Car seat on plane: Forward or rear facing?

[laughinplace199]

Has anyone used their car seat forward-facing on the plane when you use it rear-facing in the car?

Whenever we've flown with kids in car seats, we've always installed the car seats the the same way we use them in the car. Now my youngest DS is 16 months old. In the car he is rear-facing because it's safer, but also because he is not yet 20 lbs. I was thinking about the plane ride to WDW. We're flying jetBlue and the TV's might be a great way to keep him busy, at least for part of the flight. By the time we fly, he will probably be almost 20 pounds. I can't see it being a big deal to position him forward-facing for the flight.

Does anyone have any opinions? Is there something I'm not considering? Thanks!

 

[Matt'nMeg'sMom]

I'm a former flight attendant (5 years) and my husband is currently a flight attendant (20 years).

As long as it's an "approved" FAA car seat, then I would ABSOLUTELY install it rear facing. It is without a doubt the safest way to go.

Remember:

1. It must go in a window seat.
2. You may not sit in an exit row.
3. It must be an "approved" FAA car seat. (Most are nowadays.)
4. Be prepared for an unhappy person in front of your baby, because he/she won't be able to recline their seat. It helps to offer to buy them a drink for their inconvenience.

I applaud you! I always, always, always used a car seat for my babies. Lap riding is extremely dangerous. My husband and I have seen lap babies go FLYING in even mild turbulence. Head injuries, broken bones, and lacerations. I've had lap babies burned by hot coffee and tea. In an crash landing (or even a simple bad landing where the landing gear collapses, brakes fail, or the plane runs out of runway), lap babies become 200 mph MISSILES. Lap riding: it's a BAD idea.

 

[azmomma]

When my DS was much younger we tried to install his car-seat rear facing and the flight attendants told us we couldn't do it. They had to go forward facing??? That was on SW airlines. He was about 11 months old at the time too. I think you'd be fine having him forward facing since he'd be over the 20 pounds/1 year old rule. Definitely bring the carseat!!

 

[all4fun]

When my DS was much younger we tried to install his car-seat rear facing and the flight attendants told us we couldn't do it. They had to go forward facing??? That was on SW airlines. He was about 11 months old at the time too.

The FAA rules state that the car seat must be installed in a fwd facing seat. Some FA's misread this as the child must be in a forward facing seat. See the difference? If you're reading over the rules quickly I can see how this can be misread...

You can see FAA rules here: http://www.kidsflysafe.com/pdf/advisory_circular.pdf
It's at the bottom of page six, rule 10.c.

hth

 

[lntsmom]

and I was surprised that they wouldn't allow airline approved booster seats on the plane! Then, the cab driver taking us wouldn't allow us to use it either. I never did fight to get to the bottom of this, although it did irk me that I'd gone out and purchased a new booster seat to get one that was airline approved, and then ended up just toting it all the way to California and back.

I think the carseat/booster seat issue is something that they need to provide better information about...both to the employees and the passengers!

 

[laughinplace199]

I'm a former flight attendant (5 years) and my husband is currently a flight attendant (20 years).

As long as it's an "approved" FAA car seat, then I would ABSOLUTELY install it rear facing. It is without a doubt the safest way to go.

Remember:

1. It must go in a window seat.
2. You may not sit in an exit row.
3. It must be an "approved" FAA car seat. (Most are nowadays.)
4. Be prepared for an unhappy person in front of your baby, because he/she won't be able to recline their seat. It helps to offer to buy them a drink for their inconvenience.

I applaud you! I always, always, always used a car seat for my babies. Lap riding is extremely dangerous. My husband and I have seen lap babies go FLYING in even mild turbulence. Head injuries, broken bones, and lacerations. I've had lap babies burned by hot coffee and tea. In an crash landing (or even a simple bad landing where the landing gear collapses, brakes fail, or the plane runs out of runway), lap babies become 200 mph MISSILES. Lap riding: it's a BAD idea.

Thank you for the great info.

I will install DS's seat rear facing since it's safer for him - and that's the whole reason for buying him a seat in the first place. Luckily, my DD will be in the seat in front of the baby, so we won't be preventing anyone but DD from reclining their seats.

 

[Colinsmom]

and I was surprised that they wouldn't allow airline approved booster seats on the plane! Then, the cab driver taking us wouldn't allow us to use it either. I never did fight to get to the bottom of this, although it did irk me that I'd gone out and purchased a new booster seat to get one that was airline approved, and then ended up just toting it all the way to California and back.

I think the carseat/booster seat issue is something that they need to provide better information about...both to the employees and the passengers!

