Infant airline seat

[KPtoys]

DS will be 7 months when he goes to see the mouse to get him a seat on SW would be $170 (today before any Dings). That of course means bringing his convertible car seat with us when we are using Disneys buses the whole time. My question, because of turbulance and the safety factor of a child strapped to a seat instead of being a potential projectile would you get the seat??

 

[CarolA]

Yes, I would. It is much safer for your child to fly in the car seat.

The FAA does not allow you to hold the infant because it's "safe" but because the airlines and your elected officials have pressured them for "economic" reasons.

 

[tjmw2727]

Its a personal decision and as you know its not required until age 2. However, since your asking what folks would do we always purchased seats for our dds and use the carseat.

For me the fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics, most airlines and even the TSA all advise using using a carseat until 40lbs was enough.

TJ

 

[disneyfaninaz]

IF the $170 fare does not go down, the infant fare offered through SW is $129.

 

[cuppycake]

Since you're asking for opinions, YES. I would buy the seat and put him in the carseat for safety reasons.

When DD1 was an infant, we flew with her in our laps ONCE, and I was PETRIFIED the entire time that something would happen. Never again. Car seats on planes for this family (though now that the 4 year old is 46 inches and 44 pounds, I let her use the seatbelt on the plane).

 

[laughinplace199]

I've always bought seats for my babies for safety reasons. Although it can be a pain to lug the carseat through the airport, I think having the baby in his/her own seat makes things a lot easier on the flight, especially when you have other children to attend to as well.

On our last trip to WDW, DS was 5 months old. He did great on the plane, had a bottle and then slept on both flights. When he was in his seat, I could help DH with our older two kids when necessary. On our flight home, DS5 was sick, and it would have been very difficult for DH and me if the baby wasn't in a seat. I can't imagine how it would have been to try to hold a baby, take care of sick DS, and make sure DD was ok. After that flight I just kept saying how glad I was that we had baby in a seat.

Does your baby have an infant car seat? Do you have to use a convertible car seat on the trip? DS is still in his infant seat. He will still be in his infant seat at 9 months when we go back to WDW (his seat is a big one that can hold up to 30 lbs or something like that). Although I am planning to buy him a convertible seat soon, I want to use the infant seat for WDW because then I can use it with the stroller when at the airport and I won't have to worry about carrying the car seat. Would that be an option for you?

 

[KPtoys]

yes we have an infant carrier but my porker is 18 1/2lbs and 28" at 4.5 months. He is the height of a 9 month old and weight of a 7 month old. He should be our of the carrier!

 

[pednurse]

Yes, get the seat so your child will be safely strapped in! We've flown when DS was 4 1/2 months old and when DD was 7 1/2 months old and bought them their own seats each time. In my opinion, the safety of my child is priceless.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

We always bought DD her own seat and took the carseat. DS hasn't flown yet, but we will do the same for him.

 

[dennis99ss]

Yes.....use the seat. Make sure it is approved by the FAA. It will say it on the labels. To use on the plane, it must be FAA approved.

I think it was suix city, although it may have been another where some lived and some died, but there are accounts from a flight attendant of the projectiles that infants become when seated as lap children. I seem to recall it effecting one FA even more than the crash itself.

If you have enough money to buy plane tickets, stay in a hotel, buy tickets to wdw, but food at wdw, etc. then fork out the extra dough so your child can be safe. (not necessarily to the op, but a comment to people in general)

 

[disneymomto5]

You know that you can't bring car seats on the Disney buses, right? I'm on the other side, but I always let me babies sit on my lap until they had to have a seat.

 

[tjmw2727]

You know that you can't bring car seats on the Disney buses, right? I'm on the other side, but I always let me babies sit on my lap until they had to have a seat.

Just to clarify you can't use the carseat on Magical Express bus but the driver will load the carseat under the bus for you (with the strollers and any luggage) on the trip to and from the airport. The buses from the resorts to the parks, waterparks and DTD are like city buses and won't have seatbelts so no carseats of course.

TJ

 

[jodifla]

DS will be 7 months when he goes to see the mouse to get him a seat on SW would be $170 (today before any Dings). That of course means bringing his convertible car seat with us when we are using Disneys buses the whole time. My question, because of turbulance and the safety factor of a child strapped to a seat instead of being a potential projectile would you get the seat??

To read these boards, you'd think it was standard to buy seats for kids under 2, but it's not.

