Calling all airline experts---carseats!

[phins_jazy]

Hi all~

I've got a question. We will be flying American Airlines the first week in march. My DH, DD, and myself. My question is this. I've only flown with my dd when she was 6 months old. I had her in her car seat. Now that my dd will be 3 on this trip will she need a car seat or can she use the seatbelt? Once we arrive at our destination she'll have a car seat. Grandma and grandpa have the integrated child seats in their van. I've been all over AA's site regarding this and I can't find any info. I just talked with one of my friends who said when he flew with his 2 1/2 yr old the airline said she was big enough to sit with a seatbelt and they checked her car seat. Does anyone have any official word on this?

Thanks!!!!

[azlaura]

I do not believe there is anything official. I feel it is what you are most comfortable with. If your little one will ride better in the seat then use it if she will sit in the seat without one then don't bring it. I know I used one for my daughter until she was three and now we do not bring it anymore. We do rent one with the car rental though!
I think it is purely up to you!
I hope this helps,
Laura

[ducklite]

I'd take it. She'll be more comfortable, especially if she takes a nap. The seat belts on planes are really not meant to secure a smaller child, they'll slip right through them if anything fairly catastrophic happens, just like in a car.

Anne

[Beverly Lynn]

I wouldn't take it. most kids prefer to sit in their seats like the older kids and grownups do. I have been on too many flights where the parent has had to fight with the child to sit in the car seat. plus its one less thing to have to deal with while getting on and off the aircraft.

[flyingcircus]

As a flight attendant, I would insist on a child being in a car seat. Same as in the car!! I don't understand why people think that it doesn't matter on the plane. Here are my reasons why:
1. Your child is used to his/her car seat. Comfort level with something familiar.
2. Child is NOT secure in a lap belt. I have seen many children wiggle out of their seat belts inflight.
3. Turbulence can happen at ANY time, and child is much more secure in car seat.
4. Easier for parent. Your child will not be rolling around on seats, etc....
5. Seat is higher up with car seat giving child better view of movie, other people.

Right now there is legislation going on with car seats becoming mandatory on US aircraft. Right now it is NOT mandatory. It is up to the parent. It is easier for me as a mother, and having watched thousands of families board, to have your child in a car seat. It is cumbersome, but from a purely safety point- essential.

Please make sure that your car seat has the FAA approved sticker on the back. There are some booster type seats out there that are NOT approved, and can be dangerous for a child to be in on the plane- due to the seat fold down operation.

I have also seen parents really struggle to keep their child in the seat belt, as the child is not used to just the seatbelt.
This is just my professional opinion, but if you talk to any pilot or flight attendant, they will tell you the same thing!:)

[lookingforward]

I would also agree that you should take the carseat on the plane. I lived in japan for many years and traveled a lot with my two boys who were toddlers at the time. It is ALWAYS safer for your child to be in an approved car seat. That plus it usually is more comfortable for the child to sit in a familiar seat. Have a great trip.

[phins_jazy]

Thanks for the advice guys. Like I said earlier I've only flown with her once before (I've flown a total of 2 times in my life) Looks like the car seat is going with us. It's a high back booster (Commuter) from cosco and I checked their website and it is FAA approved. You just can't use it as a belt positioning booster. ( Which I don't use it this way anyhow.) I'll have to check and see if there is a sticker on the backside of it. I guess I was concerned since my friend wasn't able to use his with his 2 1/2 yr old. They made him check it. I'll take it with and see what they say.

[SueM in MN]

Another vote for the car seat.
The seat belts on the planes are very easy for even a young child to unfasten. I've seen a lot of kids with the new (and very fun) game of "unfasten the seat belt and make mommy upset." As soon as they figure out how to unfasten it, most kids will. On one flight, a small boy figured out how to unfasten his seat belt while we were taking off! He was standing up on his seat while the plane was in its initial climb. The mom had a really hard time getting him back down and the flight attendants could only yell because they were still strapped in their seats. He spent the rest of the flight in and out of his seatbelt.

[Beverly Lynn]

I still wouldn't take it and that doesn't make me a bad mother either. (I got a pm stating this!)
if your child is 30lbs plus I wouldn't use a car seat on an aircraft. some of them don't fit very well either. with some of the new configuration of the seating the bases of the car seats can be bigger and don't fit in the aircraft seats. each aircraft is different. they have been trying to pass this legislation for years now.

[travelcoupons]

If you do take one, be sure you are not seated in the row in front of an exit row...You are not allowed in exit rows or the row in front of an exit row with a carseat. It happened on a flight I was on and they delayed the flight so that the FA's could check if it was allowed and then arrange moving the people to a suitable seat.

