Booster seats on plane

[wareagle]

We are planning to fly with Southwest in Sept. My youngest son will have just turned four at the end of August. Does anyone have any experience carrying your own booster seat with you on the plane? We have 2 different ones (the one we use and one my parents keep and use). He always rides in one in the car and I would rather use my own instead of renting one from the car rental place. If I can't use it on the plane, will they allow me to gate check it (along with my umbrella stroller)?

 

[Masonpips]

if the booster is used as a 5 pt harness (vs. just the regular seatbelt) he can use it on most airlines (as long as it's not monster huge).

If not, you can check it with your other luggage and get it at the end. You might be able to gate check it - typically if it won't fit on the plane, I think they gate check it for you.

Also, you could look into the Britax Laptop ($50) and the Evenflo Rightfit ($20ish) as "travel" boosters if your child is over 40 lbs. The Britax gets high marks in terms of lightness. We used the Rightfit when we went to Hawaii for my son. It's a butt booster and has a strap that helps adjust the car seatbelt to the right height across his chest.

Both of these are not used on the airplanes tho - they're for rental cars only.

HTH

 

[Chance's Mom]

The bad thing about using a booster on the plane is that your DS won't be able to use the tray table. My DS (age 5) really enjoys using the tray for legos, snacks. He didn't use his car seat on the last trip (1/02). He is now old enough to understand about staying in your seat D ) and really enjoyed using the tray. The flight attendants will always help you gate check strollers and carseat.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

this is from SWA's site:

Although one might think that any type of restraint device would provide at least some degree of flight safety enhancement, this is not the case. Some child restraints may do a good job of protecting children in automobiles or in other situations, but are not appropriate for aviation use. Recent testing and research have led the FAA to ban the use on aircraft of certain types of child restraints that may be harmful to a child in the event of an aviation emergency. These include booster seats, safety belt extensions (commonly referred to as "belly belts"), and vest or harness devices that attach to an adult or to the seatbelt of the child's own seat. Although some were manufactured before the FAA's ban may carry an insignia and/or language indicating they are approved for aircraft use, please understand that they are no longer permitted.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From this I get the impression that boosters are not permitted.