Wonders of travel through the eyes of children – stories and tips from our crew members

Pilot Valtteri Murto, cabin crew member Heini Kangasluoma-Pakanen and ground crew member Micaela Sainio have all encountered hundreds of kids over their careers, both in the airplane and at the airport. All of them also have kids themselves, so memories from all perspectives have accumulated over the years. Now, they share their heartwarming stories, as well as tips for our youngest customers in the sky.

Enjoying every moment of the journey

While we adults may sometimes stress a bit too much about logistics and schedules, children have a remarkable ability to approach travel with a sense of wonder and excitement – truly embodying the saying “It’s not about the destination, but about the journey”. Their naturally curious mind allows them to find joy in the simplest of things: the thrill of takeoff, the novelty of an in-flight meal, or the wonder of gazing out the window.

“As someone who has travelled with children a lot, I can’t help but admire a child’s always positive and curious mind. While we adults stress easily, children seem to get fascinated by the smallest of details,” says Valtteri.

“Sometimes I think, oh, if only we could see things from a child’s perspective – the amount of joy and carelessness! On flights, what seems mundane to us adult passengers can become a thrilling adventure when viewed from a child's perspective,” continues Heini.

Whether it's navigating the airport, boarding the plane, or discovering a new destination, children’s enthusiasm and curiosity shine through.

“Children are remarkably authentic. I don't necessarily pay attention to all the things that I do when accompanied by children. They marvel at the exterior of the plane, the rows of seats inside, their own seat in the plane and the in-flight entertainment system in the front. Everything is a wonder, and the excitement is very tangible,” describes Micaela Sainio.

Tips for getting the most out of the skies

While children are naturally the masters of creativity and vivid imagination, our crew members have some tips to share to make the journey even more magical.

Valtteri thinks children should always be given the window seat, if possible, to really get a full sense of the wonders of flying. He also encourages to greet the crew members.

“If the door to the flight deck happens to be open when boarding or leaving the plane, kids can always peek into and wave for us from the door. Nothing is as inspiring as seeing smiling kids coming or leaving for their next big adventure,” he smiles.

Heini encourages to pay attention to what is happening around you – the plane is a unique environment where things happen that don’t happen elsewhere. Before the flight kids can observe what is happening outside the aircraft, and during the flight it can be fun to observe the clouds and the different patterns and shapes they create.

Of course, the special sounds and unique environment of an aircraft can also cause a bit of nervousness. Heini reminds that you can always ask a cabin crew member for more information on anything that puzzles you during different flight phases.

“While children often carry more a carefree attitude, they can also be more nervous than adults. When the flight and time allow, a little chat with a child and their favourite toy or a moment in the galley to get to know our special kitchen does wonders, leaving a wonderful memory of the flight,” she says.

Micaela also encourages children (and why not adults too) to make the most of long flights by paying particular attention to the lighting. She remembers her own kids observing the plane like in a fairy tale on long-haul flights when the lights dim, and the Northern Lights theme shows up. “Oh, how small details have sparked long and intriguing conversations! When you look at it that way, the plane is like a wonderland!”

Memorable moments with our youngest passengers

All crew members cherish countless unforgettable moments with the children travelling with us. Many have also encountered little future cabin crew members, pilots, or mechanics on board Finnair flights.

Valtteri recalls a flight from Chicago to Helsinki. Leaving the airplane was a little boy of about five years old, dressed in a sweat suit resembling a pilot's uniform. He also had a toy plane in both hands, so Valtteri decided to chat a bit with him and his mother. The mother said that his son spends all his time playing with airplanes and his dream is to one day become a pilot himself.

“I had just gotten a new uniform, so the old uniform wings happened to be in my flight bag. I gave them to the small future pilot and wished him luck in achieving his dreams. I'll never forget the look on his face,” he recalls.

Heini has also encountered several children inspired by aviation. “Cabin crew have such a good atmosphere at work and teamwork is smooth, so it’s no wonder that enthusiasm for the profession is easily contagious. Hearing children say they want to work in a plane after their flight is the most heartwarming feedback,” she ponders.

She also remembers fondly all the heartwarming reactions of children and passengers in general seeing snow for the first time when flying to the Finnish Lapland under Christmas, or to see Santa Claus for the first time.

“Once, on a flight to Ivalo, I calmed down the liveliest group of children by hinting that Christmas flight elves might be peaking in through the windows to see if there were nice passengers on board. It was endearing to watch with the parents how closely the clouds were being observed from the window in the hope of catching a sight of the elves,” Heini remembers.

Flying experiences can be so special and dreamy in themselves, that they may even appear in children’s dreams afterwards. “My 7-year-old daughter often dreams of trips we have been on. Once, she and I went on a girls' trip to Greece together and that trip really stuck to her mind: she has had many dreams since the trip about another girls’ trip – maybe we will get to do another one soon!” Micaela smiles.

Read more about travelling with children to prepare for your next journey with us.