Debate? Should 22 month olds be "lap babies in First Class?

[yeartolate]

I too have been bothered by adults on planes more often. More adults fly.
Pet peeve? Wider passengers who think that they can raise the arm between seats and ooze onto my seat. That's a big NO NO.

Ahhhh, but the the 0-24 month old is just learning his job as a human being. The adult should have the social sensibility not to act like a whiney horse's pitoot in crowded public area. (although I have to admit, since I started flying with JetBlue, the total number of whiney horses pitoots seems to have diminished - I JetBlue)

And I agree about the wider passenger issue - I cannot believe that a perfect stranger has really raised the armrest between the two of you. That is creepy and shouldn't be allowed. Did it happen once or is it an ongoing occurance for you?

 

[DawnCt1]

That's all fine and good, but it is not the law. I have taken the carseat to restrain my dd and it is a pain. Running to catch a flight with a 20 pound carseat strapped to your back, pushing a stroller, and trying to drag your sleepy 6 year old by the arm is not great. But I brought it to make her more comfy.

When my children were five and up, I checked the car seat and they used the seat belt in the plane. When they were little, I found a wide bodied umbrella stroller that the car seat fit easily into. I used a luggage type strap to secure the car seat into the stroller and stowed the stroller in the over head bin. It was quite easy to lift the car seat up and onto the stroller and I have even wheeled sleeping babies off of the plane. Of course you have to wait until everyone else exits but it was quite do-able. There were times when DH couldn't go to WDW with us and my mom would go. It made making a connection almost seamless.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Dawn you have answers for everything. However--that doesn't apply to a single mom traveling with TWO children to visit their daddy who has been away for a very long time. I'm not really single--we are married--but will be traveling single. I have a case for the car seat--however, I may skip the car seat with the 3yo--b/c the connecting flight is a small plane and the seat may not fit.

 

[DawnCt1]

Ahhhh, but the the 0-24 month old is just learning his job as a human being. The adult should have the social sensibility not to act like a whiney horse's pitoot in crowded public area. (although I have to admit, since I started flying with JetBlue, the total number of whiney horses pitoots seems to have diminished - I JetBlue)

And I agree about the wider passenger issue - I cannot believe that a perfect stranger has really raised the armrest between the two of you. That is creepy and shouldn't be allowed. Did it happen once or is it an ongoing occurance for you?

It almost happened twice. Once was a man, the other time it was a woman. Both times they started to raise the arm rest while simultaneously asking or in the case of the man, stating "that I wouldn't mind". I quickly assured them that I would indeed mind and that it needed to stay down. My flight still wasn't completely enjoyable. The woman fidgeted extensively, letting me know that she was quite uncomfortable.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Dawn--I cannot believe that anyone would do that. I get skiddish with the thought of putting my elbow on the armrest. I am never quit certain who has property rights over the arm rest.

 

[DawnCt1]

Dawn you have answers for everything. However--that doesn't apply to a single mom traveling with TWO children to visit their daddy who has been away for a very long time. I'm not really single--we are married--but will be traveling single. I have a case for the car seat--however, I may skip the car seat with the 3yo--b/c the connecting flight is a small plane and the seat may not fit.

I am not sure what that means. I can only tell you that after taking annual and sometimes bi annual trips to WDW, sometimes with DH and sometimes without, what has worked for me. I am sorry that you feel its "having answers for everything". With four sons, I do have some experience traveling with children.

 

[Briarmom]

Dawn you have answers for everything. However--that doesn't apply to a single mom traveling with TWO children to visit their daddy who has been away for a very long time. I'm not really single--we are married--but will be traveling single. I have a case for the car seat--however, I may skip the car seat with the 3yo--b/c the connecting flight is a small plane and the seat may not fit.

Lisa, I'd skip the car seat with the 3 year old. If you do what Dawn is suggesting, you'd have to buy a brand new carseat and stroller. Not to mention, carseats are not the same as they were when Dawn's kids were little. They are entirely different. I've never seen any 'childsize' carseat of today be fitted into a stroller.
Get yourself a DVD player for the plane.
And (from experience) it is darn near impossible to get a carseat back into the carseat bag inside the plane. Get the cheapest umbrella stroller and check it at the gate. They don't let you put strollers in overhead compartments. Check the carseat as luggage.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am not sure what that means. I can only tell you that after taking annual and sometimes bi annual trips to WDW, sometimes with DH and sometimes without, what has worked for me. I am sorry that you feel its "having answers for everything". With four sons, I do have some experience traveling with children.

