Carseat on airplane for 4 year old?

[♥ Mandi ♥]

My 2.9 year old son is huge, 95th % since he was an infant - he's got to be about 39" tall now, probably about 38lbs. I was wondering about bringing a carseat for him to Disney next year. He'll be just turning 4. At the rate he's growing, he's likely to be about as big as the average just turned 5 year old at that point.
At this age and size, would you even bother travelling with a carseat? Or would a booster suffice? We will be renting a car.
We, at that point, will also have a 12 month old who we will definitely be bringing a carseat for on the airplane (and for the rental car).

 

[Tink_83]

It depends on if he is still in a 5 point harness seat at that point. The FAA does not allow booster seats (https://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/). Additionally, since your child is growing so fast as a reminder the LATCH system which is typically used with 5 point harness seats is only approved for a COMBINED weight of 65 lbs (i.e. seat and child). http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/08/new-latch-car-seat-rules/index.htm

 

[brockash]

My 2.9 year old son is huge, 95th % since he was an infant - he's got to be about 39" tall now, probably about 38lbs. I was wondering about bringing a carseat for him to Disney next year. He'll be just turning 4. At the rate he's growing, he's likely to be about as big as the average just turned 5 year old at that point.
At this age and size, would you even bother travelling with a carseat? Or would a booster suffice? We will be renting a car.
We, at that point, will also have a 12 month old who we will definitely be bringing a carseat for on the airplane (and for the rental car).

I'd just do a booster and not use anything in the plane.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

My 2.9 year old son is huge, 95th % since he was an infant - he's got to be about 39" tall now, probably about 38lbs. I was wondering about bringing a carseat for him to Disney next year. He'll be just turning 4. At the rate he's growing, he's likely to be about as big as the average just turned 5 year old at that point.
At this age and size, would you even bother travelling with a carseat? Or would a booster suffice? We will be renting a car.
We, at that point, will also have a 12 month old who we will definitely be bringing a carseat for on the airplane (and for the rental car).

can not use a booster seat on plane plus even with a carseat most likely your son would not be able to use tray table as it would not be level enough for him to use

 

[unrequited23]

I would bring which ever seat he is using at the time for the car and maybe borrow/rent a CARES harness for the plane. Even though he may be big for his age, he may sit better/car nap better in a car seat with a 5 point harness. My 5 yr old is just understanding he needs to sit nicely in his high back booster and not lean all over the place to be safe.

I think you will have to wait and see what your son would be good with closer to your trip.

 

[DisTravels]

It depends on if he is still in a 5 point harness seat at that point. The FAA does not allow booster seats (https://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/).

We weren't aware of this until recently. We've used a booster seat on several flights with several carriers and just recently was told for the first time that the booster has to be stored for takeoff and landing but can be used in-flight.

 

[Tattylou]

I'd just do a booster and not use anything in the plane.

This ^^^^
We've brought no back booster seats and just stored it above with carry on luggage. He didn't use it on the airplane, but had it for the rental car. That being said, my boys are good on planes and can easily sit and color or use their kindles.

 

[♥ Mandi ♥]

Thanks everyone!

 

[fitgirl36]

When DD was younger we used the Cares harness for many trips. Maybe something like that would work for you?

 

[blackpearl77]

I wouldn't bring a car seat for the 4 year old for the plane. You will need a seat or a booster for the rental car but you can rent those with the car. When we rented a car from the disney car care center they had all the high back booster seats lined up in bags and you just pick one. They were all really clean. I think it was an extra $10 a day for the seat. Then you have less stuff to carry in the airport.

