Flying with an infant

[pl'smama]

Hi everyone, I just have a question about flying with an infant. Do you have to purchase a seat for a child of about 8 to ten months old? If so, can you take a regular child booster seat or infant carrier on the plane?

If you don't have to purchase the seat, then do you hold them the whole time? Can you use a sling to hold them?

This would be a flight out of Toronto.

Thank you, Suz

 

[DVC Sadie]

I would always recommend purchasing a seat for an infant so they can be in their carseat during the flight. Holding an infant can be dangerous if you hit any turbulence.

 

[HolliePoppins]

I would always recommend purchasing a seat for an infant so they can be in their carseat during the flight. Holding an infant can be dangerous if you hit any turbulence.

 

[gwtw428]

I agree that you should purchase a seat for any infant. By law you only have to purchase a seat for any child 2 years and older. Besides being a safety issue it is easier to bring the carseat and not have to hold the baby the whole time. I took my then 4month old and bought a seat for her. She slept the whole flight in her carrier. When she was 1 year old we again bought her a seat and she stayed in her carseat the whole flight...no problems!

 

[DISNEYFOS]

I also agree with buying a seat. Some airlines (like southwest) still offer infant fares which are significantly less. My dds always slept in their car seat for flights...make it a lot easier.

If you don't buy a seat, I don't believe they will allow any thing that willl attach her to you like a sling... She'll have to be on your lap

 

[J3nn78]

We had our youngest as a lap baby last trip and will do the same this trip. THey will not let you use anything to hold the baby except your arms or a Baby B'Air Flight Vest which is FaA certified. You still have to hold the baby, but the baby is tethered to you in case of turbulence. It is not approved for take off or landing though.

 

[IheartAriel]

On our last trip to Boston we didn't buy a ticket for our 1 year old but brought the car seat to the gate just in case the seat next to us was open. If that's the case we would of been able to bring the car seat on the flight and strap our daughter into it. But because there wasn't a seat they then just gate checked the car seat.

 

[ChrisandDon'sMommy]

Slings, Baby B'Airs, and Baby Bjorns are not FAA approved or allowed for use with lap babies. Since flights are more than likely to be full, it's not worth the gamble of "hoping" to get a free seat.

Buy the extra seat. Not only will your infant be safe, but you can free your arms from the long flight.

 

[5 for WDW]

I agree with the others. We always purchased a seat for our kids when they were under 2. They are so much safer in a seat and it is so less stressful for the parents.

 

[moredisneyplease]

Yeah, its not necessary to purchase one but it is safer to have the baby in the carseat. Good luck!

 

[marbella_chris]

are sky cots not available?

on trans atlantic flights with virgin/ british airways for infants under 12 months they have sky cots for them ....

 

[Octoberbabiesrus]

I am gonna get flamed for this, but we will be holding our son, he will be 12 months on the flight. I am NOT taking the car seat cause seriously, they would ask us to vacate the aircraft. Our son HATES the car. He has a tolerance of about 10-15 minutes. Then, he screams his full head off.

Do what YOU feel comfertable with.

 

[tlbwriter]

are sky cots not available?

on trans atlantic flights with virgin/ british airways for infants under 12 months they have sky cots for them ....

Sky cots are not an option on U.S. airlines. Children under age 2 can be held in the parents' lap, or the parent can buy a seat for them. Buying a seat is more expensive but is safer and is usually more comfortable for both parent and child.

OP, are you flying on a U.S. carrier? If so, you may have problems using your Canadian carseat. Carseats must be FAA approved for airplane use, and I don't know if the seats sold in Canada will have the required sticker. Some FAs are real sticklers about this. Can anyone who has flown with a Canadian seat share their experience with this?

 

[all4fun]

I don't know about Canadian rules, but if the flight is under FAA (US) rules, children can ride as "lap babies" up until their 2nd b-day. The FAA does strongly recommend buying children a seat and using a car seat (or CARES) on board the flight though. Also, the Baby B'aire device would fall under the "supplemental lap restraints or belly belts" wording on their site http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
You can also only use slings or front carriers during the regular portions of the flight, not during taxi, take off, or landing.

hth

 

[Luhts]

As far as I know, Canadian airlines charge full-fare for the seat no matter who is sitting in it, so unless you are rich, I would go with the poster who said not to purchase a seat, but take your carseat to the gate incase their is an open seat next to you. Not to have to hold the baby the entire flight would make your life easier (and yes, be safer for baby during turbulence), and gate-checking the carseat in the event there is not a free seat would decrease the chance of the carseat being damaged during handling. You should bring a large clear plastic bag to the gate, too, to wrap it in if it is going to be checked. Oh, and make sure to 'tag' it, too.

 

[frtchr]

I am gonna get flamed for this, but we will be holding our son, he will be 12 months on the flight. I am NOT taking the car seat cause seriously, they would ask us to vacate the aircraft. Our son HATES the car. He has a tolerance of about 10-15 minutes. Then, he screams his full head off.

Do what YOU feel comfertable with.

Our DD is just starting to be less angry about her car seat. Man, she HATES that thing! We bought a CARES harness for her to use on the last flight, and the difference between that and her car seat was night and day. Of course, now with flight prices being insane, looks like we're driving next time. Go figure!

 

[Zeebs]

We have never bought a seat for bubs, we have been lucky with most of our flights we have had bulk head so that bubs can play at our feet, so we could put him down, and had the option of the skycot. It works out fine for us as he liked to breastfed which kept him calm. Cullen now has to have his own seat, and Seth will be in the lap on this trip. So we will see how it goes. Flying internationally we get a lapbelt which attaches to him and then to my belt.

It is up to you with what you feel comfortable with, I researched my decision on our first flight and the statisics of danger for bubs and others in the plane was very very low which made me happy with my decision.

Kirsten

 

[HGD24]

Here's a listing for the Baby B'Air. It includes mixed reviews about whether or not airlines will let you use it. It seems some do and some don't.

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-BAir-Fli..._bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1219092004&sr=8-1

The manufacturer claims that it is FAA approved for in-flight, but not landings and take-offs.

We'll be holding our baby on our laps during our 3 hr flight in Oct.

 

[jodifla]

Hi everyone, I just have a question about flying with an infant. Do you have to purchase a seat for a child of about 8 to ten months old? If so, can you take a regular child booster seat or infant carrier on the plane?

If you don't have to purchase the seat, then do you hold them the whole time? Can you use a sling to hold them?

This would be a flight out of Toronto.

Thank you, Suz

We never purchases a seat for our son when he was under 2. It was never a problem.

Do bring a birth certificate, though, if you take that route. They are sticklers for proof you aren't trying to have a lap baby at 2.5.

 

[barnaby1]

We have never bought a seat for bubs, we have been lucky with most of our flights we have had bulk head so that bubs can play at our feet, so we could put him down, and had the option of the skycot. It works out fine for us as he liked to breastfed which kept him calm. Cullen now has to have his own seat, and Seth will be in the lap on this trip. So we will see how it goes. Flying internationally we get a lapbelt which attaches to him and then to my belt.

It is up to you with what you feel comfortable with, I researched my decision on our first flight and the statisics of danger for bubs and others in the plane was very very low which made me happy with my decision.

Kirsten

I agree that it is what you are comfortable with is the right choice for you. We never bought a seat for our dd before age 2 and she did London to Australia once and London to Orlando 3 times before age 2. We always got a bulkhead so she could play on the floor.