Baby on plane - where do you put them if not in a carseat?

[PrincessasMommy]

I was just wondering what others do......

We are traveling by plane for the first time with all 5 of us! We will be lugging 3 kids, 2 carseats, 1 playpen, luggage, double stroller and poor Dad! I don't want to bring more than I need.....so for those of you who have not purchased a seat for baby - I would do it if we could afford too, I know it is safer but we are paying $500.00 per person (the children are charged full price) for 4 of us ($2000.00 isn't that insane??) so opted to hold the baby (8 months when travelling). I called the airline and they told us to bring the baby carseat up to the plane incase there is an empty seat they will allow us to use it.

Long story for a short question really......
Would you put baby in a front carrier (Snugli) or in a sling while on the plane? I am a terrible flyer - too many kids to look after to be drugged or else I would - I am scared to death and that we couldn't spend the extra $500.00 to get her a seat makes me feel worse. We are staying off-site and only there for 4 days so it's not like we are staying at a high-end resort and being cheap, kwim?

 

[disnutt]

There is a Baby B'air that is a vest that you put on baby and can then hook your seat belt through. They are at www.onestepahead.com for about $29.99.

 

[jel0511]

MY first question is this: If your child was 2 and required by law to have a seat would you still be going? I'm sorry, but saying you're not buying your child a seat to save money isn't a good answer. My child is worth more than $500 to me, actually they are priceless, and it's definitely worth it to secure their safety. You can't use anything to seucre the child, like you're mentioning, they're actually illegal to use during times the seatbelt sign is illuminated. Which of course is the time you'd want your child secured. So, you're stuck holding your child, and hoping for the best.

Edited to add: that the item listed above is only approced for using during cruise when the seat belt sign IS NOT illuminated. It can not be used during take offs and landings, as well as during turbulance.

 

[lclark0621]

When we fly with DS we buy him a seat for room.

I bought one of those flight vest from One Step Ahead. It attaches him to my or DH's seatbelt.

It has worked really well in the past. We even used it when we fly to Europe (8+ hours) & DS is wonderful in it. I will take it off & let him stretch a bit on long flights, but for the most part he is attached to me.

On shorter flights, like here to Orlando, DS will usually sleep the whole time so it works wonderfully.

 

[3mickeys&me]

I have flown with my ds #1 when he was 14 mos old on my lap. He was fine. He was easy to entertain. He spent some time on my lap and some on dh's.

Do what works best for you and your family.

 

[Annette_VA]

DS1 just sat on my lap when we went.

I believe that you are not allowed to have baby in a Snugli during a flight.

 

[rgribik]

I know many people have very strong feelings on the car seat in an airplane question, but we have been flying from PA to Disney(and all over the usa) since my oldest was 10 months old(she is now 12) and I never used a car seat. We now fly with twins and both my husband and I hold one. I have never had any trouble holding a baby(maybe I'm lucky). And yes my 5 kids are the most precious thing in the world to me, but let's face it, if the plane goes down your carseat isn't going to help. We have hit some terrible turbulance and I feel better holding my babies. I travel as light as possible, but just relax you will be fine. Don't let anyone tell you that you should not take a vacation just because it isn't their way of taking one.

 

[Kasmir]

Please don't think me judgmental, but I shudder at the thought of a baby of mine becoming a flying missile during an air crisis. It is literally physically impossible for you to continue to grip your baby -- no matter how hard you try -- if the airplane were to make a sudden and sharp descent or if you were to encounter severe turbulence.

Of course, when you consider how many planes complete safe flights each day, you probably have a better chance of dying from a rattlesnake bite in downtown Manhattan than having your baby become a statistic.

The same is true for your house burning down, but you still have homeowner's insurance.

I would look at puchasing the extra seat as insurance and secure my child in an FAA-approved child seat. I would make up for it by cutting down the budget in other ways.

I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if something were to happen that harmed my child, but was preventable.

Again, you make your own decision and I am not trying to foist my opinion on you, but it is definitely an issue to consider.

Most people would be horrified if, at a stoplight, they looked over at the next car and saw a seatbelted woman holding an infant loose in her lap. Air travel should be no different....

I hope that you're able to resolve your issue...
Sheila

 

[peanuttrip]

Our child is now five years old, so we do not have a choice is buying a seat. We traveled for the first time when she was three months old and bearly had enough money to buy tickets for my wife and I let alone one for a baby. We flew southwest so there was no assigned seats, but were able to board first with a baby. We sat in a row with three seats and one of us held the baby. We were lucky enough the it was time for a bottle, so while everyone else was boarding I was feeding the baby. As the plane begain to fill up and passengers begin to look at the seat between us i would think it was time to wip the excess formula away from her mouth and pull the bottle out to clean her up and she would start to cry. When the person saw what they were going to sit next to they looked elsewhere. Once they had everyone aboard we pulled down her car seat straped her in and she sleep the whole fight. The funny thing about it was we were told that the flight was full, if not over booked, don't know but it worked great for us.

 

[Kasmir]

It's me again... I just wanted to comment and clarify something that rgribik said...

I'm not saying that you shouldn't take a vacation. That's silly. I just wanted to put that out there! Of course your children are precious to you, or you wouldn't have even bothered to ask this question. They are lucky to have you for a mom!

But one thing that should be corrected: To say that "if the plane goes down your car seat isn't going to help" is wrong. Most plane crisis don't result in devastating crashes, and likewise, many plane crashes don't result in catastrophic deaths.

