Baby on lap

[MiniGirl]

It is actually statistically A LOT safer than riding in a car. As in, the way people jump down other people's throats when they say they don't buy a seat you'd have to ask them if they take their child in the car. Because it is way more likely that something will happen in a car - and most of us still put our kids in a car at least once a day.

Yes, I have flown with my DS as a lap child - at 9 mos and 16 mos. I did my own research, looked at numbers and decided that based on the them, I was not going to buy a seat. I did however purchase him a seat at 20 mos because he's now bigger and a lot harder to hold (we were flying without my DH).

And believe it or not, my cousin in a pilot for FedEx and recently flew from Anchorage to Pittsburgh with his wife and DS 20 mos and DD 8 mos both as lap children. I would think a pilot would have first hand experience.

And my husband, a pilot for a major US passenger airline, would take the next flight if it meant not having a seat for our children. I'm not arguing with you. It is no skin off my back if someone wants to buy a seat or not. I just don't want people thinking that ALL pilots feel the same as your cousin because they don't.

 

[MiniGirl]

We did not buy tickets for our under-2 kids when they were that age. However, on all flights except one or two we always were able to get them a seat (flights were not full) which was convenient, but not necessary IMO.

I agree with some of the PP's who have told you that you are not a bad parent whatever you choose to do.

I find it interesting that the FAA feels infants should be in their own seats. Aren't they the same people who are SLEEPING while planes are landing?

No. That would be ATC.

 

[GoofItUp]

No. That would be ATC.

Right...and ATC are under the FAA.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have done both.

Use whatever makes you more comfortable. Just understand that there are risks with having a lap baby. Most often, they will be okay. But there have been documented instances where they were not (as in, they were injured, or they died when they could have lived).

In case you were curious, there is an extra oxygen mask in each row though in case that is needed on your trip. However, there is only one--so a row cannot have 2 lap babies in it (row meaning/same side of the plane).

But--a car seat will always be safer than being on a lap. But I'd still consider flying with a lap child. As always, it ends up being a financial decision as well as a personal one.

 

[krislati]

Oh my! I didn't realize this would be a touchy subject. I appreciate all of your responses. I've never flew with an infant, dd was 4 when she first flew so I asked purely out not knowing. How do I know if my carseat is FAA approved? I would hate to lug it all the way to the airport only for them to refuse to let me use it. My flight is from PA to FL so it should only be 2.5 hrs, I don't think I would be uncomfortable with him in my lap, for some reason it makes me feel more comfortable holding him. But I never thought that turbulence can cause the infant to be injured, I've never been on a plane with that much turbulence before. thank goodness.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Oh my! I didn't realize this would be a touchy subject. I appreciate all of your responses. I've never flew with an infant, dd was 4 when she first flew so I asked purely out not knowing. How do I know if my carseat is FAA approved? I would hate to lug it all the way to the airport only for them to refuse to let me use it. My flight is from PA to FL so it should only be 2.5 hrs, I don't think I would be uncomfortable with him in my lap, for some reason it makes me feel more comfortable holding him. But I never thought that turbulence can cause the infant to be injured, I've never been on a plane with that much turbulence before. thank goodness.

No worries, most car seats sold in the US are approved by the FAA. There should be a statement in RED on one of the stickers on the side of the seat stating that the seat is certified for use in aircraft.

Here are two sites w/ more info about using child restraints on airplanes that may help.

CPSafety - Airline Travel

FAA - Child Safety on Airplanes

Enjoy your trip. We are in Philly and have flown to Orlando many times. The kids love it!

 

[krislati]

No worries, most car seats sold in the US are approved by the FAA. There should be a statement in RED on one of the stickers on the side of the seat stating that the seat is certified for use in aircraft.

Here are two sites w/ more info about using child restraints on airplanes that may help.

CPSafety - Airline Travel

FAA - Child Safety on Airplanes

Enjoy your trip. We are in Philly and have flown to Orlando many times. The kids love it!

Thanks, I'm going to check it out and see if mine is approved.

We always fly out of Philly but this time we are going out of Allentown. I like non stop flights so I drive the hr or so, so I don't have to fly to philly then to orlando.

 

[serenita05]

Her own seat and we used her car seat

 

[tlbwriter]

My rule is, if I cannot afford a safe seat for every person in my party, especially the youngest and most vulnerable ones, then I can't afford that trip. Period. So I would buy the seat and use my carseat.

That's horrifying!! Why put the baby on the floor? You said back then.. so they no longer do that??

