car seat on plane?

[justhat]

I would check with your airline on their policy. We are travelling in May with 2 infants, 3 and 6 mos., and the airlines we've looked into so far have all told us that if we purchase seats for the infants that we must bring an FAA approved car seat with us. Clearly we have no intentions of sitting either of them in their own seat (neither would be able to sit then anyway!), but my cousin (mom of the 6 mos old) considered not bringing a car seat and just buying the seat to be able to bring extra baggage and have more room on the plane, but holding her daughter. I plan to bring the carseat anyway, especially since my daughter will be so young and I worry about how she'd fit in a rental seat and what quality it would be for our drive to WDW from the airport. We checked this policy on Delta and Continental and also on USAirways and Southwest (in case my cousins family flies down from their area instead of on our flight) and each of those airlines told us that we would need to bring FAA approved car seats for the flights. I'm not sure what they could do if she doesn't bring her car seat since she'd have to hold the baby and wouldn't put her alone on a seat anyway, but rather than take any chances, if she buys the baby a seat, she'll be bringing the carseat. In the case of an older child, however, who can sit in their own seat, if you don't bring a carseat and they say you have to, I'm guessing they can make you hold the child the whole flight, and having flown from Alaska to NJ this summer, I would not want to have to hold a baby all that time. I'm not sure what time your flight is, but ours was overnight and I fell asleep a few times and got up to use the bathroom at least as many times. Of course I was 8 weeks pregnant at the time so I'm sure that had a lot to do with it, but if your kids fall asleep, it would be a great chance for you to nap too, otherwise when you arrive they'll be ready to go and you'll be exhausted from travelling.

 

[Goofmeister]

1. Its the child's safety we are talking about.

2. Buy the extra seat.

3. Turbulance is your greatest threat IMO.

4. If your kid is too small for the airline seat. Use an approved child seat. Holding the kid is not an option. You won't be strong enough.

Hauling the thing around won't bother you if it saves your child from injury or death. Not doing it will.

 

[jcemom]

Has anyone flown USAir with a car seat? Did you have to put it in the window seat? Both of my boys would like a window seat, as they've never been on a plane before. I was wondering if I could put DD's carseat in the center or aisle seat. Anyone know?

 

[justhat]

We were told by that airline and others that the carseat needs to be in the window seat so that it doesn't obstruct anyone else from getting out in an emergency. I would call and check or look at their website for more info though.

 

[jcemom]

Thanks. I guess I'll have to call. I tried the website and couldn't find anything. I even emailed the question. I got a response, but it didn't really address my question, just stated the policy about the seat needing to be approved for air travel, etc.

 

[dijid]

Originally posted by jcemom
Did you have to put it in the window seat?

There was a discussion on this a couple weeks ago. My personal experience is that you always have to put the carseat in the window seat. If you travel with two kids in carseats, some will allow you to put the second (smaller if there's a difference in size) carseat in the middle seat, others have had the experience of having to put both in window seats. Also - make sure you know where the FAA approval sticker is in your carseat. They will most likely make you show it to them before you can install the seat on the plane.

 

[jcemom]

Okay, thanks!

 

[jodifla]

All our flights with our son have been with him as a lap child. On most flights, there's been an extra seat between me and my husband, so we've had more room to stretch out.
On the last flight, the plane was so empty they encouraged us to bring our car seat on (we were gate-checking it.) I will say that while it was fine when he sat on our laps, now that he's bigger (almost 2) having him in the car seat is a lot more practical. With just a lap belt, he tends to try to wiggle out from underneath it, something you can't do in a car seat.

 

[bjakmom]

Over here on the 'family' site looking for pointers now that I'm travelling with a 5 mo GrDD and have to comment on this one:

When DS was 5 mo we were travelling from Calif to Chicago - I had travelled many times with my older children on my lap - was doing the same with him. The landing gear developed a problem and we were all told to assume crash position !

Guess where your infant goes in this scenario?! Would you believe that you must place them on the floor between your feet!? You are not permitted to hold them because you could crush them on impact. When you place a squirming infant on the floor between your feet and you can barely reach them with your hands (try leaning forward far enough in those tight spaces and touching the floor!) you can understand why infants/toddlers in plane accidents end up where they do - there is no way to hold on to them!! Never mind the fact that you are being yelled at by the Stewardess to put your arms under your own head - they become a bit frantic and emphatic in an emergency!

I am not an alarmist and I travel several times a year with my children - this is the one and only time that I have ever been in this situation - but once was more than enough! - We made a safe though very rough and bumpy landing - I have never again traveled on a plane with a baby or toddler without a car seat - not worth the risk!

 

[momof2inPA]

My two boys have always used their carseats on USAir, and we have never been questioned or had any problems. My husband is always with me, so I think they were always in the window seat. On our last trip home, they fell asleep at takeoff and slept the whole 2 1/2 hour trip. I doubt that would have happened in an airline seat. Plus, they can see out the window better from the carseats.

 

[Gretchen]

If you can stand one more reply
We flew once with DD at 4 months as a lap child. We did not buy a seat. We were told by the airline we could use an empty seat for her in her carseat (bucket type). If there wasn't an emply seat, we could gate check the car seat. We did this for the first part of the trip, the rest of the way we held her. I vowed never again, we buy a seat, bring the car seat, or we don't go. Period. Last Dec. we went to WDW on Delta, direct to MCO, DD was 6 in her seat, checked the booster, and DS was 8 months in his carseat and own plane seat. Delta has a 50% off infant fare, so his ticket was %50 off what ours were. So. West has this too, but there discount/promo fares are often cheaper than the infant fare. I was nursing DS, and took him out to nurse, change etc, and back in he went. He traveled well, now let's see what he is like at 20 months when we go in Jan! In his seat, with his car seat!
Gretchen