CAR seat or not?

[Dakota731]

For a toddler on a short flight?

 

[Meglen]

The car seat helps them settle down and feel comfortable. If they have there own seat I say bring there car seat.

 

[sam_gordon]

Depends on the kids. We used ours when the kids were 2-3, but it was because we thought they'd be more comfortable in it, not because we felt we needed it for safety.

 

[Keacc]

The car seat must be airline approved to use it on a flight.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

We loved the cares harness. I've seen it cheaper though.
https://www.amazon.com/Child-Airpla...qid=1559602454&s=gateway&sprefix=cares&sr=8-3

 

[Disneypro1]

I wouldn't mess. We just made ours sit in the seat. Only certain seats are airline approved..not worth the hassel.

 

[bumbershoot]

I did for a few flights, but it just made it easier for him to kick the seat in front, which increased my stress to get him to stop. He did wonderfully sitting in his own seat and was quite grown up about it.

 

[Rach3975]

Like so many things, it comes down to your own level of comfort with the safety issues. We always brought our seats on flights when the kids were little. But then again, we were also going to non-Disney destinations where we'd need a seat for our rental car. If you're hoping your child will nap on the flights, having their own car seat also makes that more likely. (Full disclosure, though--bringing your own seats is a pain in the behind, especially if you're trying to juggle multiple young kids, luggage, stroller, etc.)

 

[lilmc]

I am all for car seats in general, no lie, kept my eldest in a five point harness, not booster, until entering 6th grade, but in an airplane, I found it much more stressful as just made it easier to kick the seat in front and more stress with the fight required to keep then in it. We had strick rules of lapbelt on while not in the restroom and when infant in arms, we had a vest with a seatbelt loop, but no more car seats while on the plane. That being said, we loved attaching wheels to their car seats and pulling them through the airport like luggage. Locked and loaded, they weren’t running off anywhere!

 

[Dakota731]

The toddler is only one and would be lap held so I wondered what most people do in this situation?

 

[Betty Rohrer]

The toddler is only one and would be lap held so I wondered what most people do in this situation?

I would buy a seat for toddler and use carseat. you will not be able to use tray table and the toddler would have to sit sideways on your lap with child's legs between you and middle seat. I would not plan on being able to walk child up and down aisle as seatbelt sign could stay on. think about how your toddler will do sitting on your lap at the movie theater for a movie. plus to be a lap child toddler had to be under 2 and you will most likely need proof of age. if child turns 2 during trip you most likely have to pay for seat on way home which happened to friends of us

 

[sam_gordon]

The toddler is only one and would be lap held so I wondered what most people do in this situation?

I would purchase a seat for the child.

Do you want a test? Find a time when the child is most active, sit in a kitchen chair and hold the child for 90 minutes, not allowing them to get up.

 

[Dis703]

I found a carseat, or at least a CARES harness, to be a godsend on the airplane with a toddler. We also explained that they would be in it just like in the car ahead of time, and they treated it very much like the car where they knew they were in it for the duration.

 

[MrMichaelJames]

For a toddler on a short flight?

We didn't. The kids were just fine. Give them crayons, paper, coloring books, ipad, small toys, and snacks. As well as a blanket. We had no problems with them sitting still.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

We always used ours for three reasons.. It kept my son sitting even put him to sleep cause he couldn't move for twohours, I needed it for the rental car, and I likes having the cup holder right next to him. It is suppose to be a short flight.... you never know about these things when it comes to airports... flight time and how long you are on the plane can be two different things

If it doesnt work out they will stow it for you.. If I didnt have it my son would have been up and down 100 times so I guess it depends on the kid

 

[tjmw2727]

The toddler is only one and would be lap held so I wondered what most people do in this situation?

If the child is a lap rider you can't use a car seat as the child will ride on your lap. You will be buckled in and the child will sit on your lap outside of the seatbelt.

If you want to use a car seat you need to purchase a seat for the child.

 

[sethschroeder]

I would purchase a seat for the child.

Do you want a test? Find a time when the child is most active, sit in a kitchen chair and hold the child for 90 minutes, not allowing them to get up.

