Can I hold my 1 year old on my lap on a plane?

[NotUrsula]

I think we all can agree that when speaking of absolute odds, flying is safer than driving. If one is still deciding on mode of transport, and buying a separate seat for an under-2 is going to tip the odds in favor of driving, then yes, flying with a lap baby is the safer choice.

However ... if you have already made the decision that the family is going to fly, then the whole question of the relative safety of flying vs. driving has become totally irrelevant. In that case, the decision now before you becomes one of the relative safety of the child being in a carseat vs. being held in an adult's lap (without mechanical restraint, if you are flying in the US.) On that issue, there simply is no question; NTSB crash tests have determined that children under 40 lbs. who are secured in a CRS will be protected from injuries that children who are not so secured are likely to sustain. Tests have also shown that a child who weighs over 40 lbs. and is secured by only the lap belt is at the same risk of injury as an adult who is secured the same way. [emphasis mine] (Here is the most recent FAA report on the subject, from Sept. '05: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPACT/2005/August/Day-26/i16782.htm. The link to the crash test video in that report is broken; this is the correct link to that: http://www.faa.gov/education_research/research/med_humanfacs/aeromedical/media/vc07.avi)

Is it overkill to say that you are putting your child at great risk of death by carrying him as a lap-child? Yes, it is. Is it overkill to accuse the parent of a lap child of not caring about her child's safety? Yes, it is. Is it overkill to say that, on an aircraft, a child weighing < 40 lbs. who is held in the lap of an adult is at greater risk of injury than one who is properly strapped into an appropriate carseat whilst on an aircraft? No, it is not.

Again, it is a parent's choice. We all weigh risks every day in every action we take, and we all decide that there are certain levels of risk that we are willing to live with. My suggestion to parents faced with this choice is to look at the recommendations by your govt. air safety agency and the opinions of medical professionals. Inform yourself about the choice you are making, then make your decision.

I would, however, suggest that one NOT base this decision on whether or not your child is likely to make more or less noise while strapped into a carseat. Yes, we all like quiet flights, but a child's safety is more important than my comfort with the ambient noise level. If your child makes a fuss about being in a carseat, do apologize to those around you for the disturbance, but don't feel that you have to compromise your personal safety standards just because someone gives you a dirty look.

 

[grlpwrd]

Good grief, I was hoping not to enter this argument which gets shows up here often, but for the sake of protecting our children I must speak up.

Just because you can do it and people do it all the time doesn't mean one should do it. We're talking about the safety and life of a child and one injury or death is one too many.

For you, jodifla, to trivialize the imperitiveness of this issue and seemingly rationalize it is mingboggling plus you are a journalist according to your profile. To me you are not qualified to make judgments or encourage others to be so indifferent regarding a child's safety based on evidence and professional opinion. As a journalist your professional duty is to dispense accurate information, right? ....

Like I say always say better to spend $100s on a carseat or airplane seat rather than $1000s for a hospital bill or funeral. Injuring or losing a child is not worth it at all.



Peace and stay safe everyone!

 

[TammyJ]

For you, jodifla, to trivialize the imperitiveness of this issue and seemingly rationalize it is mingboggling plus you are a journalist according to your profile. To me you are not qualified to make judgments or encourage others to be so indifferent regarding a child's safety based on evidence and professional opinion. As a journalist your professional duty is to dispense accurate information, right? ....

Wow, I disagree with jodifla but it doesn't seem she is any less qualified to offer opinions than anyone else here. Let's not get too personal...

 

[jodifla]

Again, I feel the statistics back up me, so I have no problem stating my opinion on the matter. Yes, in a plane crash, a few lap children have died, among the MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS who have flown since 1978. They may or may not have lived if they were in a car seat. If a car seat on a plane drops the risk to a more acceptable level to you, than you should absolutely do it.

But when ever you go against the politically correct grain on this board, you are subject to personal attacks.

And as a journalist, you learn to give both sides of the story, even when people call you a pig and try to shut you up.

 

[daisyduck123]

Each & every time we flew half way across the country to visit my inlaws we always purchased seats for both DD & DS & had them strapped into their car seats. We never considered having them on our laps. They never kicked the seat in front of them or anything like that.

 

[KeepSwimming]

OP - you CAN do it. Whether or not you choose to do it is up to you. My oldest sat in my lap through lots of flights before he was 2 and no one has reported me to Child Services yet.

FYI -please PLEASE read the brochures on this whole "dramatic" issue, but don't take time away from an EVEN more serious issue that I (gasp) even heard children mocking yesterday. Apparently, (gulp) if you step on a crack you can (trying to stay calm to type here) break your mother's BACK!!! Be careful out there girl!

 

[shaylahc]

I only flew once with a baby on my lap, and never again. She was 6 mos old at the time and the person in front of me reclined their seat so DD was practically pinned to my chest We encountered some turbulence and I felt so horrible, worrying that DD might get hurt because she wasn't buckled in safely. Never again.

Many airlines will let you buy seats half price for those under 2 as a way to encourage parents to do so. IMHO it is MUCH better to buy a seat. I remember reading somewhere, too, that in an emergency landing or plane crash parents are told to place babies on the floor between their legs It's just all around better and safer to buy baby his or her own seat. JMHO.

 

[stacy6552]

The Baby B'air is not safe for children and you would not be allowed to use it during an emergency anyway.

 

[kidshop]

But when ever you go against the politically correct grain on this board, you are subject to personal attacks.

And as a journalist, you learn to give both sides of the story, even when people call you a pig and try to shut you up.

