SummaryDuring a six week period, all anaesthetists at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow were asked to complete a questionnaire whenever a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was used. Seniority of anaesthetist, age of patient, anaesthetic technique, technique of LMA insertion, ease of LMA insertion, and any problems encountered either during LMA insertion, or during induction, maintenance, and recovery from anaesthesia were documented. Complete data were obtained from 211 patients aged 5 weeks to 15 years. Ninety‐six children were anaesthetized by consultant paediatric anaesthetists, and 115 by trainees. LMA insertion was successful at the first attempt in 86% of all cases, achieved with some difficulty in 11% of cases, and failed or its use was abandoned in 6 cases (3%). Difficulties other than with LMA placementper seoccurred in 11% of cases during induction of anaesthesia. Seniority of anaesthetist and choice of anaesthetic agent influenced neither the success rate of insertion nor the frequency of other difficulties encountered during induction of anaesthesia. Significantly fewer problems were encountered at LMA removal if this was done during deep anaesthesia compared with removal when protective reflexes were present (P<0.05