No More Lap Babies!

[NewRVLady]

On my last flight grandparents were holding their 4 or 5 year old grandson in their laps! no seat for him
I could NOT believe it

 

[Gumbo4x4]

A lap baby was thrown from its mother's lap during the turbulence and landed 2 rows away.

Does anyone know what the record distance is? Do the folks at Guiness track such things?

 

[mnrose]

If you can't afford to buy your baby a seat, you can't afford to go. Period.

I *hate* lap babies. You are exposing your child (and I can't imagine why someone wants to do that) and other people to an unreasonable risk. Clear air turbulence has happened to me multiple times, and I'm not a particularly "frequent" flyer. It can't be predicted. It happens randomly. And, is very, very frightening.

 

[pigletgirl]

If you can't afford to buy your baby a seat, you can't afford to go. Period.

I *hate* lap babies. You are exposing your child (and I can't imagine why someone wants to do that) and other people to an unreasonable risk. Clear air turbulence has happened to me multiple times, and I'm not a particularly "frequent" flyer. It can't be predicted. It happens randomly. And, is very, very frightening.

But the child isn't yours. So why does it matter what another parent chooses to do?

 

[mombrontrent]

When my son was 10 months old I took a trip to Australia to visit my Dad. I flew alone with my son. Each way took 24+ hours and 3 planes. It was a long trip especially with a couple 4-5 hour middle of the night lay-overs. My son was a lap baby. Luckily my dad paid for my ticket a bought me a first class ticket so it was roomy up there When there was an extra seat next to us I put my DS there to sleep. I even went back to economy class on one leg because there was a whole row free. We did have severe turbulence at one point but I was able to easily hold him in my lap. I have also taken my youngest as a lap baby when she was 17 months old on a 5 hour flight. I would do it again to save money but I have no more kids in that age bracket anymore.

 

[Gracie09]

We were always given belts for lap children that secure them to the parent's belt on international flights. I always wondered why that do not offer them (or require them) on domestic flights.

The FAA has banned them because they essentially make the child your own little cushion and can crush them. Kind of like why your not allowed to put a baby on your lap in a car and belt them in.

All I will say about the subject of lap babies is the FAA, the NTsb, the pilots union and the flight attendants union have all said it is safest to fly with your child in an approved car seat. The only ones who don't want it are the airlines but thy have the money for the lobbiest so....

The NTsb has a video with crash tests done one babies not in seats and in seats. It's worth a viewing.

 

[kkandaj]

If you can't afford to buy your baby a seat, you can't afford to go. Period.

I *hate* lap babies. You are exposing your child (and I can't imagine why someone wants to do that) and other people to an unreasonable risk. Clear air turbulence has happened to me multiple times, and I'm not a particularly "frequent" flyer. It can't be predicted. It happens randomly. And, is very, very frightening.

There is a risk to people when others eat peanuts on a plane, but those threads turn into "if that person is worried about going into anaphylxis, they just shouldn't fly."

If people are worried about getting hit with flying babies, maybe they shouldn't fly. FLYING is a risk. Driving is a risk. Walking is a risk. Guarantee more people have tripped and hurt themselves this year by messing with their phone while walking than they've been hit by flying babies on an airplane.

If someone thinks like this, people also shouldn't be able to bring anything else on a flight either because if a BABY is going to become a projectile item out of parents arms, there will be MANY other items flying around the airplane. Even the overhead bins have been known to get knocked open and drop suitcases on people, which will most likely cause more injury to you than a projectile baby.

This thread is hilarious to me...though I do hope the crew/baby/travelers are now all doing well.

 

[LSmith]

On my last flight grandparents were holding their 4 or 5 year old grandson in their laps! no seat for him
I could NOT believe it

The FAA has strict rules against this. Every person over the age of two must buy a seat.

 

[LSmith]

If you can't afford to buy your baby a seat, you can't afford to go. Period.

I *hate* lap babies. You are exposing your child (and I can't imagine why someone wants to do that) and other people to an unreasonable risk. Clear air turbulence has happened to me multiple times, and I'm not a particularly "frequent" flyer. It can't be predicted. It happens randomly. And, is very, very frightening.

What about laptops? At least 20% of people on most flights have a heavy laptop on their lap throughout the flight.

 

[Maggie Lizer]

On my last flight grandparents were holding their 4 or 5 year old grandson in their laps! no seat for him
I could NOT believe it

They must have paid for a seat for the kid and decided not to use it, then. For all children, you must provide proof that they are under 2 or you HAVE to buy them a seat.