[flyingcircus]

The only restricted rows are the exit rows ( at least on United ). However, you don't want the row BEFORE the exit row, if you like to recline your seat. That row won't recline, cuz it will interfere with the access of the exit row ( just a little inside info- don't think reservations even knows this;)

Booster seats are NOT approved on the planes. Obviously the small ones that don't have a back are disapproved, but there are some high back ones that are NOT approved. One clue is if there is just a high back, but nothing on the sides. These are not approved. Your best bet is to double check that there is a FAA sticker on the back. Some are car approved, but not FAA approved.

Beverly Lynn, sorry you got a pm saying you were a bad mother. That's not right!!:eek: As of right now, you do have the choice to put your child in a car seat, or not.

[phins_jazy]

Originally posted by Beverly Lynn
I still wouldn't take it and that doesn't make me a bad mother either. (I got a pm stating this!)


Oh BL I'm sorry about this. I don't think you're a bad mother at all. The person who PM'd you probably thinks I'm a bad mother too for even posting this question!!

As far as the weight issue she just turned 40 lbs this week. She's pretty big for her age.

I did go back to the AA site and it does state that the car seat can't be in the exit row or the row before or behind the exit row. It did give a seat measurement but I don't recall what it was. 19 inches I think. I'll have to double check and measure her seat.

Sorry about all the controversy this post is bringing up. That's not what I intended for it to do. :(

[lookingforward]

Good luck with your flight and let us know how your car seat works out. I was not aware that some booster seats don't work. That is why I love these boards, they really let me learn and get the latest information. Beverly Lynn..you have my support and I'm sure you are a great mom. I enjoy all of your posts and you are a great member of this community!

[Robin]

We just flew American with my 3 1/2 year old. I took her high back booster (which is FAA approved)... After trying to get the belt positioned correctly and tight enough for about 10 minutes (with 2 flight attendants helping) we decided that it was SAFER for Caitlyn to be in the regular seat than in a ill fitted car seat. I would have much preferred her to be in the car seat.... BUT we had no problems with the regular. We set rules that she was not to unfasten the belt and she followed them.

Misty... Have a safe trip- just think your next trip might be to Mickey Mouses house:)

[skeezixspud]

The FAA recommendation is that kids be in an approved CRS until they reach 40 lbs. My DS is nearly 5, and we have only just stopped using his carseat on board, because he has gotten too tall to use the 5-pt harness. At over 40 lbs she should be safe in the seatbelt.
http://www.faa.gov/apa/TURB/CRSTips/CRStip.htm

No offense to flight attendants and gate agents, but so few parents bring their carseats that most airline employees do not know the rules off by heart; they usually have to look them up. I always told the reservation agent that we were travelling with a child in a seat; so that they would be sure to get us a window seat and avoid the prohibited rows. (I've been informed that the row in front of the exit row is not allowed because those airline seats need to fold forward to allow people clear egress out of the door in an emergency. If there is a carseat strapped in the seat it can't fold forward.)

Tips for securing the seat: 1) preboard with the seat if you can, 2) the smallest parent will be able to install the seat most easily. 3) The seat should go at the window so that no other passenger has to crawl over it. 4) Lift the armrests out of the way. 5) Pull out the airline seat belt to it's fullest length, then buckle it through the seatback. 6) Place the CRS in the seat and grab the end of the aircraft seatbelt, then 7) KNEEL in the carseat and pull the belt up tight, your weight will press the seat down hard enough to get it tight.

To carry the seat through the terminal (or to check it as luggage) I recommend purchasing a carseat satchel. You can get these at BRUS or RightStart (BRUS is cheaper); they allow you to wear the carseat as a backpack while you walk through the terminal. If you don't want to make that investment, bungee the seat to a small luggage cart. BTW; most carseats do not fit through the templates on the security scanners, so they often have to be hand-inspected.

[flyingcircus]

phins_jazy-

That's what these posts are for!!! There has been quite a few discussions on the boards about car seats on planes, and a lot of people have questions.

Another tip- if the armrest can pull up, have it in the upright position when you put the car seat in. Some of the car seats are wider than others, and might need a little extra room. The car seat should always go next to the window, or if you are in the middle section of a dual aisled airplane- in the middle seat. That way it allows for other psgrs. to exit in case of emergency.

With all the different carseats out there, some work better than others. I have seen struggles with car seats ( cadillac size:D ), and others that fit right in. Test yours out. It is also true that different planes, airlines have different size seats.

PS The car seats ALWAYS fit in First Class:D LOL!!!

