Car seat in middle seat

[sam_gordon]

There have been a number of posts on here that car seats needs to placed in the bulkhead seats on planes. Let me just say, while that might be the STATED policy, that's not always the case.

Flying down to FL, when we got on the plane, DD's seat (window) was next to an infant car seat in the middle seat. The family with the car seat boarded early, and nothing was ever said about them needing to move the car seat. That family had no bulkhead seating available to them. The only option would have been for DD to move and she wanted the window.

Delta BTW.

 

[Alesia]

I think you're confusing bulkhead seats with window seats. They're entirely different.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Car seats are supposed to be placed next to the window (bulkheads aren't required). I would suspect that the FA's on this flight were in error for not correcting the situation since the infant seat would block your dd from exiting quickly in an emergency.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Your daughter should have complained to the FA. The car seat was a safety issue. However, then the FA may have asked her to change seats. Also, checking Delta's website for their car seat policy it appears that a car seat can be in a middle seat of a single aisle aircraft; however, the accompanying adult has to have the window seat. Thus, Delta violated their own policy:

http://www.delta.com/planning_reser...s_for_children/infant_child_seating/index.jsp

Aboard the Aircraft
Where to Sit with a Child Restraint

When you're using a child restraint, do not select seats in the following areas:

Emergency exit rows
Any seat one row forward or one row back from an emergency exit row
Aisle seats
Bulkhead seats when the car seat is a combination car seat and stroller

If a child is placed in a restraint occupying the middle seat of a single-aisle aircraft, the accompanying adult has to sit at the window seat, unless the window seat remains vacant throughout the flight. This is so other passengers can easily access the aisle.

Similarly, if a child is placed in a restraint occupying the middle seat of a dual-aisle aircraft, the accompanying adult has to sit next to the child in such a way that other passengers can easily access the aisle.

A row may contain more than one child restraint device if the children are from the same family or travel group.

There have been a number of posts on here that car seats needs to placed in the bulkhead seats on planes.

No, as stated, they need to be at the window or in the middle seat in a plane with a center section of seats.

 

[goofy4tink]

Your daughter should have complained to the FA. The car seat was a safety issue. However, then the FA may have asked her to change seats. Also, checking Delta's website for their car seat policy it appears that a car seat can be in a middle seat of a single aisle aircraft; however, the accompanying adult has to have the window seat. Thus, Delta violated their own policy:

http://www.delta.com/planning_reser...s_for_children/infant_child_seating/index.jsp

Aboard the Aircraft
Where to Sit with a Child Restraint

When you're using a child restraint, do not select seats in the following areas:

Emergency exit rows
Any seat one row forward or one row back from an emergency exit row
Aisle seats
Bulkhead seats when the car seat is a combination car seat and stroller

If a child is placed in a restraint occupying the middle seat of a single-aisle aircraft, the accompanying adult has to sit at the window seat, unless the window seat remains vacant throughout the flight. This is so other passengers can easily access the aisle.

Similarly, if a child is placed in a restraint occupying the middle seat of a dual-aisle aircraft, the accompanying adult has to sit next to the child in such a way that other passengers can easily access the aisle.

A row may contain more than one child restraint device if the children are from the same family or travel group.




No, as stated, they need to be at the window or in the middle seat in a plane with a center section of seats.

Yep....that's my understanding as well...for most airlines to the best of my knowledge. The issue is that a car seat is going to impede the window seat person's ability to get to and from their seat, especially in the case of an emergency.
The FAs were in error...the car seat should not have been put in the middle seat.

 

[DebbieB]

There have been a number of posts on here that car seats needs to placed in the bulkhead seats on planes. Let me just say, while that might be the STATED policy, that's not always the case.

Flying down to FL, when we got on the plane, DD's seat (window) was next to an infant car seat in the middle seat. The family with the car seat boarded early, and nothing was ever said about them needing to move the car seat. That family had no bulkhead seating available to them. The only option would have been for DD to move and she wanted the window.

Delta BTW.

I would have said something. In case of an emergency, that car seat could have blocked your daughter from getting out.

 

[sam_gordon]

First, I apologize. I am referring to 'window' instead of 'bulkhead'. That being said...

I would have said something. In case of an emergency, that car seat could have blocked your daughter from getting out.

