Car/Booster seats for the plane - cab rides?

[mickeywho?]

I'm wondering if we need to bring our carseats for our boys (8 & 4) Will they count as carry-on's for the plane ride? We may need to take a couple of cab rides while we are there and think it may be law - and safer - if they are in them. What do you think?

 

[disneyfanfamily]

I took a booster for my DD 2 years ago on the plane with me. They did not count it as a carry on. But they also did NOT allow her to sit in it on the plane. You have to have a regular car seat to belt into the plane seat belt.

Do not know if they have changed the rules though....

 

[NotUrsula]

Any seat used on the plane must have an upper body harness and a sticker on the shell that says it is approved for aircraft use.

If you are concerned about possible damage to the seats you may gate-check them, otherwise you may check them as baggage if the child will not be sitting in them in the plane. A backless booster may fit in the overhead bin, but a full-back seat design will not.

 

[metivier]

FYI...a car seat/booster seat is not required by law for either of your children -- "just" a seat belt (although you may opt for the extra protection anyway):

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/safety/H...sgp/HSGPareas_OccupantFAQ.htm#Florida's Child

What is Florida's Child Restraint Law?

All children 5 years of age or younger must be properly restrained no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle. Children through age 3 must be secured in a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child safety seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child safety seat, or a safety belt may be used. (FL Statute 316.613).

 

[mickeywho?]

FYI...a car seat/booster seat is not required by law for either of your children -- "just" a seat belt (although you may opt for the extra protection anyway):



Amazing! I run an annual "Car seat clinic" with our local public health department. And it amazes me every year how people can think a small child can sit in a sit belt that has been designed for the average size adult. If a child is wearing an adult belt (yes even with the "seat-belt fixers" that are supposed to resize the belt) the chance of a child surviving are much smaller as the injuries tend to be great to internal organs. For the adult passenger the lap belt falls over your hips (large bones at your pelvis will sustain the impact but protect your organs), for a child the lap belt tends to cut them slightly around the waist where there is no further protection and damage to their organs can kill them. You have to wonder sometimes what these lawmakers are thinking?!

 

[jodifla]

Some of the lower-priced airlines, like Spirit, sometimes count car seats as baggage, I've found.

Since you cannot by law use boosters in the seats on the plane, not sure why you'd want to carry them on. Backless boosters would fit, probably, up above, but I don't think there would be any room for a full size booster on a plane. They would have you gate check them.

Your question asked about the law, though, in Florida. And your kids can ride in the back of taxis without having a car seat. It's up to you what you do with that information. Car seats are also cannot be used on any of the public transportation vehicles, and if' you're leaving the country, many vehicles don't have seat belts, either.