Buy infant a plane ticket?

[MimiOfTwo]

I'm taking my dd and 2 grands to DW this Nov. We will be flying SW. I could save $225 or so if dgs flies as a lap child. His mommy insist he will be happier if she is holding him. It's an hour and 15 minute non stop flight. I'm just nervous about not having him buckled in. WWYD?

 

[NJlauren]

I've flown 3 times with DD as a lap infant (3,7 and 10 months). I have it planned again for 15 months I'm not sure if I will do it after that just because of how big she will be. But I have had no issues all flights were 3 or 2 and a half hours.

I think you will be fine.

 

[Alesia]

I would buy him seat. Even if your daughter holds him the whole time, I would rather have someplace safe for him to be in the event of an emergency. In my mind, its the same as putting a child in a car seat in a car - you could likely go for years holding your child in your lap in a car without incident, but would you risk it? The risk of a car accident is relatively small, but they happen without warning. I think $225 is a small price to pay for piece of mind.

Having said that, plenty of people do it every year without incident.

 

[InStitchesinNE]

We flew with 18 month old twins as lap infants. No problems, they preferred snuggling with us. Flights were almost three hours, we brought snacks and new toys to keep them busy and had great flights both directions.

 

[charmed59]

It's marginally safer, and much more comfortable for all involved, to buy the baby a seat.

Airline seats are pretty tight. But if you have a child next to the mom that is pretty small, you have a bit of extra room for the any squirmy feet. If I were doing that with my DD and grandkids, I'd put them in a row, and take the seat across the aisle.

 

[goofy4tink]

It's not something I'm comfortable with, but.......I was on a train from RI to NYC a number of years ago. Seated behind us was a nice young couple with a very young baby. We got to talking...turns out he was on his way to Newark Intl to pilot a flight...very last minute. His wife had been a flight attendant. I asked them what they thought about lap babies. They had absolutely no issue with it. Said they do it all the time...especially on shorter flights. They felt it wasn't all that unsafe. I was really surprised.
Many, many people take lap babies on flights. Me? I'm too selfish. I don't want to be juggling my child the entire time. But a flight under 2 hrs. might be doable especially if there is more than one adult.

 

[Gracie09]

Everything on the plane has to be stowed and locked for take off and landing except lap infants. If the coffee pot has to be locked in why is it ok for a baby to not be locked in. Arms are not strong enough to hold on to a baby in an emergency.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I would fly with him as a lap child.

 

[Minniesgal]

Shouldn't this be the child's mother's decision?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

OP posted that Mom says sitting on her lap is okay.

 

[ice cube]

We did it with our two daughters more times than I can remember over and we all made it with flying colors.....if there is a "real" emergency that a mother won't be able to hold her child in her arms there probably won't be any survivors so it won't matter if the baby is belted or not...just my opinion..

 

[maxiesmom]

We did it with our two daughters more times than I can remember over and we all made it with flying colors.....if there is a "real" emergency that a mother won't be able to hold her child in her arms there probably won't be any survivors so it won't matter if the baby is belted or not...just my opinion..

Not true. The vast majority of plane crashes are survivable. Even if the plane hits some rough air that could be enough to snatch the child out of someone's arms, but not enough to injure those who are belted in.

 

[nugov2]

Never would I fly with a child in my lap, but that's just me. I also have my kids in a 5 pt harness well beyond the recommended age. My kids are buckled in the whole time we fly and so am I Unless using the washroom. Sudden turbulence cam and has caused serious injury on flights.

 

[robinb]

I'm taking my dd and 2 grands to DW this Nov. We will be flying SW. I could save $225 or so if dgs flies as a lap child. His mommy insist he will be happier if she is holding him. It's an hour and 15 minute non stop flight. I'm just nervous about not having him buckled in. WWYD?

What would I do? I would fly with him as a lap child. I held my DD as a lap child many times before she was required to have a seat. If it makes *you* feel better, then by all means buy the baby a seat.

Be aware that some people have very strong views on this subject.

 

[Alesia]

We did it with our two daughters more times than I can remember over and we all made it with flying colors.....if there is a "real" emergency that a mother won't be able to hold her child in her arms there probably won't be any survivors so it won't matter if the baby is belted or not...just my opinion..

95.7% of people involved in plane crashes survive.

 

[gwynne]

95.7% of people involved in plane crashes survive.

Are you talking about commercial airlines (the subject here), or all kinds of airplanes?

 

[Alesia]

Are you talking about commercial airlines (the subject here), or all kinds of airplanes?

All the commercial airline accidents between 1983 and 2000.

And, for what it's worth, during that time period there were 561 accidents. Only 71 of those resulted in any fatalities at all.

The idea that people don't survive plane crashes is completely false.

 

[DebbieB]

Not all "accidents" are horrific. If a plane skids off an icy runway, it's counted even though no one was killed. A baby could fly out of its mother's arms even in a case like that.

I was on a SW flight last year that was on approach to land and the FA made a frantic announcement to please hold the lap baby on their lap. Apparently the parent was allowing the child to stand up. They were a few rows behind me and after the announcement the baby started screaming. I guess the baby didn't want to sit.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Are you talking about commercial airlines (the subject here), or all kinds of airplanes?

NTSB statistics http://abcnews.go.com/International/odds-surviving-plane-crash/story?id=22886654

 

[disney world dreamer]

with that short of a flight and the mother willing to hold the infant i would not purchase a seat.

a PP said to buy one even if the mother holds the child for peace of mind in case of an emergency but if an emergency occurs there's a good chance there will not be time to buckle the child in the seat.