Car seats on airplane...need help because the airline didn't offer much

[megan4777]

Ok, so I called the airline that we plan on using in October to check to see if our infant carrier/carseat would be ok(it's 2 yrs old, so relatively new and meets the LATCH requirements) The manual says it meets FAA inversion requirements (but also states that you should "check to ensure it meets your airline requirements") so I wanted to double check. The woman I just spoke with was short with me and all she offered was that "if the manual says it's ok, it's ok...I've never seen anyone check the carseats before letting someone board the plane. Is there anything else?"
Anyway, am I just being psycho pregnant lady (I am that frequently)? Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[dizcrazy]

No, you aren't being pycho! (hard not to be when preggers!)

I also called my airline and customer service told me, very nicely, that they do not have a database that lists FAA carseats. She said that if the manual said it was FAA approved, then it would be fine because the regulations have not changed in recent years.

Sounded good to me and we boarded with our car seat and everything was fine.

 

[megan4777]

Thanks dizcrazy, you just took a load off my mind.

 

[NotUrsula]

You won't find reference to FAA approval in your documentation, or on the stickers that are on the carseat. The stickers on US-marketed seats are required by the FAA, but they do not mention the FAA in the wording.

There should be 2 stickers on a carseat approved for aircraft use. Usually they will be right next to one another on the outer side of the hard seat
shell. The wording is: (1) “This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards”; and (2) “THIS RESTRAINT IS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN MOTOR VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT” in red lettering;

The FAA tells you to contact your airline not for the approval of the carseat, but for the approval of your seat assignments. Carseats must always be placed in the window position, and there are certain rows where they cannot be placed, most notably the exit row, the row in front of the exit row, and the row behind the exit row. In addition, most carseats cannot fit into bulkhead-row seats, because the armrests in those seats cannot be lifted up. The reservation agent who assigns your seats needs to know that you are travelling with a carseat so that he/she can make sure that you are not assigned seats in positions where the carseat cannot be installed. (Of course, with SWA this will not be an issue, as they do not assign seats. Carseats will always be allowed to preboard for legal placement on SWA.)

 

[grlpwrd]

Besides checking for the FAA approval sticker, be sure to ask for the dimensions of the airline seat the carseat will be placed. That way you can be sure it physically fits unless you can lift the armrest, of course.

Flights attendants I've come across have always checked to see for the FAA approval sticker on our child's carseat.

Some carseats are tagged and placed in baggage or in the cabin because they don't fit certain seats width-wise or if they are not FAA approved.

Call back and get seat assignments, too, except for Southwest. Check www.seatguru.com for seat configurations etc. , but first you will need to know the carrier and type of plane. Or you can simply request it per the carrier policy (they have time limits, like within 30 days of departure) when you call back.

 

[Ambassador]

One of the little delegate's booster carseat was refused by the airline, and we had to gate check it on the spot. He was big enough for the plane seat, and it didn't matter much.

We always bring our seats, because we have been disappointed by those provided by limo service and rental car agencies.

Perhaps you may check the manufacturer's website.

 

[JennsBabySky]

One of the little delegate's booster carseat was refused by the airline, and we had to gate check it on the spot. He was big enough for the plane seat, and it didn't matter much.QUOTE]

Booster seats are never allowed to be installed on airline seats. You need the shoulder belt for them to be effective. Also, some airline seats can be pushed forward, so installing a booster seat could be dangerous. If you had a combination seat (booster/forward facing carseat) and the harness straps were still installed allowing it to be used as a carseat, you probably just had an unknowledgable flight attendant. Unfortunately there can be a lot of confusion in this area.

 

[all4fun]

Here's a link that might answer a few of your questions. FAA "Tips for parents using CRS" I just got back from our latest trip and had no problems with our Cosco Touriva convertible car seat, so I would think an infant seat would work just fine. Like NotUrsula said, just make sure that your seat assignment is ok (however, they will change it on the spot if they have to). We flew Delta and they did have a canned announcement for anyone traveling with a carseat to check in at the desk. When I did they just asked me if it was an Airline approved seat - didn't even look at it, just took my word for it that it was ok. Go figure.

 

[cinjam]

grlpwrd - awesome web site you suggested!!! Thanks!!!!

I am refering to www.seatguru.com!!

 

[Stimpy]

The car seats we use have never been checked by anyone. They do have the sticker that was mentioned above.

I just wanted to add that you need to make sure you can install it yourself. It's hard to get it in the right way and tightly (but it is well worth the time it takes!) The seats are more cramped than a car which most people are used to. The flight attendants are not allowed to help you with the seat at all because of liability reasons. It's a good idea to practice installing it yourself several times.

We fly pretty often with kids and car seats and DH gets the installation job. It still takes him about 5-10 minutes. He is often asked by other people to help them install theirs too.

Have a great trip!

 

[clori]

I just flew on Jet Blue this month. I have an infant carrier (and ticket) for my 7 month old. The seat is older from my 4 year old dd. While boarding jet blue I was asked to show the sticker that said that my seat had the red wording “THIS RESTRAINT IS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN MOTOR VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT". Fortunately I knew where my wording was but it was definately looked at by the employee. This is the first time my seat has actually been looked at closely (it is still within the manufacturer life span).