My vote is to buy a seat for the baby. And I would like to point out that it is the minority that advocates for children's safety and the minority is the side that is bashed as 'holier than thou' and called other names and told to shut up with all the overreacting. The minority calling for the utmost safety is who is REALLY going against the grain. The majority of the population generally just does the minimum just to get by, and follows the crowd. The amount of money for a seat is trivial in the long run, and peace of mind is priceless.

 

[TammyJ]

Meloneyb21...are you there??? Did we totally freak you out??? Did you think you were asking a simple question??? Any thoughts or would you rather not say???

 

[disneymom225]

I would definately purchase a seat. We did for DD in AUg. and it was great. She knows that in her car seat she has to sit down and stay in one place. SHe also managed to fall asleep for awhile and DH and I didn't have to hold her the whole time. I think some airlines give discounts for little ones but we paid full price.

 

[mill4023]

For those of you who believe you should ALWAYS buy a seat for your baby, even if you feel you can't really afford it, I have a question:

Would you tell those who drive to their vacation destination that they are bad parents and should fly even if it means they have to take fewer vacations and make more financial sacrifices?

 

[graygables]

For those of you who believe you should ALWAYS buy a seat for your baby, even if you feel you can't really afford it, I have a question:

Would you tell those who drive to their vacation destination that they are bad parents and should fly even if it means they have to take fewer vacations and make more financial sacrifices?

I'm not sure about the relevance of that remark. My question would be...do you drive with your child unbuckled? Then why should you fly with them that way? I have PERSONALLY witnessed infants, children, and adults literally fly into the air, high enough to hit their heads (or other body parts) on the overhead bins, some even knocked the bins open and the contents fell on the passengers below because of turbulence that the pilot had no advance warning of. Had I been holding my child in my lap in that instance, she could have been seriously injured by the suitcase that fell on top of me. Instead, she was safely buckled in her seat by the window. (where infant seats have to go).

With your analogy, one could say that if one doesn't buy a seat on the airplane b/c they "can't afford it", then a parent could refuse to buy an infant seat altogether b/c they "can't afford it". It really boils down to what you CHOOSE to afford.

 

[jodifla]

So, you can never nurse your baby on a plane? Or get out of your seat to go to the bathroom? Or let your child stretch his legs on a 3 hour flight?

People drive with kids unbuckled on buses, subways, trams and other transportation. ANd that's what airplanes are, public transportation.

 

[stacy6552]

A few lap children have died? Most have died and many died whose parents walked away from crashes. Many more have gotten seriously injured from turbulence.

And I don't think anyone here said not to get up and use the bathroom, nor to starve a child rather then nurse him. You cant make your argument by arguing against the most extreme position you can.

 

[jodifla]

Again, quit overstating the deaths. Since 1978, nine children have died, and five MIGHT have been saved if they would have been in a car seat.

Again, if parents want to buy seats, they absolutely should. But the risks of anything happening are being wildly overstated by some people. I'm not saying the risk is never there, but I'm wondering how some folks on this board ever leave their homes with their children with the state of fear they seem to live in.

 

[kidshop]

Is every other human being on the plane wearing a seatbelt when the plane takes off and lands and during turbulence? Does it make any sense for those under 2 to not have any protection? The attendants will harass you until you buckle up, but your baby, nah, just hold him....

Where is the logic? If no one else wore a seatbelt, as on other forms of public transportation, maybe that arguement would have merit. But if the parents are buckled in while their precious children are not, does that make ANY sense?

 

[graygables]

I never said I saw anyone die and I am NOT "overstating" anything by sharing what I, personally, have witnessed on aircraft. American Airlines started a campaign several years ago asking passengers to remain buckled while seated for their own safety after several incidents of the type I described.

As I said before, it is a matter of what one CHOOSES to afford and not so much that they "can't afford it".

 

[mill4023]

I'm not sure about the relevance of that remark. My question would be...do you drive with your child unbuckled? Then why should you fly with them that way? I have PERSONALLY witnessed infants, children, and adults literally fly into the air, high enough to hit their heads (or other body parts) on the overhead bins, some even knocked the bins open and the contents fell on the passengers below because of turbulence that the pilot had no advance warning of. Had I been holding my child in my lap in that instance, she could have been seriously injured by the suitcase that fell on top of me. Instead, she was safely buckled in her seat by the window. (where infant seats have to go).

With your analogy, one could say that if one doesn't buy a seat on the airplane b/c they "can't afford it", then a parent could refuse to buy an infant seat altogether b/c they "can't afford it". It really boils down to what you CHOOSE to afford.

Driving with a child unbuckled does not save you hundreds of dollars. Buying a car seat costs $50 and it can be used for thousands of trips over the course of several years. Neither one is the same as paying several hundred dollars more for another seat on a plane.
It is a relevant analogy because in both cases you are talking about making a choice to spend a large amount of money to make your child safer.

If you think that any parents who spend less money and do not buy an additional seat are doing the wrong thing, you could make the exact same argument that any parents who spend less money to drive to their destination instead of flying are also doing the wrong thing and endangering their child to save money.

You could make an argument that parents who choose to spend extra money to fly, but do not buy a seat for their baby, are still "better" parents because those lap children are FAR safer than children traveling 1000 miles in a car in their carseat.

 

[jodifla]

I never said I saw anyone die and I am NOT "overstating" anything by sharing what I, personally, have witnessed on aircraft. American Airlines started a campaign several years ago asking passengers to remain buckled while seated for their own safety after several incidents of the type I described.

As I said before, it is a matter of what one CHOOSES to afford and not so much that they "can't afford it".

Sorry, graygables, this note wasn't to you, it was to stacy6552. I know you never said you saw anyone die, but that they were injured during turbulence.