Long plane trips are usually the bane of not just to parents existence, but also for the passenger’s existence and it doesn't need to be like that. I find that if you break all the rules with your kids on plane trips, If you give them things on planes that they are not going to get on land, you would be surprised how far little bribery goes. Planes are the only places on the face of the planet where my kids get to play electronic games. The other thing to remember plane trips with kids offer you the greatest luxury that you can have outside flying first class, which is space. If you are traveling with your kids, you can suddenly have an awful lot of free space. Actually the only time I ever get to sleep in coach is when I have my kids because you can fit two kids underneath the seat and you can fit yourself on top. FAA rules have changed a lot of late and that's actually not allowed but I found that in the darkest plane, stewardesses and stewards would tend to let you get away with that. Another little secret I found that, is that you can actually tear off your seat cushions on the coach class and they make great little futons. So you can actually have a cushioned mattress underneath the seat. It's actually, when you look at it, a luxury traveling with kids. I also make it interesting for them. We always compete for who gets the windows seat. And looking out of a plane window can be a fascinating experience. I am all surprised by how often kids ignore that, but the view of the planet from the window seat is extraordinary especially if you make it that way. The other thing you have to remember is that you have to keep your kids under control. I am amazed at kids allowed to kick your seats and seat backs and making a lot of ruckus on planes. I try to make my kids pretty much under control there; I think if you do that, you can get awful lot of slack from airline personnel and other passengers.