 

[dotgirl]

We've reserved a seat for our 15-month old for our trip to Orlando next month. We'll be flying American, but one of the legs of the flight will be on an Alaska plane.

Has anyone used a Britax Marathon carseat on either of these airlines? I'm a little nervous about making it fit.

 

[NotUrsula]

A while back, I posted my tried-and-proven aircraft forward-facing toddler seat installation technique. Unfortunately, the search function isn't turning up the post for some reason, so I'll post it again.

1) Shortest/smallest person will usually be best at installing a carseat on an airplane; bigger adults tend to hit their heads on the bottom of the overhead bin when they try to do it. Smaller hands tend to be easier, too.

2) If possible, get yourself and the seat on before most of the passengers board, especially if you are short. A carseat has to be carried down the aisle above the level of the seats; it will almost never fit in the aisle proper. If you're short, the best way to carry it is upside down and sideways over your arm; that way you can still see over the seat as you carry it. (Think of the profile of the number 7. That's the best way to carry it.) On some airlines that will not allow you to preboard the seat to install it, I have occasionally had luck w/ asking politely for one of the ramp agents to be allowed to just set it down in the proper row before boarding starts. They can't install it, but if you beg nicely, they may drop it onto seat 27A for you, especially if you are the only adult in the party.

3) To install the seat (in the window position, of course): first extend the aircraft seat's belt to the longest possible length, leaving just a couple of inches' tab so that you will be able to grab it to tighten it later in the process. Raise the armrests between the seats. Lean on the seatback and recline the seat as far as it will go. Put the carseat in position and thread the airline seat's belt through the slots, then buckle that belt. Put one knee into the seat of the carseat, then pull the tab of belt you left; the buckle of the aircraft seatbelt should slide down and disappear behind the carseat. Pull it tight, remove your knee, and then push the recline button and put the aircraft seatback upright again (you may have to pull the headrest toward you.) At this point, your carseat should be firmly fastened into the frame of the aircraft seat.

4) A properly-installed carseat may be hard to remove, b/c you may not be able to get your hand behind the carseat to undo the buckle. If this happens, wait until the passengers behind you have left, then go around to that row and reach up between the seatback and the seat cushion; it should be very easy to release the latch from that position.

One note: with an infant seat, it is likely that you will not be able to properly secure it using a separate base. Because aircraft belts latch in the center rather than at the side, there is a good possibility that the position of the buckle will prevent the seat from properly locking into the base. All infant seats sold in the US can be installed without the base using only a lap belt; check your instructions if you have been using the base and don't know how to install the seat without it.

 

[all4fun]

We flew Delta - they load in Zones, and do not allow pre-boarding. I did request once to have them set the car seat in our assigned seat for us and was told they would let us board right after First Class, which was nice, however what we found worked even better was having DH wait with the kids while I took the stroller w/carseat on it, and my backback on board. I actually waited until they called one zone ahead of ours and was always allowed to board w/no questions. I would then fold and leave the stroller on the jetway to be stowed and take the carseat on board and install it. DH would follow about 5-10 mins later with the kids and his backpack/carryon. This worked well because it gave the kids a little extra time to stretch their legs and also it gave me the room I needed to get the car seat installed without our entire party blocking the aisle for the other boarding passengers.

hth,
Cheryl

 

[JennsBabySky]

We've reserved a seat for our 15-month old for our trip to Orlando next month. We'll be flying American, but one of the legs of the flight will be on an Alaska plane.

Has anyone used a Britax Marathon carseat on either of these airlines? I'm a little nervous about making it fit.

We just flew American and brought our Marathon. It fit forward facing just fine on both legs of the trip.

 

[greencj]

I know many posts have said that most car seats fit fine on most airlines but just wanted to be safe. The specs for our Britax Roundabout say it is 18.25" wide and Song's 757 seats are listed on www.seatguru.com as 17" wide. Has anyone flown Song (Delta's low-cost carrier to Florida) with a Britax Roundabout? Does the armrest have to be raised to make it fit? Thanks.

 

[justhat]

We have flown with our Roundabout on Southwest, Continental, and AirTran and it fit fine on all 3 with the armrest down. I'm sure if the seat is a tight fit it will be fine if you raise the armrest. We also flew with our Graco Snugride many times on USAirways, Continental, Southwest, Independence Air, and Delta and had no trouble getting that seat in either (it's much smaller, obviously). Many of those flights I have flown alone with my daughter and have been able to install the seat myself fine. Our sticker was checked once, on AirTran as soon as I stepped onto the plane, when I was alone, so it was not the most convenient time. I had the seat on my back in a bag and had to take it out at the door to the plane to show the sticker. No one could get by, so I had to hold up the whole plane. I don't blame them for this, as I know it's a safety issue, just wish though could have let me get to the seat first to put the diaper bag and baby down, but oh well. Oh, and my daughter was 10 months old on her last flight, so we have installed her seats rearfacing each time and they always fit. The person in front of her can't recline (with either seat), but it fits in without a problem.