With Heathrow Airport welcoming over 75 million passengers last year alone*, travelling through the UK's busiest airport during the Easter holidays with kids in tow may fill any family with fear. Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is therefore offering nomadic parents a helping hand with a comprehensive guide to the family-friendly facilities at the airport, available in the Know Before You Go section of the APH website at www.aph.com/heathrowfamilyfacilities.  

The research compares the facilities available at terminals 2, 3, 4 & 5 and highlights services such as baby care facilities, play areas, family-friendly restaurants and even the location of toy shops.

For families eager to limit airport stress, the 'Meet and Assist' service can reduce some of the pressure of arriving at the airport.  A pre-booked agent will take care of baggage formalities, escort a family through security and to the departure gate and can even organise a pushchair for small children. What is more, passengers travelling in First or Business Class can make their journey one step easier and avoid queuing with tantruming toddlers by using the Fast Track service, which is available at security at all four terminals at Heathrow Airport.

When carrying baby food or formula milk through security, passengers must adhere to Heathrow Airport's policy**, however Boots also provide a 'Reserve and Collect' service at all four terminals, which allows passengers to order and collect these products once through security. Passengers wishing to do this should be aware that orders must be completed online at least 48 hours before their flight departs and that products are available for collection from 5am to 10pm daily.

With regards to the baby care facilities and mothers' nursing rooms at London Heathrow, these can be found in all four terminals too and are typically located alongside the toilet blocks, before and after security. 

Once through security, the terminals researched offer several options for parents to keep little ones occupied before the flight. The 'Stay and Play' areas in terminals 2, 4 and 5 provide a selection of slides, soft play areas and other activities, also having separate baby and junior zones. Furthermore, Terminal 3 boasts The Family Lounge, which also has a game zone for children aged 10-15, coffee and soft drinks facilities, seating for adults and an area for nursing.

What is more, every terminal has at least one specialist lounge, which is ideal for families requiring peaceful relaxation before their flight. Every lounge at Heathrow is considered to be child-friendly; however London Heathrow advises that children should be accompanied by an adult at all times. Each lounge offers a different service, for example Plaza Premium at Terminal 2 offers a tapas and fully serviced bar, luxurious shower rooms, work stations and free Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, The Sky Team Lounge located in Terminal 4 provides complimentary food and drinks, complimentary beauty treatments and a quiet area with day beds. Of course, access to these lounges comes at an extra charge, which varies from £24.99 to £35.00 per adult and from £15.99 to £30.00 per child.

To satiate hungry appetites, there are a number of family-friendly restaurants at Heathrow such as Wondertree, Pilots or Wagamama that provide a children's menu. Whilst Terminals 2, 3 and 4 have only one or two restaurants catering for children, Terminal 5 has many more, offering seven restaurants with a special menu for the little ones. Moreover, it is handy to know that every terminal has some restaurants where children can eat for free, however it is important to check each individual restaurant's website in advance, to see if your child qualifies.***

For further information on Airport Parking and Hotels (APH),

Visit www.aph.com or call 01342 859515.

 ENDS

Notes to Editors
* http://www.heathrow.com/company/company-news-and-information/company-information/facts-and-figures
** http://www.heathrow.com/more/help-with-this-website/faqs/security-and-baggage
*** http://www.heathrow.com/shops-and-restaurants/special-offers/kids-eat-free#terms

About Airport Parking and Hotels (APH)
Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is an award winning airport parking operator and retailer, after winning the Best Airport Parking Company for a seventh year running at British Travel Awards 2016. This year APH also celebrated its 36th year as a retailer and operator of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. APH offers parking at all major UK airports as well as airport hotels and airport lounges. As well as supporting the World Land Trust through the purchase of more than 1,000 acres of endangered rainforest, APH is also a proud corporate sponsor of the University of Southampton Centre for Cancer Immunology, where the world's most eminent experts come together in the quest to find new and innovative treatments.

Media Enquiries
Sarah Salord / Libby Hughes / Jennifer Jones / McCluskey International / 020 8747 2170 / aph@mccluskey.co.uk