I don't know anyone who bought their infants seats on a regular basis. We saved thousands of dollars, and all the kids are fine.

Statistically, it's safer for you child to be in your lap on a plane than in a car seat riding anywhere, but that doesn't stop all of us from loading the kids in the car at the drop of a hat.

 

[tjmw2727]

To read these boards, you'd think it was standard to buy seats for kids under 2, but it's not.

I don't know anyone who bought their infants seats on a regular basis. We saved thousands of dollars, and all the kids are fine.

Statistically, it's safer for you child to be in your lap on a plane than in a car seat riding anywhere, but that doesn't stop all of us from loading the kids in the car at the drop of a hat.

In my experience flying way more often than I would like to it is becoming more common than it used to be. When my dd's were small we were often the only people on the aircraft flying with a carseat. Our last few flights there were several babies preboarding and a few toddlers and they all had carseats. So even on the short flight from Manchester NH to Philadelphia the parents on those flights chose to use a carseat. There were no lap babies on either leg.

TJ

 

[jodifla]

In my experience flying way more often than I would like to it is becoming more common than it used to be. When my dd's were small we were often the only people on the aircraft flying with a carseat. Our last few flights there were several babies preboarding and a few toddlers and they all had carseats. So even on the short flight from Manchester NH to Philadelphia the parents on those flights chose to use a carseat. There were no lap babies on either leg.

TJ

I just got off a flight last night. Didn't see a car seat in the bunch being used on the plane. Lots were gate checked.

 

[cuppycake]

To read these boards, you'd think it was standard to buy seats for kids under 2, but it's not.

I don't know anyone who bought their infants seats on a regular basis. We saved thousands of dollars, and all the kids are fine.

Statistically, it's safer for you child to be in your lap on a plane than in a car seat riding anywhere, but that doesn't stop all of us from loading the kids in the car at the drop of a hat.

No one is saying that it's a standard. Op wanted opinions, and the opinions here simply lean toward using a car seat is all.

FWIW, I'm happy that all the kids that you know who were lap babies are fine. Times certainly are changing and there are more and more people who are chosing to fly with car seats rather than take the gamble.

I'm not a frequent flyer by any sense of the word, but on most of the flights that I've been on in the last two years (many of them to Orlando with lots of kids), I generally see, I would estimate, 75% of the people with small children (including infants) using car seats. Definately more that do than that don't (we've flown from BWI and Washington Dulles)...maybe it depends on the area of the country that you are in?

 

[CarolA]

I don't know anyone who bought their infants seats on a regular basis. We saved thousands of dollars, and all the kids are fine.

All of my friends (most of whom traveled a LOT on business before they had children) have ALWAYS purchased tickets for thier children.

One of my friends spent HOURS arguing with the Chinese adoption agency because they thought it was a WASTE of money to buy a seat for her child (who was 16 months OLD) Granted it cost a fortune to buy a one way seat home from China, but.....

 

[northriver]

I have always purchased a seat for both of my children, oldest is 13 little one just turned 2. There are numerous reports as someone mentioned previously, of "projectile children" usually what happens is during turbulance the child flies into the air and hits the ceiling. It is not common but for less than $200 I'm not taking that chancewith my babies. My kids are also used to being strapped into their seats in the car for 3 hour car trips without getting out, they know how to be quiet and behave in the car. I kind of feel like if they have their carseat in a plane they understand the same is expected of them, kwim? AND it is safer!

Make sure you do not overtighten you child restraint into the plane, if you do it is very difficult to get it back out. I do it all the time, you'd think I'd learn.

 

[KPtoys]

thanks. I think I am going to get either a seat or the thing that straps the baby to me so if there is turbulance he doesn't become airborn. I am also flying in February on a 5 hour flight to the Caribbean but he doesn't have a seat. I will use it for him then too thanks again!

 

[tjmw2727]

thanks. I think I am going to get either a seat or the thing that straps the baby to me so if there is turbulance he doesn't become airborn. I am also flying in February on a 5 hour flight to the Caribbean but he doesn't have a seat. I will use it for him then too thanks again!

Just a word of warning that if your considering something like the baby b air travel vest it is not FAA approved.
shown here:
http://www.babybair.com/

Its not allowed for take off or landing and since it isn't FAA approved most FA's won't allow its use at all.

There is a new vest out that is approved called the CARES harness, however its $75.00 and requires the child to have his or her own seat.

http://www.kidsflysafe.com/index.php

Good luck in your decision.
TJ