The family offered to switch and give DD an aisle seat, but she wanted the window. FA's were never involved. Yes, I could have forced the issue, but I played the odds and let DD be happy sitting next to window instead of grumpy sitting next to the aisle.

I was surprised the FA's didn't say anything. Again, the family boarded early so it wasn't like the car seat location was a surprise.

Of course this was also the same flight with no A/C (discovered after takeoff), and baggage wasn't at baggage claim until 50 minutes after landing (yes, I check the landing time & what time the bags started coming out). Apparently (according to the announcement), they had a hard time OPENING the baggage compartment on the plane.

 

[seashoreCM]

The family offered to switch and give DD an aisle seat, but she wanted the window. FA's were never involved. Yes, I could have forced the issue, but I played the odds and let DD be happy sitting next to window instead of grumpy sitting next to the aisle.

I was surprised the FA's didn't say anything. Again, the family boarded early so it wasn't like the car seat location was a surprise.:

What would you have forced it to?

If an FA noticed the situation he would have forced the issue to something of his choice.

 

[bumbershoot]

I was surprised the FA's didn't say anything.

FAs just don't see everything. Or they might see it with eyes but not with their brain.

I was on a flight where two or three moms with 2 year olds, who stated they were 2 clearly at the gate (though obviously not when buying tickets), did NOT have paid seats for them. And it was allowed. Even though you're supposed to have a paid seat once you turn 2. It was utterly mystifying. I had a kid the same age, with a paid seat...and they all had their same-age kids on their laps, without having paid for seats for the kids. Weird.

I was on another flight where the FAs allowed a 3 year old to sit on mom's lap during take-off. The FAs knew she was 3, they were actively engaged in talking with her (I was right across the aisle), but they allowed it. I didn't think that was allowed...

 

[sam_gordon]

What would you have forced it to?

I could have forced DD to take the aisle seat the other family offered.

If an FA noticed the situation he would have forced the issue to something of his choice.

Which I'm sure would have been to put DD in the aisle seat and let the other family have the window. Since that wasn't what I wanted, I didn't push the issue. I also knew the plane was full & already running late, so it wasn't worth the problem.

I started the thread to let others know car seats WILL be allowed in middle seats, whether it's intentional or unintentional.

 

[n2mm]

I was on another flight where the FAs allowed a 3 year old to sit on mom's lap during take-off. The FAs knew she was 3, they were actively engaged in talking with her (I was right across the aisle), but they allowed it. I didn't think that was allowed...

I've seen this too. I was flying Airtran and a family with an under 2 lap child got on and also with their 4 yo (esp). They had a car seat for the 4 yo. During take off the 4 yo was in the car seat and they held the baby. As soon as the seat belt sign was turned off, they put the baby in the car seat and the toddler sat on the laps of mom and dad. During landing she continued to sit on mom's lap and the baby stayed in the car seat during the entire flight and landing. I thought it was not allowed to have a child that old not seat belted in, but the FA passed them several times and never said a word. (we were sitting across from them).

 

[aubriee]

I've seen this too. I was flying Airtran and a family with an under 2 lap child got on and also with their 4 yo (esp). They had a car seat for the 4 yo. During take off the 4 yo was in the car seat and they held the baby. As soon as the seat belt sign was turned off, they put the baby in the car seat and the toddler sat on the laps of mom and dad. During landing she continued to sit on mom's lap and the baby stayed in the car seat during the entire flight and landing. I thought it was not allowed to have a child that old not seat belted in, but the FA passed them several times and never said a word. (we were sitting across from them).

This may be fairly common. Last year there was a family right behind me on Air Tran that had a kid about 3-4 y/o sitting in the window seat, mom in middle seat holding an infant, and dad in an aisle seat. The 3 y/o spent most of the flight in dad's lap pulling on my seat, while baby sat in mom's. Car seat pretty much remained empty. Now before we landed, the FA told them the older child had to be restrained in the car seat. They got him in it, but he threw a screaming fit until after we landed.

 

[alaska8]

Depends on the type of car seat...if its the infant carrier type it needs to go in the window seat, regular car seat can go in the middle...the wording by the FAA is "impeeds exit". So a infant carrier blocks the area between the seat and the seat in front of you therefore blocks your exit but a regular car seat you could still slide by it to get out in an emergency. Also we ask that car seats are not placed on an aisle seat just because of the "spill/splash factor". I dont know how many times I have spilled stuff on the person in the aisle....yikes!!!