Are car seats mandatory on southwest?

SheilaHeartsDisney · Apr 27, 2015

Did a search and last info on this subject was from 2006. I will be taking my twins when they are 14 months to Disney. I plan on buying a seat for one and holding the other on a lap on the plane. Does southwest require the one child to be in a car seat?? The website only lists what kind of car seat is required but it doesn't state if you have to use a car seat. Thanks!!

lost*in*cyberspace · Apr 27, 2015

You can't hold two lap children, so yes, you will need to buy a seat for one child. The one with a purchased seat will need to be in a car seat, as I would assume she/he will be too small for a lap belt or CARES harness. Make sure the one in the car seat isn't going to freak when he/she sees you holding the other one.

Alesia · Apr 27, 2015

Car seats are not required, but it would be an extremely good idea to use one for a 14 month old. I would not even consider using just the lap belt for a child that small. If the children will be over 22 pounds you can used a CARES harness.

SheilaHeartsDisney · Apr 27, 2015

Thanks for the info. I never heard of a cares harness. That seems like a much easier option than a car seat. My son is currently 22 pounds with 6 more months to go until the trip so he should be plenty big by then.

Magic Band Defender · Apr 27, 2015

SheilaHeartsDisney said:
Did a search and last info on this subject was from 2006. I will be taking my twins when they are 14 months to Disney. I plan on buying a seat for one and holding the other on a lap on the plane. Does southwest require the one child to be in a car seat?? The website only lists what kind of car seat is required but it doesn't state if you have to use a car seat. Thanks!!

Will another adult be flying with you?

SheilaHeartsDisney · Apr 27, 2015

Yep, it's three adults and two infants.

SheilaHeartsDisney · Apr 27, 2015

I figure if baby does want to stay in his seat my husband and I can each hold a baby but still be in the same row with the extra seat that we payed for.

scrapquitler · Apr 27, 2015

Make sure you bring birth certificates, especially if you have a lap child. I just don't understand why you would buy a seat for one and not the other??

Bluegrrl · Apr 27, 2015

Double check Florida's car seat rules as the have become a lot stricter. You may be able to lap carry on the plane, but need the seat for a rental car (if you plane to rent)

SheilaHeartsDisney · Apr 27, 2015

Trying to save money where I can. So that means one lap baby. Plus I want us all to be able to sit together and we wouldn't be able to do that if we got seats for both kids.

No car rental for us. Doing all disney transportation.

Raenstoirm · Apr 27, 2015

scrapquitler said:
Make sure you bring birth certificates, especially if you have a lap child. I just don't understand why you would buy a seat for one and not the other??

Because plane seats are typically set up in rows of three and three. If each chid has a seat, then the family cannot sit together. And there cannot be two lap children in the same row because there are only 4 masks in each row.

DopeyDame · Apr 28, 2015

Some flight attendants will not allow a child under 2 to sit in a seat without a carseat when the seatbelt light is on. So, worst case scenario, they'll make an adult hold each child during takeoff and landing - essentially they'll treat it like you have two lap babies and an empty seat if you don't have a carseat.
Do note, that the carseat will have to be in the window seat.

lost*in*cyberspace · Apr 28, 2015

SheilaHeartsDisney said:
Yep, it's three adults and two infants.

SheilaHeartsDisney said:
I figure if baby does want to stay in his seat my husband and I can each hold a baby but still be in the same row with the extra seat that we payed [paid] for.

If you're flying with three adults and 1 child with a seat and one child as a lap baby, you will have to split up, as Southwest seating is 3x3. I personally wouldn't buy a seat for either baby. Seat Mom and one adult and lap baby in one row and Dad and a lap baby in the row behind or across the aisle. You can't have Mom and Dad, two lap babies and the person in the third seat in one row, as already stated, due to oxygen mask issues.

lost*in*cyberspace · Apr 28, 2015

Raenstoirm said:
Because plane seats are typically set up in rows of three and three. If each chid has a seat, then the family cannot sit together. And there cannot be two lap children in the same row because there are only 4 masks in each row.

This seating is what Southwest uses, but there are many, many different seating configurations on other airlines.

jec6613 · Apr 28, 2015

lost*in*cyberspace said:
This seating is what Southwest uses, but there are many, many different seating configurations on other airlines.

On domestic short-haul to midcon flights, this is by far the dominant seating arrangement, outnumbering all others combined by a fair margin. It's used on the 737 and A320 families, which inherited it from the 707. Except for the MD-80/90 and 717, which each have a few hundred in service nationwide, all narrowbody mainline jets use the 3-3 seating configuration.

SheilaHeartsDisney · Apr 28, 2015

Thank you for all the advice. Since a carseat is not required The plan is me,dad and two babies in one row of three seats. If they have to be in our laps during take off and landing or even while the seatbelt sign is on that's fine for us. We just want to have that extra seat just in case. As far as MIL she will be fine sitting in the next aisle across or behind us. My husband is really tall and can barely fit in the aisle as is. It would be a horrible ride if he had no leg room sitting next to someone else and a baby on his lap.

InStitchesinNE · Apr 29, 2015

We took our twins at 18 months and had them both ride as lap infants. I sat in one row with one child and our then 5 year old, husband sat across from us with the other twin. I know at that age there would have been a meltdown if one twin got to be held, and another had to sit in her carseat. We had a great flight both ways, the flight attendant even made an announcement at the end about how well-behaved all the kids were on the flight!

Don't forget the birth certificates! They will check them both flights! Honestly I found getting through the airport with stroller, kids, bags, paperwork, etc. the WORST part of the trip. Getting through security with three small children, especially the whole take off your shoes and walk through the scanner alone part, while mommy tries to fold the stroller and daddy tries to watch the children and pick up the bags, was a nightmare! I think having to lug a carseat too would have pushed me over the edge :crazy2:

SassyCat · Apr 29, 2015

I am about to fly for the first time with my six month old - why do you need the birth certificate?

-never I d, just looked it up. I'm so glad you mentioned this, because I didn't know we would need it

Goofy_Disney_Dad · Apr 29, 2015

When Southwest purchased Airtran they also got the Boeing 717's that Airtran flew. The seating on a 717 is 2-3 so make sure to check which aircraft you might be flying on to ensure you can do what you're hoping to do. Delta will be getting the 717's soon but they still have several in use as well.

scrapquitler · Apr 30, 2015

SassyCat said:
I am about to fly for the first time with my six month old - why do you need the birth certificate?

-never I d, just looked it up. I'm so glad you mentioned this, because I didn't know we would need it

Because lap children riding for free MUST be under the age of 2, so you have to prove their age. When I flew and bought a seat for my infant, I did not have to show his birth certificate because I didn't need to prove that he was eligible to be a lap child.

Are car seats mandatory on southwest?

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