With Family and Luggage to Dortmund Airport: How to Keep It Relaxed

In many families in the Ruhr, a flight from Dortmund Airport is as much a part of summer as the open-air pool: three weeks visiting grandma in Poland or Romania, two weeks on the beach in Turkey or on Crete. With children, a pushchair, child seats and suitcases full of presents, even getting there becomes a task. On top of that come the baggage rules of many airlines that fly here, and the fact that there is no railway station at the terminal. Here you will find practical tips for a successful family start.

Driving service or bus for families?

The driving service is particularly convenient with small children: you get out in front of the terminal, take a luggage trolley, and the car stays with the child seats with the driver. With the bus model, everything is reloaded at the site. For a three-week family visit this is often cheaper – provided the bus has enough space for all the suitcases. Weighing it up: Valet or shuttle at Dortmund Airport.

Luggage according to the airline’s rules

Many airlines at Dortmund Airport only allow one small item of hand luggage in the basic fare; suitcases have to be booked in advance, and at the desk it gets more expensive. Buggies and child seats are often carried free of charge, but the rules differ. Read the conditions carefully, weigh the suitcases at home and redistribute the weight if it is tight.

When the whole of NRW sets off at once

On the first day of the North Rhine-Westphalian summer holidays, a particularly large number of families fly. Car parks, buses and desks are then busier. Book the parking right after the flight and allow more time at the airport. If you can, fly a few days after the holidays begin.

Who does what?

While still at home, decide who takes care of what at the airport. A proven approach: mum or dad waits with the little ones off to the side while the other takes care of the handover, photos and suitcases. Children should never be on their own among manoeuvring cars and departing buses.

In the terminal

Dortmund Airport has one terminal with manageable distances. Luggage trolleys are available at the forecourt and in the building. With a buggy, use the lifts. More: The terminal at Dortmund Airport.

At security

The pushchair usually has to go on the belt folded, and baby food and drinks for the child are sometimes checked separately. Pack them on top. Explain to the children beforehand what will happen.

Grandma, grandpa and the extended family

If half the family is flying, two cars are often needed. With the bus, rules on the number of passengers apply: frequently asked questions about the number of people in the shuttle. For grandparents with reduced mobility, register assistance via the airline.

Keeping children busy

Colouring books, small games and downloaded films help during waiting times. At the gate you can watch the planes. Every child knows the family meeting point and has a note with the parents’ mobile number in their pocket.

Back in the Ruhr

After landing, one adult stays with the children in the arrivals hall while the other collects the suitcases and buggy. Only once everything is there does the message go to the parking service. At the car, the children go into their seats first. More: Returning: picking up your car at Dortmund Airport.

Lost a suitcase?

If a suitcase does not arrive, go to the lost luggage desk in the arrivals area and let the parking service know that it will take a while. A set of fresh clothes per child in the hand luggage saves the first evening at home.

An example from Castrop-Rauxel

A family with two children flies to Antalya on the first day of the holidays, departure at 7:15. They allow two hours in advance, a quarter of an hour for the valet handover and 30 minutes for the drive via the A42 and the A1, plus 20 minutes of buffer: departure at 4:10. The suitcases were packed and weighed the evening before, and the children carry on sleeping on the back seat. At 5:05 the family is at the desk. The times are an example.

Family visits with lots of luggage

If you are flying to relatives in Poland, Romania or the Balkans, you often have heavy suitcases full of presents with you. Check in advance how much luggage your airline allows and book additional baggage online – at the desk it is more expensive. With the bus model, state the number of suitcases so that there is enough space.

Children’s ID documents

For many destinations, children also need their own documents. Check weeks beforehand whether all of them are valid – at the airport it is too late for that.

If a child falls ill

Via Friend-Park, cancellation is free of charge up to one day before the start of parking. For early flights, the deadline already ends during the night before the previous day. More: Cancelling or rebooking parking at Dortmund Airport.

Pushchair and infant car seat

Many airlines allow pushchairs and car seats in addition to luggage. You usually hand the pushchair in at the gate and get it back on arrival. With the driving service, the infant car seat stays in the car; with the bus model, you take it with you or leave it in the car, depending on whether you need it at your destination.

Travelling with grandparents

On family visits, three generations often fly together. For older fellow travellers, short distances are important. A driving service that takes over in front of the terminal saves changing into the bus. If you need assistance in the terminal, register it with the airline.

Entertainment for the journey

Even though the distances in Dortmund are short, waiting at the gate and on the plane is part of it. A colouring book, an audio play and snacks in the hand luggage help. At Dortmund Airport you can watch planes taking off – for many children the highlight of the day.

Packing suitcases properly

Spread your things across several suitcases so that not everything is missing if one item of luggage is lost. Medicines, a change of clothes for the children and important documents belong in the hand luggage.

Seats on the plane

With many airlines, reserved seats cost extra. For families with small children, a reservation can be worthwhile so that you sit together. Check your airline’s rules.

After the return

With tired children, the return is exhausting. A driving service that has the car ready when you come out of the terminal saves energy. With the bus model, get in touch early so that you do not have to wait long.

What families from the Ruhr often underestimate

The short distances at Dortmund Airport tempt people to plan tightly. But especially on the first day of the holidays, many families are at the desk at the same time. If you then still have to repack a suitcase because it is too heavy, you lose valuable minutes. A luggage scale at home costs little and saves a lot of stress. Also check whether each family member has booked their own item of luggage – with low-cost airlines this cannot be taken for granted.

Dividing up the roles

A proven approach is to decide beforehand who takes care of what: one person handles the car and the key handover, the other the children and the hand luggage. That way nobody stands helplessly next to a mountain of suitcases while the driver waits.

With teenagers

Older children can pull their own wheeled suitcases and have their boarding pass on their phone. Explain the rules for liquids in hand luggage to them beforehand – otherwise the new sun cream ends up in the bin at security.

Booster seat and child seat

If you hire a car at your holiday destination, you often need your own child seats, because those on site are expensive or in short supply. Many airlines carry child seats free of charge. For the drive to Dortmund Airport they stay in your own car and are only removed at the terminal – with the driving service right in front of the building, with the bus model on the provider’s site. Allow a few minutes for this, because removing them in the dark takes longer than expected.

Finally

With a family, planning matters more than speed. If you set off early, divide the tasks and have enough buffer, you will start your holiday relaxed.

Conclusion

With early booking, checked baggage rules and a clear division of tasks, the family start at Dortmund Airport is relaxed. Whether offers can be booked via Friend-Park is shown at Parking at Dortmund Airport.