Anyone not allowed to use car seat on airplane?

[las3888]

We bought a seat on our flight for DS (will be 8.5 mos) but I was just wondering if anybody has been denied boarding with their car seats? We have 2 car seats--both purchased and manufactured in 2005. They both have stickers that say approved for use in car and aircraft. I am thinking of taking our "cheapie" Cosco seat versus our Evenflo triumph because it is narrower. I emailed the airline (United) and they were vague but implied that because it was made in 2005 it should be okay.

Both seats are on the wide-ish side (evenflo more so) I just was wondering if people have been denied boarding with these seats and have had to check them last minute because they did not fit in the airplane seats.

Thanks, Lisa

 

[debm]

I think the airlines actually prefers the kids in their carseats but that is just my thought. I did get stopped twice with a carseat. Just a formality though. The lady was a bit rude about how she didn't think I could use that on their airplane. As soon as I showed her the Airline approved sticker on it she backed off. I think she was new and didn't know what to look for and wanted to use some authority. The second time they just wanted to make sure there was a sticker. I think you're fine as long as it shows that the carseat is acceptable. You do have some restrictions on the airlplane though. The seat must be against the window. Otherwise it blocks passengers from getting out of that row. Safety thing. We did not bring the seat for our 3 year old last trip and that way he could sit anywhere with us. It worked fine although I do still prefer him in the seat since he is used to it.

 

[justhat]

We were asked to show the sticker once, but that was it. Of course it was at the most inconvenient time possible, and since I was preboarding and had to show the FA at the door to the plane before I could proceed, no one else could get by so I held up all the regular boarders. I felt horrible, but there was nothing I could do since it takes a certain amount of time to put your 10 month old and diaper bag down, take the carseat off your back, unzip it from the carrying bag, flip it around cause of course the side without the sticker is facing the FA, then haul everything that is no longer neatly packed to your seat with a non-walking child.

One other thing I would be prepared for is that a lot of FA's have told me that I can't install my seat rearfacing (my daughter was under 1 and 20 pounds at the time). Once it was because they thought I just rigged it in against the seat in front of it without belting it in (which of course is not what I had done). Another time she said "that's in the wrong way" and I said "This is the proper position for a baby under 1 and 20 pounds" and then she walked away.

Other than that, we've never had any problems and we've been using my daughter's carseat on flights since she was under 3 months old.

 

[Karibeth19]

We flew a lot when my DD was an infant, because my MIL was in the final stages of breast cancer, and was hospitalized several times. Each time, we feared it would be the "last" time, so we flew down to Houston to be with her. Every time we boarded the plane, we were stopped by the FA's asking if we needed to check the car seat into cargo. When we told them no, we had purchased DD a seat and she would be using the car seat, they always told us they were so happy to hear that, and praised us for doing so. I think it makes them feel so much better to see babies strapped into a seat, and as long as it is a airline approved seat, I don't think they will give you a hard time.

 

[tlbwriter]

Unfortunately, some FAs *will* give you a hard time. Some FAs have even tried to make people give up the seat they *bought* for their child because the flight was overbooked. But I'm sure they are the exception and not the norm - most are happy to see you using a carseat. Be sure your seat has an intact "FAA approved" sticker, and don't be afraid to stand up for your rights.

 

[Lella]

We flew to Disney on Continental from Newark when my DD was 10 mos old and they let my DH preboard w/out us to put the seat in (rear facing). The FA even offered assistance. You may need to ask for a seatbelt extender, we didn't know about them until the FA offered us one, it made it much easier to put the seat in.

 

[javaj]

We brought our Britax Roundabout for DS until just recently (last flight he was about 3 yrs 7 mos, 35 lbs, 40 inches, and we didn't bring it).

We had some flights where the car seat was too big for the seat and we had to gate check it. The ones I remember specifically were connecting Skywest flights, I'm pretty sure it was on the CRJ. The car seat always fit on the 757 and 737 and on the A320.

