WESSCO puts young travelers first with family-focused airline amenity kits
This is a special feature from the November 2026 Middle East, Asia & Africa issue of PAX International, on page 30.
Air Astana’s sheep-themed infant kit, launched the first rotation, connecting young families with the airline’s cultural identity through practical amenities for the journey
WESSCO is placing greater emphasis on young passengers, helping airlines create family journeys built around imagination, comfort and practical support.
For a child, a journey begins long before an aircraft leaves the ground. A boarding pass becomes an invitation for adventure. A backpack becomes a trusted travel companion. A familiar character brings comfort to an unfamiliar environment.
For parents, the same journey looks very different. Traveling with kids means anticipating boredom, disrupted routines and the practical demands of childcare away from home.
But, as Petros Sakkis, CMO at WESSCO, tells PAX International, families are traveling more, taking younger children on more ambitious journeys and looking for experiences designed to include every age.
Recent Condé Nast Traveler coverage reflects this shift, from parents embracing big trips with young kids to wellness resorts expanding experiences for infants, kids and tweens.
Against this backdrop, WESSCO is placing greater emphasis on the little traveler experience. This means considering how kids feel, what parents need, and how an airline can make the whole family feel welcome.
Against this backdrop, WESSCO is sharpening its focus on the young passenger experience, addressing children’s comfort and engagement alongside parents’ practical needs to help airlines deliver a welcoming journey for the whole family.
“When 92 percent of parents say they plan to travel with their children, the family experience can no longer be treated as an add-on,” Sakkis explains, referencing results from the 2025 U.S. Family Travel Survey. “We see an opportunity to give little travelers the same level of attention and thoughtful design that airlines bring to their adult passengers.”
WESSCO is bringing this approach onboard through programs for EVA Air, Air Astana and Aegean Airlines. Each respond to a unique moment in the family journey.
Imagination takes flight
There is a particular kind of reassurance in finding a familiar face far from home. EVA Air’s special-edition Moomin children’s kit brings that feeling onboard through characters associated with friendship, curiosity and exploration. Created by Finnish author and artist Tove Jansson, the Moomin stories share a sense of wonder that can make travel memorable for kids.
Designed as a backpack for reuse, the kit gives kids a travel accessory of their own. Inside are creative activities for drawing and coloring inflight, along with a card-holder lanyard for their boarding pass.
“Once the flight is over, the backpack becomes part of the adventure at the destination and at home. What begins as an onboard amenity continues as a companion and reminder of the journey,” says Sakkis.
EVA Air’s special-edition Moomin children’s kit features a reusable backpack, drawing and coloring activities, and a card-holder lanyard for a boarding pass
Comfort for kids
Air Astana’s infant kits draw on animals closely connected to Kazakhstan’s landscapes and nomadic traditions. The first rotation introduced a sheep; the second a horse. Carried across the full collection, each character creates a warm and recognizable story that connects young families with the airline’s cultural identity.
The kits combine character designs with items for play, care and rest. On flights departing Kazakhstan, a reusable character pouch contains wet wipes, a disposable changing mat, a puzzle and a play item. On return flights, the kit includes a hooded blanket and matching comforter for warmth and comfort. Together, the kits balance cultural storytelling with practical support for families.
Air Astana’s horse-themed infant kit, introduced in the second rotation, draws on Kazakhstan’s nomadic traditions while supporting families with items for play, care and rest
Designed around the journey
Aegean Airlines’ baby kits follow the natural story of a family trip, from the excitement of setting out to the quieter journey home.
The outbound kit includes a printed cotton sun, anticipating time at the destination, along with a pacifier clip and matching bag for practical support throughout the journey. On the return flight, a bib replaces the sun hat as the focus shifts from anticipation to inflight care. The pacifier clip and coordinated bag remain consistent across both kits, creating continuity while one key item responds to each direction of travel.
This thoughtful approach earned the program Highly Commended recognition in the baby amenity kit category at the 2026 TravelPlus Awards.
Aegean Airlines’ baby kits pair a pacifier clip and matching bag with a cotton sun hat on outbound flights and a bib on return flights
Beyond the kit
The three programs serve different needs while sharing the same commitment to young passengers.
“The most effective children’s amenities balance emotion with purpose,” says Sakkis. “When storytelling, usefulness and the needs of the family come together, the kit becomes part of the journey and continues to carry the airline’s identity after the flight.”
Designing for kids is about making them feel welcomed, supported and included. An amenity may be a small part of the onboard experience, but for a family, its meaning continues long after the journey.