 

[rgribik]

Listen, I don't want to debate air safety, I can come up with stats too if needed, but everyone is so ready to jump on people who ask this kind of question and I just wanted to put some of her fears to rest. I personally hate flying, but sometimes have no choice. And yes my kids always use carseats in the car, wear bike helmets and don't run with scissors. I worry more on the Disney buses that wing around corners and seem to drive 90 miles an hour than I do on a plane. Maybe it would be nice if for all the money we spend on airfare, they would provide seats for the carseat ages.

 

[J/T Gramdma]

I firmly believe in car seats and securing your child. My child's life was saved by a carseat before they were mandatory. That said- if I could not afford the ticket I would make sure my child could be secured somehow, a snugly or the item mentioned earlier that secured her to a parent seatbelt. The air attendents, if there is an emergency will tell you to hold or put the child on the floor and then will sit down and buckle themselves in their seatbelts. They don't care what you do, they are only required to tell you what youare supposed to do according to the regs. If the child is on the floor,they become a missle and usually do not survive. So please secure your child so you and the child will be ok. Just my 2cents worth!

 

[akrake]

my question is why do you have to pay full price for your kids? mine always fly at a discounted rate & the baby (infant in a seat under age 2) flies at an even cheaper rate. you can get these rates via a travel agent, airline website or orbitz.
amie
ps. i'd get a seat.

 

[Kasmir]

I know what you were trying to say, rgribik, and I wasn't trying to debate... I understand where you're coming from and I wasn't trying to jump on anyone! I was just giving my opinion.

Yes, airlines SHOULD have safety seats for children who are still in car seats! But I don't think that the original OP's post was as much about the car seat issue, as it was about having to purchase an additional airfare.

 

[tjmw2727]

To answer your question, your baby must stay on your lap (or dh's etc) and can not be secured to you in any way, via seat belt or vest harness device or snugli or sling.

If you doubt this you can check with your carrier but I am 100% certain these are not approved for flight and I have seen a FA confiscate a snugli to be returned after the flight. Anything other than a CSR with a sticker indicating it is approved for use in the aircraft can not be used. I still can't figure out how the Baby B'Air can claim what it does as it can not be used on a US commercial airline. Perhaps they can be used on internations flights?

Check with your carrier for specifics and bring the carseat in case there is an open seat.

I will try and find my links for flying with children - esp those that deal with lap children.

TJ

Ok found it, from AA website - Delta, Southwest and Jet Blue are similar in wording.
here is the link
https://www.aa.com/content/travelIn.../childrenTraveling.jhtml#Seating Restrictions

In case my link dosen't work here is a quote:

These are the Non-Approved:

"FAA Non-Approved Infant Seat or Child Restraint Devices
The following may not be used when an infant seat or child restraint device is required:
Any device without an approval label
Booster seats without an approval label or shoulder harness
Belt extensions that attach to the parent or the parent's restraint
Any device that positions a child on the lap or chest of an adult "

 

[PrincessasMommy]

I was just wondering what others do......

.....so for those of you who have not purchased a seat for baby - I would do it if we could afford too, I know it is safer ..........Would you put baby in a front carrier (Snugli) or in a sling while on the plane? ...........I am scared to death and that we couldn't spend the extra $500.00 to get her a seat makes me feel worse.

Perhaps I should have gone into greater detail.............

This is not a planned Disney vacation, and was soooo not in our budget, but my 85 year old grandmother is slowly dying and her last wish is to meet my 2 youngest children as she has never met them . Her Cardiologist told us to get there as soon as we can so April it is. She lives near Disney and as a result we will be visiting there as we have a 9 year old and to be so close to her dream and not take her would not be fair in our opinion. This is why budget is a factor, we have 3 children, just bought a new house and I am presently on maternity leave so $$ is tight. I feel that I should explain as my screen name indicates I am the mom of 3 true Princesses, they are beautiful, wonderful children and I am blessed to have them. I would never do anything to harm them and for the record, my travel agent told me that she has never had someone ask to purchase a seat for a baby under 2 (although she has been looking into it for me - before this post might I add). I am just looking for alternatives so my baby will be attached to me somehow as I clearly am concerned for her safety. I thank many of you for your kindness even when trying to enlighten me and to the poster who asked if my child is worth $500.00, well that's just a silly question, isn't it? Not trying to start a debate but looking for genuine assistance.

 

[Schmeck]

Well, it sounds like you're not allowed to attach your child to yourself with any type of device, so what are the options? Either get the seat, or hold the baby without restraints. I second the motion to check with your airline.

My thoughts and prayers are with your family, especially your grandmother.

Another idea - would it be cheaper to drive?

Noted - you live in Canada, oops! Well, the east coast of Canada isn't too bad of a drive, two (long) days...

 

[Colinsmom]

Airfare for babies under the age of two is normally half price, so $250 instead of $500. We have always purchased a seat for DS (of course, now that he is over two, we are required to do so) and have always paid approximately half of the adult fare. If your travel agent can't figure this out, try calling the airline directly on your own.

 

[eeyore45]

Wow TJ thanks for posting that link... I've not heard that! When I flew with DD she was 8 months old and I had her in the sling, I thought that if there were turbalents, she'd be in the sling, if I had to leave the aircraft, she'd be secure attatched to me!! I imagine some fool sued the airlines, or some lawyer saw a possiblitie of a lawsuit...

to the OP, there is a transportation folder, you might try and post on, I noticed some people who work for the airlines post there!

and it must be hard for you in so many respects, your on maternity leave, and you have to visit a special grandparent!

 

[Kasmir]

I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother... I know that is very hard...

I hope that you and your family have a wonderful trip and make many precious memories together...