And give them an iPad with their favorite movie, their favorite drink, and their favorite snack.

I wouldn't even attempt that test as well since it's not setting the mentality of the child correctly they are never expected to act like that. While when on a plane new rules and boundaries can be set/explained. It's like being at Church vs home.

 

[Jonell35]

The toddler is only one and would be lap held so I wondered what most people do in this situation?

Last year I flew with my then 17 month old as a lap infant. He’s a very active boy and had a hard time settling. The whole time I was wishing I had brought the car seat. Luckily we were traveling in a party of 8 so I had family members to help me on the plane and we were seated together so distractions to other passengers were minimized.

This year he’s two and I’m using the car seat.

 

[sweetpeama]

The toddler is only one and would be lap held so I wondered what most people do in this situation?

I would ask myself in an emergency would I have the strength to hold my child pinned to the floor. That is the standard for lap children in an emergency landing situation. Which while rare can happen on any flight. Look up United Flight 232 which had a major problem 1 slightly over 1 hour and 15 minutes into a flight that was about 2 and a half hours that ended up with a crash emergency landing. 1 of the 4 lap children was lost in this landing.
While you could luck out and have an empty seat next to you and be able to sit a 1 year old in that seat I would personally spend a little bit more and purchase a seat for my child. For a 1 year old since the newest recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics is to keep them rear facing at least until age 2 and then as long as possible based on the weight and height limits of the seat. My oldest is 14 and a half and there was a parent grassroots movement to keep our children rear facing until they out grew their seats in the rear facing position that started about the time she turned 1 year old. As a result she rear faced until 28 months and her now 11 and a half year old sister (who has always been taller compared to the same age) until 26 months of age both of them out growing the seat in height. (Weight wise they could have rear faced until close to 4 for my teenager and well into grade school for my preteen).
As long as the carseat has a sticker on the side saying that it is accepted by the FAA you can fly with it in the United States as well as in most other countries. The sticker will be in the same location as the the one stating it is accepted for automobile use. The only restrictions are that unless there is a 2nd aisle no one not even the parent can be between the seat and the aisle so you must place the child against the window and you will need to sit in the middle seat next to your child. Most airlines will allow you to board early in order to position your seat. If you rearface and your child kicks they are just kicking their own seat and not someone else in the back (though someone may be upset that their tray table is moving). Rear facing will also allow your child to face you so you can easily hand small toys or even play games like peak a boo and patty cake.
From experience I can tell you staying at a Disney resort and using Magical Express traveling with a carseat is really easy. My toddler's carseat was loaded on the bus along with our carry on luggage from our flight. When we got to CBR Bell Services not only loaded us and our luggage into one of their vans to take us to our island they assisted my DH in installing the seat properly. We were planning on just having the seat in our room against the wall but were pleasantly surprised when Bell
Services offered to store it for us. When we needed it for going off property the day we went to Sea World my husband took the internal bus over and got the seat which we installed in the rental car we had for the day. When we returned he took it back over to Bell services who had it securely installed in the van that came and picked us up at 3:30 AM the day that we left in order for us to get on the 4 AM Magical Express bus to MCO for a 7 am flight.
We did gate check the seat on the plane but it was nice to have the seat strapped to a luggage rack (using bungee cords) to put our 27.5 month old in to get through the airports especially since we had a layover in Salt Lake (Yes we did allow some running around to get the wiggles out but we were able to decide when and where for our peace of mind and our child's safely and used an out of the way corner close to our gate area before boarding the 2nd flight.
The best advice I was given before flying with my children came from an online friend of mine who is a former flight attendant on 2 different airlines who as an expat living in Europe and flying back and forth to visit family in the United States many times a year with her own children. She has a blog on blogspot called flying with children. Some of it is not going to apply but she talks about everything from getting that passport photo to handling a bathroom visit on the plane including diaper changes.

 

[kaytieeldr]

though someone may be upset that their tray table is moving

That's when you book someone in your own party in the seat behind the carseat. Or in front of the child in a front-facing carseat. Or any child whose feet don't reach the floor and might tend to kick.