Car Seat on plane question??

[bdiddy]

We are flying Air Tran next Monday and have decided to take our 3 yr old son's car seat. He's pretty feisy but is good while traveling in his seat so we think it will be better overall for him (and everyone else!)

Anyway....I went on Airtran's and the FAA's website to read any info I needed to know about taking a car seat and came across this brochure that I printed out.

It says "Make sure your CRS is government approved and has "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft" printed on it. Otherwise you might be asked to check the CRS as baggage".


So...I go out and check his car seat in my car that we were planning on taking and I don't see this anywhere on the seat. I even checked the 3 other car seats we own and don't see it. The seats aren't that old, I think the oldest one will be closing in on 4 yrs this April.

Is this something I should be worried about? Do they check for this? Should I pull out the books to see if it says it in there and take that with me in case?

Thanks!

 

[CarolAnnB]

This is from Southwest's website. Maybe yours has the code mentioned. I think most regular car seats are fine. I just remember that the booster seat that is just the little seat with no back are definitely not allowed. Hope this helps.

Child Restraint Devices
Proper use of a child restraint device (CRD) enhances child safety on aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants and small children who weigh under 40 pounds be secured in an appropriate CRD when traveling by air.

Be sure to check the width of your CRD. Although the width of aircraft seats varies, a safety seat wider than 16 inches is unlikely to fit, even if the armrests of the aircraft seats are moved out of the way. An ill-fitting safety seat will not provide adequate protection for your child.

The FAA has banned the use on aircraft of certain types of child restraints that may be harmful to a child in the event of an aviation emergency. These include backless booster seats, safety belt extensions (commonly referred to as "belly belts"), and vest or harness devices that attach to an adult. Although some that were manufactured before the FAA's ban may carry an insignia and/or language indicating they are approved for aircraft use, please understand that they are no longer permitted.

Approved Child Restraint Devices
Many of these carry the FMVSS.213 insignia and/or language indicating that they are "approved for use in motor vehicles and on aircraft."
Any CRD manufactured between January 1, 1961 and February 25, 1985, must have the following label: "This child restraint device conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards."
Any CRD manufactured since February 26, 1985, must have both of the following labels: "This child restraint device conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards" and "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."
Harness-type devices approved by the FAA:
At this time, the FAA has approved only the AmSafe Aviation CARES, which is appropriate for children weighing between 22 and 44 pounds.
The AmSafe Aviation CARES must have a label indicating "FAA Approved in Accordance with 14CFR 21.305(d), Approved for Aircraft Use Only."
NOTE: Devices that tie the child to another person are prohibited for taxi, takeoff, and landing regardless of any approval labels they bear.

NOTE: Backless booster seats are not approved for use during any phase of flight regardless of any approval labels they bear.

 

[bdiddy]

Thank you CarolAnnB - I actually got some great answers on the Families board too! That's good to know about the code. I'm going to have my DH pull the seats out and check. I'm hoping it will be on the bottom and I'm just missing it!

 

[love2driveinct]

On a side note, we have a CARES harness and it works great! We will use it again on our next trip if our youngest is under the weight limit...

 

[WhitGB]

On our last two flights, they checked the carseat for the sticker before they let my husband onto the plane with it. Both coming and going...once was to Boston, the other to Ft Myers (out of Milwaukee).

NW checked once going out to Orlando, not coming home. Hope this helps. I believe the sticker was on the back, so if the seat is currently strapped in the car, you will not be able to see it.