 

[ptslp]

We have travelled with our Evenflo Triumph several times! Actually, we are leaving with it tomorrow!! I would take the one that your child is most comfortable in. Yes, the Triumph is a bit wide, but when you put the arm rest up, it fits fine. I sit next to my dd and have a bit less space, but it isn't terrible. I use the side of her seat as my armrest.

As for letting you use either one- look now for the stickers with FAA approval. Make sure you understand the stickers- if you have a seat that eventually converts to a booster, make sure you see the part where it says "FAA approved with harness"- they are not approved with just a seatbelt, but that has been the part that the Flight Attendant's seem to see when they have looked at ours. I calmly explain that with the harness, it is approved and point it out. Have your seat out of the bag if you are going to use one, prior to boarding the plane- We have been asked while waiting to board and then again as soon as we got on the plane to prove the seat was FAA approved.

I hope this helps

 

[tjmw2727]

I have never been denied the use of a carseat, almost happened once but another FA overheard and settled things . I had often ben asked to see the sticker on the seat indicating it meets FAA regulations. My dd's are grown out of the 5 pt type but IIRC there is no exact mention of FAA regulations on the sticker. I think it said something more like certified for use in aircraft so don't freak if you don't see the reference to FAA.

TJ

 

[las3888]

We have travelled with our Evenflo Triumph several times! Actually, we are leaving with it tomorrow!! I would take the one that your child is most comfortable in. Yes, the Triumph is a bit wide, but when you put the arm rest up, it fits fine. I sit next to my dd and have a bit less space, but it isn't terrible. I use the side of her seat as my armrest.

As for letting you use either one- look now for the stickers with FAA approval. Make sure you understand the stickers- if you have a seat that eventually converts to a booster, make sure you see the part where it says "FAA approved with harness"- they are not approved with just a seatbelt, but that has been the part that the Flight Attendant's seem to see when they have looked at ours. I calmly explain that with the harness, it is approved and point it out. Have your seat out of the bag if you are going to use one, prior to boarding the plane- We have been asked while waiting to board and then again as soon as we got on the plane to prove the seat was FAA approved.

I hope this helps

I wasn't sure what the harness is about? I am not sure what a harness is. Our seat does not convert to booster so I am guessing it is something that I wouldn't have to worry about with my regular convertible seat??? Thanks also for pointing out that you can use your evenflo. I might consider it. We have been using the Cosco so he can get used to it and he doesn't really seem to care too much which one he is in. He has fallen asleep in both. Will have to mull it over. Good to know that you have used it plenty though!

Thanks for all the helpful advice to everybody! I feel more confident that the seat will fit and we are not lugging it around for nothing. I will also be organized to show it to the FA's when we board - thanks for the forewarning.

I also did notice that on the stickers it does not say FAA approved but that it is approved for use on an aircraft (or car).

 

[ptslp]

I wasn't sure what the harness is about? I am not sure what a harness is. Our seat does not convert to booster so I am guessing it is something that I wouldn't have to worry about with my regular convertible seat??? Thanks also for pointing out that you can use your evenflo. I might consider it. We have been using the Cosco so he can get used to it and he doesn't really seem to care too much which one he is in. He has fallen asleep in both. Will have to mull it over. Good to know that you have used it plenty though!

Thanks for all the helpful advice to everybody! I feel more confident that the seat will fit and we are not lugging it around for nothing. I will also be organized to show it to the FA's when we board - thanks for the forewarning.

I also did notice that on the stickers it does not say FAA approved but that it is approved for use on an aircraft (or car).

FAA or aircraft is the same! Sorry for the confusion. As for the harness, if your seat doesn't convert to a booster, it is not relevant- I wasn't sure about your Cosco. The Evenflo Triumph doesn't convert, so you always need the harness. That is all I meant! I have had a few flight attendant's give me a hard time about my son's seat that converts to a booster when he is big enough.

 

[stacy6552]

OUrs was checked for the sticker once as well. We fly United all the time and have never ever had a problem. UNited was one of the first to really encourage parents to use them. Bring the seats. Use them.

