We flew KLM. We found it to be the cheapest flight to Cairo(August 2009). Since we had to change planes in Amsterdam we decided to break our journey in Amsterdam and stay three nights. (Last time we flew the same route we endured the 8 hr layover in Amsterdam by getting a room at one of the hotels in the airport; a windowless, characterless room that would not have been out of place in backpacker country in the boonies. We ventured out to the city but did not have much time after sleeping away most of the 8 hrs in the dungeon.)
Our seats were in the front of the 747 and the space was small. The configuration was 3 and 2. My daughters and I had 3 seats together and my husband was on the aisle a row ahead of us. Not ideal. The flight was at 3:10pm and was about 9 hours and 40min long. The seats did not have individual monitors which is a major bummer especially with kids. Last time we were on a long flight, which was a Northwest plane, it had individual entertainment system with movies and video games, which the girls found fascinating. (Even I got into it and played Bejeweled as if my life depended on it.)
We hit some turbulence around mealtime when my older daughter found out that her father had not ordered her a kids meal. I don’t blame her. It looked better than the adults meal. I usually order kids meal for my girls but my husband, oh no, not this time, adult food is usually better. Come on! It's airline food in coach...it doesn't make a difference! Our 'turbulence' incident taught him a lesson and you bet he changed the kids meal order for the upcoming flights. Sometimes, you just have to let them make a mistake and learn things the hard way...
The girls managed to sleep towards the end but they were up for awhile, which is tough for us parents. As adults we know how time works, it evaporates....but not on an airplane. An airplane is a perfectly sealed environment where time courses on a different continuum and if you are parents of young children, the flight time given by the captain is irrelevant. Flight time is actually the number of hours the children are awake x 2 and if the children are bored or whiny, make it x 3. That's how it works. Of course it helps if you are prepared. We bring books, Leapster games, paper, crayons, puzzles, cards, sticker books (Highlight's Hidden Pictures is great for a trip! Our girls were 6 and 4) and snacks, definitely don't forget snacks. Although I have to say, KLM had great snacks and you could get up and get them any time you wanted.
We land in Amsterdam around 8:40am local time. We are early. We try to pick up our Holland Pass at the airport but we are told they have run out. Bummer. We find the bus stop, #11 right outside and we get on bus 197. Thanks to Trip Advisor I get all the info on how to get into town. What a great site. The ride to the Marriott where we are staying in Leidesplein takes 30min. The bus stop is right across the canal from the hotel. It is really close but with 4 suitcases, a car seat bag, numerous hand carries and the girls, it could have been closer, but it’s good enough. It only cost us 8 euros…didn’t charge for the girls. So here we are in Amsterdam, city of red lights, canals, Van Gogh, pancakes, raw fish...(August 2009)
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