Big news: you can now buy an FAA approved child harness for commercial aircraft.

[NotUrsula]

A little over a year ago, the FAA approved a harness design for toddlers. It is made by a company called AmSafe, and it wraps around the aircraft seat to hold the child in position. Initially the FAA said that the airlines would be the ones to provide the harness if it was used, but not a single airline agreed to buy it.

Today the FAA has reversed itself and announced that the CARES harness can be sold directly to consumers for use in commercial aircraft. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4167346.html

The harness is priced at $75, and the website where you can order it is www.kidsflysafe.com. AmSafe anticipates that the first shipments will go out in October.

PS: Based on some of the photos I've seen, depending on the child's height, it looks like this gadget *may* block the use of the tray table by the passenger seated behind the child. The website doesn't have installation instructions posted yet.

 

[disneyldwjr]

A little over a year ago, the FAA approved a harness design for toddlers. It is made by a company called AmSafe, and it wraps around the aircraft seat to hold the child in position. Initially the FAA said that the airlines would be the ones to provide the harness if it was used, but not a single airline agreed to buy it.

Today the FAA has reversed itself and announced that the CARES harness can be sold directly to consumers for use in commercial aircraft. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4167346.html

The harness is priced at $75, and the website where you can order it is www.kidsflysafe.com. AmSafe anticipates that the first shipments will go out in October.

PS: Based on some of the photos I've seen, depending on the child's height, it looks like this gadget *may* block the use of the tray table by the passenger seated behind the child. The website doesn't have installation instructions posted yet.

Oh that will cause a ruckus!!!! I would assume, bad thing to do, I know, that IF the harness needed to be installed where the tray table is, the tray table could be lowered during installation and then put back into it's upright and locked position. I am not sure I would be amused if I were the pax that could not use a tray table because of this (if alternate installation were not possible). Perhaps this is why the airlines did not purchase them (or one of the reasons, sanitation comes to mind too).

 

[robinb]

I think this looks like a great idea! I hope it works out for everyone concerned.

 

[NotUrsula]

It is my understanding that the airlines didn't buy them because the FAA originally said that FA's would have to install them, so it was a liability issue. There was also apparently some concern about possible increased turn times and added weight. (Each one weighs about a lb., and there was the inevitable issue of how many each aircraft should routinely carry.)

What I think is that they just didn't want to pony up for the expense of buying them, and everything else was secondary. Incidentally, I'm thinking that $75 is a bit steep for what is essentially a step up from a seatbelt extension. AA is making noises about possibly selling them to passengers, and I'm guessing that there will be a further markup if they do.

Again, I'm not sure about the tray table thing. The photo I saw last year (the one of the girl with the red pigtails) shows the seatband pretty high, which I think would hit above the top of the tray table. The new photo they just published (a boy holding a toy car) has it much lower, in a spot that looks just about even with where the tray table would be. You probably could close the tray table over the strap, but it would still require bugging the person behind you: "Sir, could you open your table so that I can hook this up?"

I think it is a good compromise for toddlers, but I anticipate that there will be issues about the awkwardness of intruding into someone else's space while installing it.

 

[disneyldwjr]

It is my understanding that the airlines didn't buy them because the FAA originally said that FA's would have to install them, so it was a liability issue. There was also apparently some concern about possible increased turn times and added weight. (Each one weighs about a lb., and there was the inevitable issue of how many each aircraft should routinely carry.)

What I think is that they just didn't want to pony up for the expense of buying them, and everything else was secondary. Incidentally, I'm thinking that $75 is a bit steep for what is essentially a step up from a seatbelt extension. AA is making noises about possibly selling them to passengers, and I'm guessing that there will be a further markup if they do.

Again, I'm not sure about the tray table thing. The photo I saw last year (the one of the girl with the red pigtails) shows the seatband pretty high, which I think would hit above the top of the tray table. The new photo they just published (a boy holding a toy car) has it much lower, in a spot that looks just about even with where the tray table would be. You probably could close the tray table over the strap, but it would still require bugging the person behind you: "Sir, could you open your table so that I can hook this up?"

I think it is a good compromise for toddlers, but I anticipate that there will be issues about the awkwardness of intruding into someone else's space while installing it.

Just speaking for myself here, I would not have any problems with someone installing it if it meant the insignificant process of opening the tray table and closing it afterwards. I would be shocked at anyone that did, but, there again, I am shocked at people's behavior on a continual basis. LOL. IE: the parents who discount the FAA's warning about lap children not being safe in some conditions.

 

[mdhkitten]

I was considering purchasing one until I read about them today and found out that they were $75! I just don't know if we'll fly enough by the time my dd is 40 lbs. to make it worth my while. Now I'm not sure what to do. My dd is 27 months (will be about 29 months on our next trip). Before now she flew as a lap child, so I've never had to bring her car seat on board. Last time we flew there were several 2 year olds (just a couple of months older than her....I found out from talking to their parents), who flew them and just used the regular seatbelt. I'm just not sure what to do.