Kids Ask the Darndest Things!

Every year, hundreds of thousands of kids fly on Southwest Airlines - more than 100,000 without their parents. Many “commute” regularly between divorced parents' houses. But other kids may be flying Southwest for the first time. Maybe you've never flown anywhere before or you're flying on your own for the first time to visit friends or grandparents. That's why we thought you'd like the answers to the questions kids ask Southwest flight attendants most often. Happy flying!

• What can I have to drink?
  You've got lots of choices! We serve orange juice, apple juice, cranberry-apple juice, tomato juice, and water. Soft drinks include Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, diet Sprite Zero, Dr Pepper, and Ginger Ale.

• How much does a drink cost?
  Your soda, juice, or water beverage is free on Southwest Airlines!

• When is lunch?
  We don't serve meals, but we do serve free snacks! Depending on how long you'll be flying with us, you'll either get peanuts or pretzels, a snack such as crackers, or a snack box that has three different snacks inside. We give kids seconds when we've got them. Of course, you can also bring along some of your own food to eat on the plane.

• When can I get out of my seat?
  It's only safe to get up when the Captain turns off the FASTEN SEAT BELT sign. You'll know that it's turned off because you'll hear a “ding,” the Captain will make an announcement, and the lights on the sign will be turned off. You should always wear your seatbelt when you're seated.

• When does the movie start?
  The airline doesn't offer inflight movies. On Southwest Airlines, we encourage our young travelers to bring onboard any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved portable electronic device such as a portable DVD player and enjoy the movie of their choice through the comfort of their personal headphones. The flight attendants will make an announcement during the flight about when it's okay to bring out the device and begin the movie!

• Where's the bathroom?
  We have two bathrooms onboard - one in the front of the plane and one in the back. Again, it's only safe to get up from your seat when the FASTEN SEAT BELT sign is turned off. Since no waiting is allowed in the forward area of the airplane, make sure the bathroom is free before you get up. A good way to tell if it's occupied is to look at the ceiling near the forward part of the airplane. If you see a blue light or a red X, someone is inside the bathroom.

• When can I play my video games?
  You can use anything that has an on/off switch before the airplane door is closed. Once the plane is moving and in the air, wait for a Flight Attendant to make an announcement letting you know it's okay to turn it on again.

• Why would the oxygen mask drop?
  Have you ever hiked up to the top of a mountain? If so, you may remember that the higher up you go, the harder it is to breathe. That's because the higher you get off the ground, the less oxygen there is for us to breathe. On the airplane, the Pilots do something called “pressurizing the cabin” to make it comfortable. If the cabin were to start losing some of this pressure, the compartment above your seat would open up and four yellow masks would drop down. You would just pull on a mask, place it over your nose and mouth, and breathe normally. The Pilots would make sure they get the plane low enough so that you don't have to wear the mask for long.

• Why do my ears pop?
  That has to do with air pressure again. When the plane takes off and lands, the part of your ear called the Eustachian tube must open frequently and wide enough to balance out the changes in pressure. When the pressure in this part of your ear cannot be balanced, sounds seem muffled or blocked. Once the tubes are able to open back up, your ears will “pop,” and you'll be able to hear clearly again.

• How high do we fly?
  We can fly as high as 41,000 feet.

• How fast do we fly?
  The plane may fly as fast as 530 miles per hour.

• How fast do we go when we land?
  The plane goes about 153 miles per hour when it lands.

• How much does the plane weigh?
  When an airplane is fully loaded with people, cargo, fuel, and all the equipment necessary to operate the plane, it may weigh as much as 153,000 pounds! Before each flight, our Pilots and Ground Operations Agents carefully enter weight information into a computer so that we can be sure the plane is properly balanced for the amount it weighs.

• How can the plane fly if it's so heavy?
  Ready for a science lesson? Airplanes are specially designed based on several scientific principles that allow a heavy plane to be lifted into the air—and to stay there! Because of the curved shape of the airplane's wings, the air under the wings pushes up more than the air on top of the wings pushes down. The result? The plane takes off! This is known as lift. The airplane's engines create what's called thrust, which moves the airplane ahead and keeps the air moving over and under the wings. The Pilots know exactly how to work the plane's equipment so that you take off, fly, and land as smoothly as possible.

• How can Pilots see at night or when we fly through clouds?
  The Pilots have special instruments that help guide the airplane and get you to your destination, even when they can't see exactly what's outside the airplane.

• What are those bumps?
  Sometimes, the air up in the sky is a little rough and can cause a bumpy ride, which is known as turbulence. This may feel like riding along a gravel road in a car. The Pilots always try to avoid turbulence and fly the plane as smoothly as possible, but occasionally this type of air appears unexpectedly. Always keep your seatbelt fastened when you're seated, and only stand up when the Captain turns off the FASTEN SEAT BELT sign.

• What are those things pointing up on the ends of the wings?
  Those are called winglets, and they help us save fuel, let us fly farther, and lower the cost of taking care of the engines.

• Why do the Flight Attendants have a different kind of seatbelt?
  Seatbelts and shoulder harnesses on the jumpseats keep Flight Attendants strapped in and secure when the plane takes off and lands.

• Why can't I visit the flight deck during flight?
  The Pilots have a lot to take care of to make sure they get you safely to your destination. Even between flights, they're often busy working so that they can be ready to get the next Customers to their destination ontime. If there is time before or after the flight, they would love to show you the flight deck, also known as the plane's cockpit.

• Why do the Flight Attendants show us how to use the seat belt?
  The Federal Aviation Administration gives all airlines some rules about staying safe on the airplane, and we give Customers these instructions on every single flight. Since the seatbelt is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment on the airplane, we want to be sure everyone knows how to wear it properly.

• What are the sounds the plane makes before we land?
  You may hear some of the equipment, such as landing gear and parts of the wings, moving into place so the plane will be ready to land.

• When are we going to get there?
  Usually the Captain will make an announcement and tell you what time you're scheduled to arrive. The pilot also will tell you if you're going to arrive early or late. Make sure to change your watch if you're flying into a different time zone!

Read travel tips on taking trips with your kids from author and family travel expert, Eileen Ogintz.