 

[Muskrat191]

I am a CPST (car seat tech) in Canada. I would (and have) brought (harnessed) car seats on planes for a 4 year old, particularly if you are renting a car at your destination. This is a quote from Transport Canada's latest advisory circular about child restraints on aircraft: "Due to their short stature, the standard aircraft lap strap is generally not well suited for the safe restraint of small children (those less than seven years of age or with a body length less than 125 cm (49 in.)). There is a risk that the lap strap will slip into the child’s abdominal region in the event of an accident or during turbulence, which could result in severe internal injuries." (AC 605-003 Issue 4)

I don't trust car seats with an unknown history (such as a rented seat). I also would not use a booster with a 4 year old unless it was a VERY short trip with an adult sitting beside the child. In a booster, a child is responsible for their own safety. They must have the impulse control to maintain the correct seated position (with the seat belt in the correct position) at all times, including if they fall asleep in the car. No reaching for a dropped book, etc. because the seat belt cannot do its job if there was a collision at the moment the child was out of position. For most kids they are closer to 6 (or later) before they can handle the responsibility.

 

[jessica52877]

I would bring and use a 5 point harness. I purchased a Graco Nautilus once my son got older for our travel carseat, at almost 7 I still lugged it through the airport and onto the plane (we needed it for a rental car at LAX). I'm not fond of boosters, especially at such a young age and would never rent a seat. I just don't know the history of it. I just brought an umbrella stroller for the airport and gate checked it to lug the carseat. It worked great! My son also had plenty of leg room on the airplane, he was perfectly fine with it.

 

[fdwt994]

As a previous poster mentioned, use the CARES harness. Check the car seat for free (I'd definitely still used it for your 2.9 year old, he's simply too young for a booster in the rental car) at the ticket counter so you have one less seat to lug around the airport and inside the cramped aircraft. We've used them several times. Based on your description of your child, it sounds like your son will fit fine in the CARES harness. SO much easier! If you don't want to buy one (you can buy them used also), you can rent them. Just do an internet search and you should have no problem finding them. Good luck.

 

[DisneyDiana!]

Check into the CARES harness. We've been using it for about 6 yrs and I love it.

 

[abinormal]

We weren't aware of this until recently. We've used a booster seat on several flights with several carriers and just recently was told for the first time that the booster has to be stored for takeoff and landing but can be used in-flight.

This is incorrect. No booster seat is approved for plane use. All plane seats are lap only seat belts, and all boosters require a shoulder belt.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We weren't aware of this until recently. We've used a booster seat on several flights with several carriers and just recently was told for the first time that the booster has to be stored for takeoff and landing but can be used in-flight.

Untrue and I find it difficult to believe any US carrier allowed you to use a booster seat on a plane, as it is against FAA regulations.

I would not bring a car seat for a four year old on a plane.

 

[KrazeeK120]

We weren't aware of this until recently. We've used a booster seat on several flights with several carriers and just recently was told for the first time that the booster has to be stored for takeoff and landing but can be used in-flight.

There would be no reason to bring a booster seat on a plane. The purpose of a booster is to ensure that the shoulder belt is positioned properly, which isn't a factor on a plane. It does nothing to actually restrain the child.

 

[Rwsm2011]

I am a CPST (car seat tech) in Canada. I would (and have) brought (harnessed) car seats on planes for a 4 year old, particularly if you are renting a car at your destination. This is a quote from Transport Canada's latest advisory circular about child restraints on aircraft: "Due to their short stature, the standard aircraft lap strap is generally not well suited for the safe restraint of small children (those less than seven years of age or with a body length less than 125 cm (49 in.)). There is a risk that the lap strap will slip into the child’s abdominal region in the event of an accident or during turbulence, which could result in severe internal injuries." (AC 605-003 Issue 4)

I don't trust car seats with an unknown history (such as a rented seat). I also would not use a booster with a 4 year old unless it was a VERY short trip with an adult sitting beside the child. In a booster, a child is responsible for their own safety. They must have the impulse control to maintain the correct seated position (with the seat belt in the correct position) at all times, including if they fall asleep in the car. No reaching for a dropped book, etc. because the seat belt cannot do its job if there was a collision at the moment the child was out of position. For most kids they are closer to 6 (or later) before they can handle the responsibility.

I agree with this whole heartedly. My 5 year old will be riding in his 5 point harness when we go to Disney in Nov. He is not capable of sitting properly and the driving in Orlando is crazy. No way would I put him in a booster, and he's 99% for height.