured in the UK so it really is a homegrown product. I wish them the best of luck with this great new product. I’m looking forward to using ours again…just a shame they don’t do one for adults!

The TravelSnug comes in a variety of different colours and sizes for ages 15 months to around 6 years old. Prices range from £54.99 – £64.99. There is also an option of harness slots for bike trailer use or if your child flies wearing a harness. They are available to buy online at TravelSnug. 

I was sent a TravelSnug  for the purpose of this review but my opinions are my own.