Flying question?

[kcmyluv]

We are leaving in two days with our 13 month old twin boys. We will be flying to Orlando. Me, DH and DGrams. WEe only bought three seats (I know we might regret this). They have open seats on the way there, when I called the sirline last night and asked about bringing on the carseat if we got a seat and she said no they are only for purchased seats. Which I understand. We are bringing the carseats, everyone said the ones you rent are gross, should we check them or can we gate check them? Will they let the boys just sit in a seat or do they have to be in a carseat? We are flying Sun Countr. Thanks for any help.

 

[JimMIA]

I'd take them carryon (if you can - they will count as a bag), especially if you are connecting anywhere. Even if you can't use them on the plane, you will at least have them when you go to rent a car. The others were right, rental car carseats are often nasty, and also often in poor repair.

When Baby Girl was smaller, we took her MIA-BOS as a lap baby and carried on her carseat. I had arranged our seating so there was likely to be a vacant seat, and sure enough there was. They not only let us use the carseat, the flight attendant installed it for us. Of course, that was American and every airline has different policies.

 

[carol1231]

Are your purchased seats all together? I am only asking because I think they only allow one lap child per row.

 

[DebbieB]

Car seats have to be in the window seat.

 

[Beca]

Yes, there is only one lap child per row. So, you will not be able to sit together if you are each holding a lap child. Now, if both seats next to you are open...then one of you could move over, and you would still only have 4 people on a 3 row seat (assuming 737...I think that is what Sun Country flies).

Debbie B...Car seats do not always have to go by the window. Per the FAR's, they cannot go in an aisle seat (too risky in case an overhead bin opens up and an item lands on a little one), but they only have to go by the window if they extend beyond the seat cushion. Most flignt attendant's will not take the time to tell you this, but as a former flight attendant, I tell you it is true. The ONLY reason carseats are not allowed in the middle is because they could impede someone's exit path. The infant seats all do this. But, the OP stated their twins were 13 months old, and might be in a fwd facing car seat. A lot of those seats do not extend past the seat cushion, and therefore can be placed in a middle seat.



Beca

 

[k_k_100]

Yes, there is only one lap child per row. So, you will not be able to sit together if you are each holding a lap child.

Did you purchase 3 seats for the 4 of you? Then one child would have a seat - leaving only 1 as a "lap child"? Or, are they both considered "lap children" unless one of them is in a car seat? In other words, if you purchase a seat for a child under 2 are they still considered a "lap child"?

 

[disneyeveryyear]

I think she bought 3 seats for the 5 of them (grandma is gong also).

Therefore, I think they bought a seat each for mom, dad and grandma, with 2 lap babies.

 

[k_k_100]

I think she bought 3 seats for the 5 of them (grandma is gong also).

Therefore, I think they bought a seat each for mom, dad and grandma, with 2 lap babies.

ahhhh... I forgot about Dgrams

 

[Alexander]

If there are empty seats, I would carry the car seats on if they're not too big. However, you'll need to have an empty seat next to one of the adults, and I wonder what the chances of this happening are. Otherwise, gate check them. If you have connecting flights, you'll have to pick them up between flights and re-gate check them for the next flight. Only one lap child per row due to the number of O2 masks that drop down.

 

[NMW]

Beca is right, you can put a car seat in the middle row. We have done it. For us, having our DD sleeping comfortably in her own car seat was worth lugging it through the airport (we did buy her seat though). Especialy the time our return flight to Newark had to sit on the runway for 45 extra minutes-DD stayed sleeping through the whole thing-even after many, many children had started to cry.

 

[tink'smom2B]

Our flight on American wouldn't let our car seat in the middle of the row. The attendant made sure she was next to the window (much to the dismay of her 15 y/o sister who really wanted the window seat)! We also had twins on our flight home who both wanted to sit with their mother. Of course, there was only one lap child per row so they had to separate and the child cried the entire 2 1/2 hour flight!