What seat were you trying to use? There is no such thing as an airline-approved booster seat (booster seats require a lap-shoulder belt to use, and airplanes only have lap belts). If it was a harnessed, airline-approved seat, they should have allowed you to use it.

Not sure about the cabbie; if I got one that refused to allow me to use my car seat, I'd climb out and catch a different cab!

 

[all4fun]

and I was surprised that they wouldn't allow airline approved booster seats on the plane! Then, the cab driver taking us wouldn't allow us to use it either. I never did fight to get to the bottom of this, although it did irk me that I'd gone out and purchased a new booster seat to get one that was airline approved, and then ended up just toting it all the way to California and back.

I think the carseat/booster seat issue is something that they need to provide better information about...both to the employees and the passengers!

I'm with Colinsmom, if the cabbie had refused to let me use my car seat or booster then I'd have taken a different one. If the seat had an internal 5pt harness and had a sticker on the side that said "approved for use in vehicles and aircraft" (or similar wording) then it should have been allowed on the plane as well. If it was just a belt positioning booster (no harness) then those aren't airline approved.

 

[scrapquitler]

I have used both an infant type car-seat rear facing on the airplane without any problems at all. Personally, if my child rode backwards in the car, then he/she would go backwards on the plane.

To the poster asking why a booster seat cannot be used on the airplane: a belt positioning booster seat needs a lap and shoulder seatbelt. The seatbelts on the plane only have a lap-belt, so you can't use that type of boosterseat.

 

[Matt'nMeg'sMom]

Thank you for the great info.

I will install DS's seat rear facing since it's safer for him - and that's the whole reason for buying him a seat in the first place. Luckily, my DD will be in the seat in front of the baby, so we won't be preventing anyone but DD from reclining their seats.

I'm so happy to hear that!

One thing I forgot to mention (though it seems you already know this): there is a myth that it's safer to hold babies for take off and landing (because they're crying or nursing or need love.) This is technically legal, but standard airline policy is that if you HAVE a car seat, you MUST use it for take off and landing. Some Flight Attendants may become quite firm on this.

In my opinion - it's a no brainer. Take off and landing are the most dangerous parts of the flight. It seems obvious that one should use the car seat at these times, no matter how cranky or crying the baby is.

Just my two cents!


BTW, here are the exact FAA Regulations:
a. During takeoff, landing, and movement on the surface, each person on board shall occupy
an approved seat or berth with a separate safety belt properly secured about him/her. However, a
person who has not reached his/her second birthday may be held by an adult occupying a seat or
berth.

b. During takeoff, landing and movement on the surface, a child under the age of two may
be held in an adult’s lap or be placed in a regular passenger seat and use a standard seatbelt.

c. If a child occupies a Child Restraint System (CRS), a parent/guardian or attendant must accompany the child and
the aircraft operator must comply with the requirements that the child is properly secured in the
CRS, the CRS is properly secured in a forward-facing seat, the child does not exceed the weight
limits of the CRS, and the CRS is approved and has the proper labels or markings.

 

[DevilDuckie]

Rear facing until they are 20 pounds AND 1 year. Always, always. Plane or car, the munchkin is still safer rear-facing.

 

[Matt'nMeg'sMom]

Rear facing until they are 20 pounds AND 1 year. Always, always. Plane or car, the munchkin is still safer rear-facing.

Hear! Hear!

And that's just the MINIMUM requirement. My kids were rear facing until they were three.

 

[Bethany]

Rear facing until they are 20 pounds AND 1 year. Always, always. Plane or car, the munchkin is still safer rear-facing.

To echo the last poster.. that's just a minimum. I foolishly thought that you HAD to turn a baby around at 20lbs and 1 yr with my first two kids. I think it's a common misconception with all of the 1 yr 20 lb info out there.

My 26 month old is still rear facing.

 

[katerkat]

I've used both a bucket carseat and a convertible carseat rear-facing in an airplane with no issues. (Well, no issues with the flight attendants. Issues with the passenger in front, yeah.)

In addition to no exit row, there's also a couple rows in front of or behind the exit row that you can't use on some airplanes, I think because the armrest doesn't go up.

 

[Matt'nMeg'sMom]

you're right. The row in front is not always permitted because the seat are "Break front" seats. Meaning, the seats push forward for easier access to the exit window (crushing a car seat).

The row in back is not always permitted because of the escape method of throwing that metal window frame you just removed into the row behind the exit row (crushing a car seat)

Usually these rules vary by aircraft and airline.