Do I need a car seat?

[Nancee]

Travelling to Florida in February, with a three year old, do I need to provide a car seat for the plane?

Any info would be helpful.

 

[candyht]

It's not required by law, but the airlines highly recommend it. Most of the flights that I have been on, the toddlers are without carseats.

 

[kidzmom3]

I like to check mine at the gate because (all though they are faa approved) our car seats are high up and they don't allow the tray table to come down. Therefore, my kids could never color or play with their toys or have a spot for their drinks. I actually took them out of their car seats at a layover it was such a problem. They also seem to make the area a lot more crowded making the flight seem more uncomfortable. Row of 3 seats, it was me and 2 kids in car seats, I just had to get rid of them lol. It did make me feel a little safer but my 2 girls will be 5, 6 on our next flight so I don't feel they will be unsafe.

 

[Pumbaa_]

We are going to Disney with a 3 year old also. I spoke with SW tonight and they said you do not need a car seat. I am curious if anyone else has any input. I don't want touse one on the plane, very cumbersome!
Thanks!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

You don't need one, but, the same theory applies on a plane as it does in a car. The seat belts on an airplane like in a car are not intended for small children. Almost every single reason you have for using one in a car applies to a plane. Cumbersome, indeed, however, is cumbersome a good excuse to subject your child to injury? Cannot use the tray tables is a good reason, but, again, same question to injury? What do they use to color on in the car?
Your child, safety, your choice.

 

[ls1222]

I'm not trying to be rude, but I we all know that in a car, car seats increase chance of survival. In a plane accident would a car seat really help? I have always wondered this, it just seems that a car seat would not really help. Maybe I'm missing something. I have never took the seat for my children but maybe I am wrong. Thanks.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Depends on the type of accident you are speaking of.
The FAA has determinded that children are safer in a car seat during a flight, take off and landing. Airplanes experience turbulance, little people are not adequately protected in an adult seat belt. Airplanes sometimes bounce during landing, again the same theory applies to the seat belts.
Also, children are, hopefully, used to a car seat and will tend to remain seated during the flight, thereby giving the parents and other passengers a peaceful flight. There is nothing more annoying than having a child screaming during a flight because he is being restrained by a parent not a car seat. Or, one that needs to roam the aisles with mommy and daddy to meet the other people because he/she cannot remain seated. That is a big annoyance to many people. We don't want to meet your kids, we want a peaceful flight. (I am not addressing you in this semi rant, btw. )
Wrong, I don't think so, I think it is a matter of personal choice and desire to keep your child safe.

 

[ls1222]

I guess I really never considered turbulance. I agree with you as far as children remaining at their seats. I guess I have always been lucky as my children stay seated wherever we go. But, the car issue has always been a serious one for us, they are not given a choice. They will be seat belted (older child) and in their car seats. But then again, they know their is consequences to their actions. Thank you for the information.

 

[akasleepingbeauty]

We always use our carseat for our dd too. For me, it is just a matter of consistency and safety. Our dd is used to her carseat and never expects to get up and move around etc. and I know she is safer in the case of any problem while flying. As long as I am flying with someone else who can help, taking the carseat on is not that big of a deal. Now when traveling alone with your child, I agree it is very hard but it still can be done.

Here is some information I found online about turbulence injuries. I know that many people don't consider this a serious issue but with what I have heard and read I believe it is.

"Among non-fatal accidents, in-flight turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to airline passengers and flight attendants."

"On December 5, 1996, 16 people suffered injuries, including a 7-month old baby, when an American Airlines jetliner ran into clear-air turbulence over Colorado."

"From 1981-November 1996, there were 252 reports of turbulence affecting major air carriers. Two passengers died, 63 suffered serious injuries and 863 received minor injuries. Both fatalities involved passengers who were not wearing their seat belts."

"Two-thirds of turbulence-related accidents occur at or above 30,000 feet. "

This info is all from cnn.com in an article about United flight 826 - the source is listed as the FAA. There is MUCH more info on this online if you would like to read some more.

I think the key here is being properly restrained. A small child just cannot be considered properly restrained with a regular airline seatbelt. Therefore, I will continue to use a carseat for my dd and hope many others will consider it also.

 

[RAZ24]

Just last month we flew with our 4 year old to CA. My husband wanted to bring the car seat, I asked that we didn't. Several months earlier we flew with her and the person in front reclined their chair. She had absolutely no leg room!

I'm not 100% sure I did the right thing, she does meet the age requirement in our state.