Airplane seat for 14 month old??

[KelleyGirl]

We've been to Disney, and have always bought airplane tickets for our children. The youngest they have been is just shy of 2. Our next trip, our little one will be 14 months old. I plan on buying a seat for him, and I was just wondering what other people's thoughts on this are? Online bookings of airline reservations expect the child to be 2. We will be bringing a carseat for the plane, and are hoping the familiarity of the carseat will ease being on the plane for 3 hours. What are your thoughts? Do you always buy seats, regardless of age? I guess I just wonder why others wouldn't buy a seat. It seems safer. Thanks.

 

[OntFamily]

A seat is safer (and easier). However, it is a matter of degree. The risk of having a problem in whch a seat is required, is small. We all take such risks everyday.


Why not buy seat?? Many people want to save the money (we never bought a seat until our son was 2).

 

[loveswdw]

We've flown twice with our DS. Once at 15 months and once at 22 months. Both times we purchased a seat for him. The first time we took his car seat as we were renting a car, the 2nd time we didn't. We used Magical Express. The 2nd time was much easier for us (no car seat to lug around) and he slept almost the whole flight down and back (2 hours each way).

We fly Delta and if you call them you can get an infant fare for half price. Whatever your seat cost is, then they charge you half. The only catch is they charge you a fee to reserve over the phone ($10 or so I think) but the ticket is still much cheaper. Its crazy because they charge you to call but you can't book an infant fare online. Stupid huh? I guess its a good way for them to get a little money. You can book an infant fare online on Delta if you book through Expedia. That makes no sense to me at all.

We buy him a seat for our comfort as well as his. I definitely wouldn't be comfortable with him sitting on my lap for 2 hours!

 

[staci]

We bought a seat for ds 23mo. He was definitely more comfortable. I dont think he would have understood having to sit on our laps for 2.5 hours, without getting down and running around.

That being said, I think the reasons people wouldnt would be:
1, taking the car seat through the airport is just one more thing to carry.
2, cost. If we flew out of our home airport, it was going to cost $375 PER TICKET. We ended up driving to chicago, and flying for $160. But at $375 I would have really had to convince myself to spend that much money.

 

[KelleyGirl]

Thanks for your replies. I'm on the fence, and could be talked into not getting a ticket this time because I suspect he won't be happy and will be in my lap anyways. But DH is adamant we get him a seat for safety, regardless of cost. I will ask about and infant fare! We tried once with Delta years ago and were told we had to pay full price. What is the infant cut-off? My son was 21 months at the time. The clerk told me instead they would just put in him the system as 2 yo. Maybe it was a line to get me to pay full price.

 

[staci]

We did end up taking ds out of the seat for awhile each flight, but I was still glad to have it. He fell asleep on the way down for almost the whole flight, but woke up during the decent crying. I did take him out and hold him as he will cry himself into throwing up and I really didnt think anyone would have liked to listen to that.

On the way home he was out on my lap for about 30 minute too. He was just tired of the seat so we let him out for awhile.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

I would buy a seat. We did this a couple of times and it made the flight easier. He was comfortable and secure in his own carseat and didn't worry about all the new things going on around him.

 

[mbb]

niece traveled with us last year (so did her parents! )

They didn't purchase a seat for her, and that's fine, their decision.

Problem was, the baby didn't want to sit on her parent's knee - she wanted to sit with me!

When you're not used to it - holy smolies, your arms get tired!!

 

[don8life]

I always bought a seat for my little ones.
We just flew at Christmas and a mom didn't buy a seat for her 18 month old and I felt so bad for her, he screamed the whole time. She was so frutrated having to hold him. If she could have put him down she would have been better able to entertain him and not lose her mind. The man in front of me was so nasty he kept saying "give that kid a smack" really loud. I wanted to give him a smack. LOL, then half way through the flight my 4 yr old woke up cranky and crying cause it was an early morning flight. My DH was sitting acroos the isle with our other kids and I loudly said "If that rude old man makes one comment about her it will be the last comment he ever makes" I don't take kindly to nasty people. I do however take every chance to protect myself from the abuse of nasty peopel, hence buying the seat. The man did not make a peep about my little one.
Just my opinion. Then again, I am very cheap so it depends upon how much you'll save. Over 300 don't buy under I would for piece of mind.

Don't forget that airlines are making sure they have full fights so you can't expect to have an empty seat. I flew 4 times since Novemeber 2 to Orland and 2 to florida and every seat was full

 

[Mommy Poppins]

The only time we did not was when my daughter was 8 months old--from PA to Texas. After that she and I flew to Germany to visit my husband. She wasn't two yet so I wasn't going to get her a seat. My in-laws said they would pay for it, so she had her own seat. I ams o glad!!!! I wish we would have gotten her a seat the first time around. Ever since we have always booked a seat for our kids. They have all flown at about 18 months. My oldest is now 10 and our youngest is almost 4. This will be our first flight without a carseat!!!

 

[jodifla]

We flew about a half-dozen times with my son before he was 2, and we never bought him a seat. When he was younger than 1, he always wanted to sit in my lap anyway. It was more dicey when he was around 18 months, and all he wanted to do was run around the plane.

We did gate check our car seat each time, and whenever there was a seat available, the airlines let us bring it on. Once he turned 2, we used the car seat on the plane. That was problematic because he could kick the seat in front of him, and he couldn't use his seat tray to color or play with his trains. Now that he's 4, we'll be checking his booster seat and he'll just sit in an airline seat.

Frankly, although some folks on these boards make it sound like if you don't buy a seat for a kid you are irresponsible, none of my friends routinely bought seats for their under 2s.

 

[loveswdw]

Delta's web site says infant fare is any child under 2. At age 2, they have to pay full price.

 

[ANIMATOR13]

I have one question: do you really want to hold a 14-month old in your lap for a 3-hour flight?

I travel quite a bit and I find that children in the car seats are much more relaxed (as are the parents) when they are in the own seat. As for their age, you always tell the airlines that they are under 2 years old and obtain the infant airfare. Believe me when I tell you that they will never question you about the child's age.

Have a magical time!!

 

[Hannathy]

I never bought a seat for my kids under two, and we never brought the car seat on the plane. We flew alot. Too much bother and like someone said it makes them very close to the seat in front of them and easy to kick. Please monitor this, I spent a very miserable flight this way.

To the poster who said airlines don't check age this is very wrong they do check. SW insists on birth certificates. I had to have a superviser say it was ok for my son to fly once when it was an emergency flight and I was to rattled to grab the certificate and he was 2 MONTHS OLD!

 

[tjmw2727]

We always purchased a seat and used a crs for our dd's when we flew - even when they were under 2.

The FAA and the AAP recommend using a CRS for children under 40lbs and 40".

I can't find my AAP link but I recently found this on the SWA website when searching for something else. They have a good section on traveling with infants/toddlers as does AA.com.

From SWA:
Traveling with precious cargo?
If you're traveling with an infant or small child, you should know that proper use of an approved child restraint device (CRD) enhances child safety on aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants and small children who weigh under 40 pounds be secured in an appropriate CRD when traveling by air.

Here is the link - for those who want more info:
http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/infants.html

If you do decide to keep your under 2yo on your lap bring a birth certificate as they will likely need proof of age.

There are also a few threads on the family boards pertaining to the use of child safety seats in the aircraft. Some include recommendations of good lightweight seats and tips on installing them.

HTH
TJ