I know--you have mentioned that...I think some on here have mentioned traveling solo---so if something "works for you"--sometimes those are good words to use as your post didn't come across that way if you KWIM.

 

[DawnCt1]

Lisa, I'd skip the car seat with the 3 year old. If you do what Dawn is suggesting, you'd have to buy a brand new carseat and stroller. Not to mention, carseats are not the same as they were when Dawn's kids were little. They are entirely different. I've never seen any 'childsize' carseat of today be fitted into a stroller.
Get yourself a DVD player for the plane.
And (from experience) it is darn near impossible to get a carseat back into the carseat bag inside the plane. Get the cheapest umbrella stroller and check it at the gate. They don't let you put strollers in overhead compartments. Check the carseat as luggage.

The trend does seem towards larger strollers although Graco still makes umbrella strollers. I haven't looked at car seats in a while.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa, I'd skip the car seat with the 3 year old. If you do what Dawn is suggesting, you'd have to buy a brand new carseat and stroller. Not to mention, carseats are not the same as they were when Dawn's kids were little. They are entirely different. I've never seen any 'childsize' carseat of today be fitted into a stroller.
Get yourself a DVD player for the plane.
And (from experience) it is darn near impossible to get a carseat back into the carseat bag inside the plane. Get the cheapest umbrella stroller and check it at the gate. They don't let you put strollers in overhead compartments. Check the carseat as luggage.

We've got those bases covered--DVD player and all. The carseat bag is actually very nice to use---got it from One Step Ahead and we have never had problems with it on past trips....I it wears nicely over the shoulder.

However--the connect flight is 2x2 and I have 1 adult and 2 kids, 5 & 3....that's going to be fun. NOT!

I need to check my connection times as that will be the biggest indicator on how much I can lug. I fi can just do one carry on and my purse--plus the 2 kids, I think I would be okay.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Do you not have a better tip for me than a mouse? While I am meeting some of your points with --you do have some opinions that are worthwhile.

 

[katerkat]

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children of any age be restrained on all air craft.

The AAP recommends that all babies be breastfed for one year. Can you imagine the results of that poll?

 

[Briarmom]

We've got those bases covered--DVD player and all. The carseat bag is actually very nice to use---got it from One Step Ahead and we have never had problems with it on past trips....I it wears nicely over the shoulder.

However--the connect flight is 2x2 and I have 1 adult and 2 kids, 5 & 3....that's going to be fun. NOT!

I need to check my connection times as that will be the biggest indicator on how much I can lug. I fi can just do one carry on and my purse--plus the 2 kids, I think I would be okay.

Skip the purse! Put your wallet in your carryon (and some lipstick since you haven't seen dh in awhile).

I don't know what to tell you about the connect flight. I guess I'd probably put the kids together and lean into the aisle to help them. Otherwise your 5 year old would be sitting by a stranger. I hope you have an empty seat next to you. At least that would give you more options.
After this last flight with dd2, I'd skip the carseat. It went much better than I thought it would go. Buy a new dvd for them.
I have the same carseat bag (I think) and it is all fine and good for me except trying to get the seat in. Oh and sprinting through an airport with it. That will hurt your collarbone!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The AAP recommends that all babies be breastfed for one year. Can you imagine the results of that poll?

 

[DawnCt1]

Do you not have a better tip for me than a mouse? While I am meeting some of your points with --you do have some opinions that are worthwhile.

Actually, I accidently hit submit on my lap top before I entered a response. I would consider a very inexpensive, umbrella type stroller.Graco has one. MSRP is around $34 but I am sure you could find it cheaper at Walmart. It would be available for you as you exited the plane and facilitate making it to the next connection.

 

[Briarmom]

Actually, I accidently hit submit on my lap top before I entered a response. I would consider a very inexpensive, umbrella type stroller.Graco has one. MSRP is around $34 but I am sure you could find it cheaper at Walmart. It would be available for you as you exited the plane and facilitate making it to the next connection.