 

[ZanneMarie]

FAA or aircraft is the same! Sorry for the confusion. As for the harness, if your seat doesn't convert to a booster, it is not relevant- I wasn't sure about your Cosco. The Evenflo Triumph doesn't convert, so you always need the harness. That is all I meant! I have had a few flight attendant's give me a hard time about my son's seat that converts to a booster when he is big enough.

I am glad that you posted about using the booster with harness successfully. I am considering using that instead of the bigger 'toddler' seat for our flight next week. I was thinking that it would be easier to use the tray table with the booster with harness since the sides of the seat would not be blocking the tray table from coming down. Ours says it is approved with harness I was just wondering if I would have any trouble with it.

 

[tjmw2727]

I am glad that you posted about using the booster with harness successfully. I am considering using that instead of the bigger 'toddler' seat for our flight next week. I was thinking that it would be easier to use the tray table with the booster with harness since the sides of the seat would not be blocking the tray table from coming down. Ours says it is approved with harness I was just wondering if I would have any trouble with it.

You should be fine. Sometimes the FA's look quickly and only see the sticker that says not approved when not using the harness. Mine had two stickers one for use with the harness that sait the seat was certified for use in aircraft and one for use without the harness, not certified.

Be sure you are ready to point out the difference politely to the FA. I had one FA that was really confused as to why it would have both stickers and was going with the determination that we could not use it. Luckily another FA was familiar with the seat and we were fine.

TJ

 

[tsoccer5]

we have flown well over 20 times with our two children.

Even when we did not buy a seat for DS we would always bring his carseat to the gate with us and we always traveled at non-peak time, we would book the window seat for DH and DH would then move, if he had to, to another open seat on the plane. We successfully did that for many years with my now 2 and 4 yr olds, now we always have to buy seats anyways.

Most Britax Carseats are NOT airline approved, the base is larger than the airline seat. We have a Century Smartmove that also has that wide base and therefore is not airline approved. We also have the Graco Cargo, which can ONLY be used with the 5 pt harness, no "true" booster seats are allowed on the plane, my 4yr old was more then 40lbs before age 4 so we had to start checking his seat then. We have a smaller regular carseat for DHs car and that is the one we take with us on the plane, it is 4 yrs old now, but has never been in an accident and is in great shape, so we still take that one with us whenever we travel. we have a carseat bag, or you can always pull out on of the shoulder straps and put that over your shoulder and carry the carseat across your back.

Good luck! Happy travels!

 

[tlbwriter]

Most Britax Carseats are NOT airline approved, the base is larger than the airline seat.

That is not true. The only Britax carseats that are not airline approved are their largest seats - the Husky, Super Elite (discontinued), and Traveller Plus (may be discontinued, I can't remember). These are extra large seats that go up to 80 lb harnessed. And of course their belt-positioning boosters are not approved. All other Britax harnessed seats, including the Roundabout, Marathon, Wizard, Advantage, Boulevard, Companion, Decathlon, Expressway, etc., are approved for use on aircraft.

 

[Gillian]

Our roundabout has the sticker.

It's good to know about the booster/harness seats, as we will by flying with one of those for the first time in december.

 

[Cthia]

I am glad I found this. I had no idea that some airlines would give you a hard time about bringing on car seats, I would figure they would encourage it.


I am flying out on Wednesday and we are taking the car seat but now I am wondering if they will let me bring it on the plane. It is an Eddie Bauer style seat. I wonder if I should remove the base from it. I don't want to have to check it. I don't want it down in the luggage area getting dirty.

 

[tlbwriter]

I am flying out on Wednesday and we are taking the car seat but now I am wondering if they will let me bring it on the plane. It is an Eddie Bauer style seat. I wonder if I should remove the base from it. I don't want to have to check it. I don't want it down in the luggage area getting dirty.

There's a good forum at http://www.car-seat.org/ . If you ask there, you might find someone who has used your particular seat on a plane and can give you some advice.

 

[Cthia]

Thank you so much tlbwriter. I will check that website out.