[robinb]

I had a car seat bag when my DD was a lap child. If they had a seat for the CS, great! If not, it got gate checked. Now that she's 2 and I buy a seat for her on every flight I just bungee it to a luggage cart. It's a lot easier for me to roll it behind me rather than carry it. Plus, I stuff her backpack and our coats in the seat under the bungee cords and I don't have to carry them either!

Honestly, I'm not sure what I'm going to do once my DD is too old for her stroller and car seat! Airports and plane rides will get a whole lot more exciting ;).

[phins_jazy]

skeezixspud~ Thanks for that website. :)

"over 40 pounds may safely use an aircraft seat belt. "

She's 40 lbs now and we aren't leaving for another 2 months. She's also currently 38 inches tall so I think she'll be fine.

flyingcircus~ "PS The car seats ALWAYS fit in First Class :) LOL!!!"

Hehe!! I'd love to be able to afford First Class!! The only reason we're flying is because we won these tickets at my dh's xmas party. They're coach tickets.

[flyingcircus]

skeexispud-
I do take offense to the statement that flight attendants don't know the rules by heart. It is my JOB to know the rules, and if I don't know them there's a problem. Every month we get revisions by the FAA that we have to put in our handbook. If you see a flight attendant checking the handbook, it is for:
1) double checking
2) finding the section that pertains to the car seat, so that the passenger can read it. I have had MANY passengers question me on the use of the boosterseat. The FAA has changed the acceptibility of the use a couple of years ago, and most are not allowed.

In 16 years of flying, at least every other flight I DO see passengers with car seats. They are very common! Most people get in a car at the end of their flight, and they need the car seat anyway.

[Beverly Lynn]

no FLying circus we in reservations had to know that. we know all the seating on aircrafts, what is handicap accessible and reclines, doesn't recline, which armrests went up etc. In fact we got tested on it and had to know what aircraft had what seating. man was that a long test! LOL reservations goes thru very extensive training. they are the backbone of an airline. (and trust me when I say you don't want to work in res!)

its funny that working as either a gate agent or tkt cntr I saw very few car seats going onboard except in baggage. funny how different departments view things differently.

[jiminyfan]

I know that we wouldn't think of taking our 27 month old without his car seat. He has been flying since he was 6 months old (1st WDW trip - trip #4 is coming up in January) and I personally wouldn't put him on the plane with out it. On our second trip we had a bad time with American (delayed flights and etc.), when we finally got seats they gave us a bulkhead row, the seat did not fit. We were told to check the car seat and hold the cild. SORRY, wrong answer. I paid for a seat and I feel a lot safer with him in his car seat. It was not my fault they overbook ands changed us from our original seat assignments. I just nicely asked for a row change and waited until it happend. My child's safety is a lot more important to me that saving a few minutes by taking him out of his car seat to make things easier. And after a 6 hour delay, I think I had every right to be a little demanding.I'd never take him in the car with out it and I do not have to worry about a sudden 10,000 foot drop there.

Some flight attendents are fantastic, some are not. On most flights we have lots of support for the seat. On some, I have none. A plus for American is there is a little more room for the seat as the rows do seem to ave more room. But, the negatives outweigh that 100 to 1. LACK of services (having to pick up you own snack bag) and flights from the Mid-Atlantic region to MCO - have me flying USAIRways now. I have over 100,000 miles on my AA frequent flier account and we do not know when we will use them. I am very disgusted right now with AA's service. Soory, back to the topic at hand.

As for the type of car seat - I go with a sit-n-stroll. It is FAA approved and converts from a car seat to a stroller in a few seconds. No unstrapping a sleeping child to switch him/her to a stroller. One less thing to pack and a lot easier all around.

Good luck on your trip. :bounce:

[flyingcircus]

Beverly Lynn- I know that when I was a gate agent way back in 1985;) I didn't see too many car seats. I know that res and the gate agents have to know all the seating restrictions. Sometimes the computer doesn't show all the little things onboard the aircraft, that the flight attendants know, just for the sheer fact of them being on the aircraft up to 14 hours a day ( only 8 of which can be actual "flight" time).

jiminy fan- I used that sit n' stroll for years- wore it out!!! That is the best invention. I forgot about those bulkhead seats- armrests don't go up!! I haven't seen kids in those rows for years, because they have them blocked for premier psgrs. Since you fly so much, they probably thought they were doing you a favor by putting you in those seats! I have NEVER told a passenger to check a car seat. If they want their child to be safe, then by all means I support it. I have always found a way to get a car seat in an airplane seat safely. Sometimes it's a little difficult, but it can be done!

[Beverly Lynn]

well Res has different computer functions than the airport. a lot of times the tkt cntr or gate has to call res to help them.