Flying with lap infant using travel vest.

[hammie59]

Has anyone ever used or have any info regarding the Baby B'Air travel vest? It's a vest/harness that a small child wears that attaches to the adults seatbelt. It's purpose is to secure a lap riding child during flight incase of turbulance.

I've read many conflicting reports on the use of these. Some airlines allow it and others ban them. From what I've read, many problems seem to stem from flight crew not being informed on the product, therefore not allowing passengers to use. I tried contacting Northwest and they were completely useless in answering my questions, which makes me even more suspect that I might have a problem when flying down to Disney. I bought it for my daughter who will be 11 months at the time of travel. It has a tag sewn on it stating that it's FAA approved, but people are still having trouble using them. Any info or experiences with this would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[camack7827]

My wife and I used one last December and it worked out great with our then 15 month old son. He was born 9 lbs 7 oz and has been either "off the charts" or just on, and it was fine. I think if you read the tag clearly, it says it's approved by the FAA for "in flight" but not for take-off or landing. As you said, it's designed to help keep your child from bouncing around the cabin during severe turbulence. We flew Continental and didn't have any problems with the flight attendants, but that could be because Continental's policy is that you are allowed to have an infant (under 2 years old) on your lap without any restraint.

I had heard stories of people saying that they weren't allowed to have their child in the Baby B'Air during take-off due to uninformed flight attendants. Aparantly some flight attendants took the "not approved for take-off and landing" as it's restricted when in fact the FAA is simply saying it's not going to help in a take-off or landing incident but WILL help with turbulence. My attitude on it was that if I was given a hard time about using it during take-off and landing, I was simply going to strap him to me after they sat down. In the end, it was a non-issue and the flight crew was very helpful and even offered up the advice of strapping him in, then tightening things up to give me more slack to work with.

I have a feeling the crews that work (any city in the US) to Orlando, see a lot of these harnesses and you will likely not have an issue.

****EDIT****
After reading a few of the posts subsequent to this one, I checked Continental's site and they now DO NOT allow the use of the Baby B'Air vest. They also directly mention the CAReS vest, so please disregard my comment about "you will likely not have an issue". When we flew last December, they allowed the use of vests but there was no mention of the CAReS vest. I guess alot can change in 9 months!
************
Enjoy the trip with your little one!

Chris

 

[NotUrsula]

It is considered dangerous for takeoff or landing (or any ground operation time) because in the event of a forward impact or sudden decelleration it can turn the child into a human airbag for the adult holding him/her.

FA's *are* allowed to refuse to let you use it at these times, and that includes the right to take it away from you and place it in the overhead bin to be sure that you don't sneak and use it once they sit down. Since it is not approved for the entire flight, the FAA allows airlines to ban their use entirely; it is at the airline's discretion. Arguing will get you nowhere, except perhaps the pokey; you can be charged with Interfering with a Flight Crew (a Federal felony) if you try to defy the FA's orders.

Now, if you have purchased a separate seat for your child and brought aboard a CAReS harness or an approved-for-aircraft-use carseat, US Federal law says that you cannot be prevented from using it in-flight. There are restrictions re: the placement of carseats, however; if you are in the wrong seat location they may have to move you before the carseat can be used.

 

[tjmw2727]

Since they are not FAA approved and can't be used for takeoff or landing most airlines won't allow them at all. If it has the FAA tag it is likely an older model as the newer ones have a disclaimer tag saying they are only for use while cruising and have no FAA approval.

OP - not saying your not going to follow the rules but IMHO just save the $$ because most airlines won't let you use it at all. The problem for the FA's is enforcing the FAA regulations and the airlines have come to the conclusion that the best way to do this is not allow them at all. Reason = once the FA's are out of sight a parent just re-attaches the vest without regard for the rule and even though the FA asked them not to use it.

Check your individual airlines website as most clearly state that the vests can't be used at all. Here is the verbage from SWA bold is mine:

The FAA has banned the use on aircraft of certain types of child restraints that may be harmful to a child in the event of an aviation emergency. These include most booster seats, safety belt extensions (commonly referred to as "belly belts"), and vest or harness devices that attach to an adult or to the seatbelt. Although some that were manufactured before the FAA's ban may carry an insignia and/or language indicating they are approved for aircraft use, please understand that they are no longer permitted.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/infants.html

Other airlines are similar, in fact AA is almost identical.

Sorry -
TJ

 

[camack7827]

It is considered dangerous for takeoff or landing (or any ground operation time) because in the event of a forward impact or sudden decelleration it can turn the child into a human airbag for the adult holding him/her.

While I understood the comment when I asked about this last year, my rebuttle is still the same: How is the alternative safer? Given the choice, you would prefer your toddler fly through the passenger compartment?

The easy answer is that "I would by him/her a seat and bring along the carseat". For those of us that live in reality, that easy answer is not always possible.

We also had the complication of having to take a puddle jumper from Orlando to Key West which a Continental CSR stated may not have provisions for a larger car seat. I was told that if a car seat is too wide, I may not be able to secure it properly on the prop-plane. She couldn't confirm that for me, said it was dependant on the model of car seat and the plane. Because the plane would be operated by a partner and not Continental themselves, I was stuck. I did not know about the CAReS restraint last year, I looked but couldn't find anything like that. Thanks for sharing that link.

Chris

 

[NotUrsula]

How is it safer than the alternative? By that I'm presuming that you are asking about the alternative of no restraint at all other than a parent's arms.

Really, it isn't. If you want to talk survivable injuries, it is more probable that injuries to an unrestrained child would likely be fractures and lacerations, while the injury inflicted by a belly belt or vest arrangement is normally rupture of internal organs. Take your choice, neither one is what I'd call good.

What it really comes down to is liability. By allowing no device at all, the airline cannot be judged to be at fault in any way if the device fails or causes harm; thus their exposure is reduced. It is much harder to prove what something might have done to protect, than what it did do to harm.