August 2009 - January 2010
After World War II ended in 1945, a baby boom began in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia that continued for decades. During the same period, airlines significantly lowered costs by operating more efficient and improved aircraft. Airfares became competitive with railroad and ocean liner service, but air-travel offered dramatic time savings. Airlines introduced special family fares and vacation packages with payment installment plans to attract this vast new market. By the mid-1950s, a new age of air tourism was in full operation as large numbers of families began to fly.
This major shift in the customer base brought new challenges and opportunities to the airlines. Parents with young children needed more help from cabin crews and faced the dilemma of having energetic children spending long hours sitting in an airplane. Activities were needed to prevent them from becoming tired, bored, and unhappy, while reducing the associated stress and frustration for parents and other passengers. In-flight toys, games, and other giveaways were created to sustain a child's interest during long flights, while items such as play uniform wings were distributed to engage them in the air-travel experience. To extend the experience into the home, and to promote commercial aviation to new generations, airlines licensed a wide range of mass-produced aviation toys and games. By the 1970s, many play items were included in a bag or pack, often referred to as an activity kit, that could also be taken home as a remembrance of the flight. Until the 1990s, most major carriers gave these to children as a standard in-flight service along with magazines for young readers.
In this new millennium, the proliferation of personal carry-on and onboard electronic entertainment with programming for all ages has replaced many of these in-flight activities for children. Most economy airlines have eliminated this amenity completely. Some international carriers, however, continue to offer activity kits and other items on long-haul flights. Airline-licensed toys also remain popular and are often sold at airport gift shops.