That is what I said in my post where you me.
And you can get an umbrella stroller for $10. I have 2 and they have both been beat to crap by the airlines. You cannot put a stroller in the overhead compartments. People now have to bring a whole weeks worth of clothes on the plane.

Are all of our husbands deployed right now?

ETA: Oops. Mine is only TDY. I am sleepy.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That is what I said in my post where you me.
And you can get an umbrella stroller for $10. I have 2 and they have both been beat to crap by the airlines. You cannot put a stroller in the overhead compartments. People now have to bring a whole weeks worth of clothes on the plane.

Are all of our husbands deployed right now?

ETA: Oops. Mine is only TDY. I am sleepy.

My hubby is a civilian--he's on a field assignment. Not as bad as originally scheduled (was a year--but he switched locations and is finished at hte end of February--or at the most, May).

I'm Miss Independent--and in the last week it has all come to a head and I realize that the whole thing stinks--and I cannot go it alone. Much to his happiness b/c now he feels b/c his wifey needs him. LOL!

So anyway--back on topic--I'm debating the strollers as well. OY!

 

[Chicago526]

You can use a tether in flight. We used it on British airways.

And as my mom said--a plane going down in the middle of the Atlantic, a car seat won't do diddly. I have to say that it put it into perspective when we opted to not carry the car seat on our trip just for the airplane.

Well, you're right in the sense that if it's an actuall CRASH, the car seat won't do squat. But that's not what you want the car seat for anyway. The likely hood of a crash is very, very low. What is MORE likely to happen (still a low chance, though) is turbulance or an emergency landing, or even a crash landing (a landing that is less than perfect, but also survivable). In those cases, the car seat is the differance between life and death.

Hauling a car seat through the airport is a hassle, no doubt about it. And the the extra expense of a half priced ticket can strain a limited vacation budget. But I personally feel that a child's safety is worth the extra effort and expense, and when DH and I have kids, we will travel with a car seat on all flights until the kids are big enough to travel without them. If we didn't, and something happened on the flight, I can't even imagine the guilt we'd feel, that we put convienance and saving a few dollars over our child's safety.

Again, the odds of ANYTHING going wrong on the flight are slim, but I'd feel better not tempting fate!

 

[Briarmom]

My hubby is a civilian--he's on a field assignment. Not as bad as originally scheduled (was a year--but he switched locations and is finished at hte end of February--or at the most, May).

I'm Miss Independent--and in the last week it has all come to a head and I realize that the whole thing stinks--and I cannot go it alone. Much to his happiness b/c now he feels b/c his wifey needs him. LOL!

So anyway--back on topic--I'm debating the strollers as well. OY!

Go get the cheapest one you can find. Are you flying within the states? Seriously, it works fine. As I said, I have never lived close to family since having babies and the $10 Walmart (yep, Walmart) special is all I've used. The chances are good that they will break something on it and you won't care if it's cheap.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Hey--I'm just glad she's over two now and she gets ticketed regardless. I do what I needed to in my circumstances and everyoen does what they need to in theirs.

I've flown since the age of 4 unaccompanied (now what genious airline allowed that?????) so am well versed in air travel, safety stuff, yadda yadda yadda. ETA: It is publicly accepted by my mother and I that my dad was an idiot for pulling that stunt. He failed to tell her when he picked me up that he wouldn't be flying with me on the return trip.

The problem on that particular vacation--we were there for 15 days hopping around and it was hassle enough with the load we have and a car seat would have been useless dead weight. Now--had a car seat been FAA regulation--we would have made do...but it wasn't and she lived.

As for my present predicament--high likelihood the seat in question won't even fit in the airline seat. So until FAA changes regulations on seat sizes to accomodate their pint sized passengers...requiring a child to be seated and restrained is a useless practice b/c that poor baby/2/3 year old is likely to be injured/killed anyway.

They don't have a car seat check box when you book--so until you show up at the plane and attempt to install the seat--you have no way of knowing if it is going to fit or not (and I don't have one of those monster sized seats either--just a regular standard car seat).