 

[LSmith]

If you can't afford to buy your baby a seat, you can't afford to go. Period.

The FAA allows babies under two to fly sitting on their parents laps. Period.

 

[pigletgirl]

They must have paid for a seat for the kid and decided not to use it, then. For all children, you must provide proof that they are under 2 or you HAVE to buy them a seat.

yep! no way around that!

 

[Sabeking]

On my last flight grandparents were holding their 4 or 5 year old grandson in their laps! no seat for him
I could NOT believe it

Ok that isn't even legal...doubt that happened! They won't even let you put certain bags in front of you much less a five year old on someone's lap!

As a PP mentioned I think it is about choice and what one parent sees as a huge risk another not as much. Listen, I won't fly too often because I think planes are"tin cans of death" with or without seat belts. I have an irrational fear but at least I have a choice to have a lap baby or not. Just like I have the choice not to buy say a BMW for my teenager because it may have a better safety record than a less expensive car. There is a higher rate of teenagers dying in car accidents than babies airborne in a plane I would gander to say but that doesn't mean I may have the money for the safest vehicle. Sometimes you just have to leave that up to a Higher Power and move on. Just my two cents.

 

[NaLisa]

Funny to me that people have such strong opinions about this. My DDs have never flown so no first-hand experience. But if people are following the law and air safety regulations they should be able to have lap babies on planes. People who feel that it's unsafe to have a lap baby on planes should buy a seat even if it's not required. People who think babies should be required to be in a car seat on airplanes should complain to the FAA, airlines, NTSB, etc.

 

[Lolsmum]

The FAA has banned them because they essentially make the child your own little cushion and can crush them. Kind of like why your not allowed to put a baby on your lap in a car and belt them in.

All I will say about the subject of lap babies is the FAA, the NTsb, the pilots union and the flight attendants union have all said it is safest to fly with your child in an approved car seat. The only ones who don't want it are the airlines but thy have the money for the lobbiest so....

The NTsb has a video with crash tests done one babies not in seats and in seats. It's worth a viewing.

Is it really safer to have a child not belted at all than the extra lap belt attached to the parent belt? I guess the real question is whether turbulence or crashes are more likely to cause injury.

I have always bought my infant a seat (we mostly fly long haul) except my son's first flight when he was in a "bassinet" provided by the airline and on my lap with a belt for take off and landing. My daughter has never taken off or landed in her seat though, as the screaming would be horrendous. I always nursed her for take off and landing.

Virgin used to provide a child seat that strapped into the regular seat and harnessed, like a car seat, but designed to fit on the plane seat. My kids loved it and it meant we didn't have to bring a car seat if we weren't going to be using one. I have no idea if they still do, as my kids are older, but it was great.

 

[Laura66]

Listen, I wouldn't (and didn't) do it, I don't understand how or why other parents feel safe and comfortable holding babies on their laps - but I would never say they don't love their babies or are negligent parents.

 

[georgina]

I did it when my kids were little. They nursed and slept most of the trips in my arms. We didn't travel much, but knowing more I probably wouldn't do it now.

We hit turbulence yesterday flying cross country and the flight attendants were strapped in, but people kept getting up to go the restroom even though they kept announcing to stay in your seats. I was thinking I didn't want this 250 lb guy to fall on me!

 

[kidshop]

I always bought the seat. It just doesn't make any logical sense that every adult and child over 2 on that plane wears a seatbelt or it doesn't take off....coffee pots are strapped down....but the smallest and most vulnerable? Well just hang on to them!

Either it is safe enough that nobody has to wear a seatbelt or everyone has to be belted in. I don't see it it up for debate.


It's only about money, but physics always trumps that.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

I always bought the seat. It just doesn't make any logical sense that every adult and child over 2 on that plane wears a seatbelt or it doesn't take off....coffee pots are strapped down....but the smallest and most vulnerable? Well just hang on to them!

Either it is safe enough that nobody has to wear a seatbelt or everyone has to be belted in. I don't see it it up for debate.


It's only about money, but physics always trumps that.

Except it's not, and it is up for debate. Just because you disagree, doesn't mean everyone else has to shut up.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Except it's not, and it is up for debate. Just because you disagree, doesn't mean everyone else has to shut up.

Except it IS about the money.

If parents had to buy the baby a ticket, the FAA has studies that say more people would drive. Or just not travel.

The only factor is cost - what other variable changed?

Hey if anyone wants to fly without belting their kids in - great. Your decision.