CARES Harness vs CarSeat

[RachelEllen]

We are taking an overnight flight tomarrow. Our family of four is currently sitting 3 and 1. One adult in the exit row and the other three (12 yo, adult, and 2 yo) in the row behind. I had no idea until this evening that you cannot use a car seat in the row behind an emergency exit row.

The flight is full, so, my options are:

1) Put the 2 yo in a CARES harness.
2) Get to the airport really early and hope they can move us.

I'm guessing if we do option two, the odds are really strong that we will only get two seats together. This really stresses out the 12 yo.

So, question is:
Is anyone aware of any significant safety difference using the CARES harness vs using the carseat?
Anyone had any luck or tips getting a kid to sleep while in a CARES harness?

Honestly, if it weren't for those two issues, I'd be thrilled to not have to lug the carseat around. We don't need it at the other end.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Are you sure you can't seat the child in that row in the car seat? It varies by plane and airline (has to do with how the door opens I think) Call the airline and be sure.

However, you do need to realize that the young kids may not EVER sit on the parent's lap etc in the Exit Row (at least on most airlines ) So.....

Have you asked the airline about your options? Seat maps are not good indicators. At this point they may have just "blocked" all the empty seats.


There is option three.

Take the car seat and the harness. If they can't move you they will gate check the car seat for you. I would REALLY try to use the car seat as I expect the child will sleep better.

 

[RachelEllen]

I did call the airlines, and there are no seats they can release. The agent had never heard of this regulation ( I pointed it out to her on the website) so didn't tell me it might be plane specific, that's good to know.

Sorry I was unclear, when I said two seats together, I meant two together leaving the 12 yo alone. My daughter is 2, so lap baby isn't even a theoretical option.

I like option 3, I think we will do that. My husband, already in a single seat!, can watch the kids while I preboard and get it figured out.

 

[sesame_123]

If they could find 2 seats in a different row that could mean that those 3 in a row (your original seats) would be open, and that allows for your husband to sit with the 12 y.o in those seats.

I know my ds2 would be more comfortable in his car seat and it would be easier for him to sleep. I agree with the 3rd option given earlier, try it and see!

 

[arthuruscg]

For the life of me, can not understand why the airline ticketing system let you purchase the seats to begin with. It would be very simple to program in extra questions/ check for carseats.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Actually, some airlines will not let the adult in the exit row sit there if he/she is responsible for family members in other rows. So be prepared for this.

Check again for seating at the 24 hour mark. Some seats will probably open up then. If you can't get seats at this time, when you get to the airport, see the gate agent. If I were you, I would keep two seats in the row behind the exit for for your 12 year old and a parent, then see if you can trade your husband's exit row seat (should be no problem with a taker) to try and get two seats together with a parent and 2 year old. An additional problem will be that if you take a car seat, it must be at a window in a 2 aisle plane, so you'll have to have a window and middle seat. Don't worry too much; you will probably be able to work out something.

However, you do need to realize that the young kids may not EVER sit on the parent's lap etc in the Exit Row (at least on most airlines

No one under 16 may be seated in an exit row, period.

 

[RachelEllen]

For the life of me, can not understand why the airline ticketing system let you purchase the seats to begin with. It would be very simple to program in extra questions/ check for carseats.

Oh, even worse, my mom, a travel agent picked them out. She originally had two of us sitting in the exit row and three of us behind the row. No complaining to her allowed as she is taking my family on a very generous trip, and I'll give her a pass on not knowing about no carseats behind the exit row (as even the airline rep didn't know that) but, she really thought it was best to set it up so one parent had to sit with both kids the entire flight while two adults were in the exit row? Plus, she assigned herself as part of the twosome, so even when she got upgraded, we were left with three and one instead of two and two.

She's a really successful agent, but, I guess she doesn't have very many clients with kids!

 

[RachelEllen]

Actually, some airlines will not let the adult in the exit row sit there if he/she is responsible for family members in other rows. So be prepared for this.

Check again for seating at the 24 hour mark. Some seats will probably open up then. If you can't get seats at this time, when you get to the airport, see the gate agent. If I were you, I would keep two seats in the row behind the exit for for your 12 year old and a parent, then see if you can trade your husband's exit row seat (should be no problem with a taker) to try and get two seats together with a parent and 2 year old. An additional problem will be that if you take a car seat, it must be at a window in a 2 aisle plane, so you'll have to have a window and middle seat. Don't worry too much; you will probably be able to work out something.

Egads, with all the seating rules I was reading last night...I never saw that one! Hopefully, that won't be an issue.
I did check last night at 24 hours. I only discovered the problem when I was doing online check0in. No seats available to release over the phone.

Yes, the trying to find another window/middle combo in the plane does sound like the best plan. Middle shouldn't be a problem to switch to aisle or window. Hopefully, we can find a middle/window twosome who are not together, so they would switch into the exit row window and the aisle or window directly behind.

I'm not too worried. I have the carseat. It can legally go in the middle seat in our row of three, so if interfering with the exit row door is the only consideration, perhaps they will let me set it up there. If not, and if we cannot switch, worse case scenerio is the CARES.

 

[DebbieB]

I've heard that too about the exit row. If you accept that row, you are agreeing to help the crew in an emergency. They don't want someone who is going to be worrying about getting family in another row off the plane.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-children/1244422-cares-harness-vs-carseat.html

 

[alaska8]

Heres the reason why on my flights you are not going to be sitting in the exit row if your family is elsewhere........in an emergency you are sat in the exit row but your family is further back, do you go out the window assisting in the evacuation leaving your family or do you fight your way back against traffic slowing down the evacuation to help your family?
Some of the reasons why you cant have a carseat forward or aft of the exit row.....those seats are likely to be broken down to speed up an evacutaion, people will more than likely be climbing over those seats to get out (car seat will be a "tripping"issue.