A plane is mostly a white noise machine with seats

The engine hum does half the settling work, which is why many babies sleep better in the air than their parents expect. The parts worth planning are the other half.

Ears first: at take-off and descent, give the breast, a bottle or a pacifier - swallowing equalises the pressure, and that is the entire remedy for the crying everyone dreads. Do not wake a sleeping baby for it on descent if they are already asleep; it tends to resolve itself.

Then sleep: keep the usual sequence in miniature - sleep sack, the one toy, white noise in headphones - and if you can choose, take the night flight. A baby who sleeps most of the way is easier than a baby entertained for six hours at midday.

What not to do: skip naps beforehand hoping they will crash on board (you get an overtired baby at 30,000 feet), or hand out antihistamines as sedatives. And expect two or three days of wobble after you land, in both directions.