It's not for your child's safety, it's for the safety of the other passengers. If you're holding the baby in your arms during a crash (or even bad turbulence), it will become an airborne projectile. They want you to put the baby on the floor so that it will not injure other passengers when it becomes a projectile. And I believe that is still the policy.

My children and now my grandchildren fly as lap babies but I did purchase this for my grandson

http://www.amazon.com/Infant-Flight-Vest-Travel-Harness/dp/B000058DQB

It is not approved for take off or landing but it does secure them for turbulence during the flight and it also gives you a little break as far as holding the baby.
There is a you tube video too if your interested you could search it out.

If you're going to use something like this, do not use the Baby B'air. There is a similar product that is approved for take-off and landing - the CARES harness: http://www.kidsflysafe.com/

 

[Hannathy]

They want you to put the baby on the floor so that it will not injure other passengers when it becomes a projectile. And I believe that is still the policy.



I

Then you believe very wrongly!!!! I can not emphasize this enough this has not been the policy for at least 20 years.!! Yes that is 20 years and people are still telling people this!

I don't understand why people who don't know perpetuate this totally wrong story.

You hold the child facing you against your chest with your arm up across it's back.

 

[tlbwriter]

Then you believe very wrongly!!!! I can not emphasize this enough this has not been the policy for at least 20 years.!! Yes that is 20 years and people are still telling people this!

I don't understand why people who don't know perpetuate this totally wrong story.

I was told this by someone who had to do it, and it WAS in the last 20 years.

 

[marmalade]

Just curious, is there somewhere that gives the statistics of injuries caused to lap children? I'm just curious as to how many kids have actually been documentated cases of being injured while being a lap baby.

 

[Hannathy]

I was told this by someone who had to do it, and it WAS in the last 20 years.

Well I don't believe them because it has been printed on all the planes that I have flown on in the last 20 yrs what to do with a baby and also when I had an emergency landing while my DD was a lap child.

And even if it was in the last 19 yrs not 20 it is DEFINITELY not what is done now and that is all that really matters now isn't it?

 

[tlbwriter]

Well I don't believe them because it has been printed on all the planes that I have flown on in the last 20 yrs what to do with a baby and also when I had an emergency landing while my DD was a lap child.

And even if it was in the last 19 yrs not 20 it is DEFINITELY not what is done now and that is all that really matters now isn't it?

To me, it's a moot point. What I would do in a crash with my lap baby is completely irrelevant, since I would never find myself in that situation.

 

[krislati]

I just booked him his own seat, this projectile baby stuff made me nervous. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[Hannathy]

To me, it's a moot point. What I would do in a crash with my lap baby is completely irrelevant, since I would never find myself in that situation.

No but to perpetuate that action as if it is the truth is kinda pushing your agenda don't ya think?

 

[CandleontheWater]

The Cares harness will not work for lap children, it will only work if you have your own seat. It is basically an alternative to brining a car seat on board.

My husband is also a pilot and we have only flown with my son as a lap child. I do have the baby b'air harness, and it works very well. It does provide some peace of mind with regards to turbulence, and it makes my life easier.

My DH is OK with DS as a lap child because the chance that a situation would arise where he would be injured or killed as a lap child, but not if he was in a car seat is very small. Basically if things go a little wrong he will be fine either way, if things go very wrong a car seat will not save him.

 

[NYEmomma]

I've never traveled with a child under 2 & don't plan on doing so, but I'm curious about the number of people on this thread that have said they bought a seat for their infant & brought their car seat with them, only to be told by flight staff that it had to be checked as luggage and stored under the plane...

Were all these instances with car seats that aren't suitable for use in airplane seats? Is there some universal FAA policy that says you MUST be allowed to use your car seat if it is an approved model or does each airline make its own rules?

I would be absolutely furious if I purchased a seat for my infant with the intent of securely fastening her in her car seat, only to be told that I can't use my car seat on the plane and completely wasted all of that money I spent on a seat for her.

 

[tlbwriter]

No but to perpetuate that action as if it is the truth is kinda pushing your agenda don't ya think?

One person on the internet tells me something happened to her. Another person on the internet tells me she's lying. Why should I believe you over her? It would be more helpful to your own particular agenda if you'd actually provide some information, like a link, instead of simply making lots of angry posts that basically say "nuh uh!!!"

 

[tlbwriter]

Basically if things go a little wrong he will be fine either way, if things go very wrong a car seat will not save him.

This is what a lot of people think, but the truth is that there is a world of things that can happen between "a little wrong" and "catastrophic failure." This line of thinking would make sense if anything other than "a little wrong" would kill most passengers, but that's not the case. In fact, most people today survive airplane crashes.