Rear facing car seats on airplane?

[Biddler]

We will be traveling the WDW on Thanksgiving and bringing our 3 children. We will be bringing a 10 week old and was wondering do the airline allow you to bring the base that the rear facing car seats clips on or do we have to strap him in with just the seat bealt. I don't feel comfortable with just the seatbelt.

 

[mbb]

http://www.consumerreports.org/main...gicSession=PFMk210yenjlRn8tS0W4QPKnBTZgWx5WmZ<br%20/>N1i8p6a4crcXaw71kaVFl93RNqzd1m9SndCE1y6DA3


HTH!!

 

[HoosierFantasia]

I believe you can use the rear facing car seat for your baby if you can strap him in it and face him forward. They cannot be used in the rear facing mode, but most of those can be turned arround and used as a forward facing possibly without the base.

Bill

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes - you can and IMHO you should! I know from experience that AA and Southwest will allow the rear facing infant seat. To be safe check the website for the airline you are flying or call them to confirm.

This is from Southwest -
A SEAT FOR THE BABY. Yes, they can fly for free in your lap until they’re two but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommends that all children who fly, regardless of their age, use the appropriate restraint based on their size and weight. They are far safer in turbulence or an accident. The American academy of pediatrics concurs. A baby will be a lot more comfortable in a familiar seat. You’ll be more comfortable too. Under 20 pounds, they should be in a rear-facing seat; from 20 to 40 pounds in a forward-facing child restraint. Children over 40 pounds may safely use an aircraft seat belt. Visit www.faa.gov/passengers/childsafetyseats for more information.

TJ

 

[NotUrsula]

On US carriers, there isn't a prohibition against installing a carseat rear-facing. However, due to the seat pitch in coach, a lot of infant carseats will not fit between the rows installed that way; they may be too large. If so, installing the seat forward-facing is still safer than not using one at all.

With most models, the base will not be usable in an aircraft. The reason for this is that an aircraft seatbelt buckles in the center, rather than on the side. Depending on the way the base and seat fit together, the buckle in the center may prevent the seat from properly snapping into the base. I'd say you can try to fit a deck of cards between the seat and the base in the center; if you can't do that, then the base won't work. (A deck of cards being about the same size as the seatbelt buckle.) If the base won't work, you just install the car seat only, without using the base.

*All* currently-sold US carseat models must be designed to be safely installed using a lap-belt only; just follow the seat's directions for lap-belt installation. (If you have lost the instructions, call the mfr. They will send a new set for free.)

 

[Geoff_M]

Also, technically all car seats used on aircraft must be FAA approved and should carry a label stating so. Flight attendants don't routinely check, but If you're having problems getting your seat to fit that might be called into question.

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, and just so you know, the label does not mention the FAA by name.

There are actually two labels. One must include the wording: "This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards'' and the other must include the wording "THIS RESTRAINT IS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN MOTOR VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT'' in red lettering.

The labels may include add'l information, but those phrases are required by US law for carseats sold in the US and used on US commercial air carriers.

 

[seashoreCM]

Can someone explain what the advantage of facing a small infant backward is?

I would think that you could use the seat just as well either way in an aircraft or whichever way it fits better. A throw forward crash (sudden stop) in an airplane is much less likely than in a car.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[mbb]

if they're not facing the rear...

A baby's neck, upper shoulders and chest muscles are not deveolped enough to withstand a forward stop, sudden or not.

Which is why the 5point restraints are so much better for infants, and toddlers...they secure a child, well, securely

If a baby is facing "backwards", they are pushed further into the seat, not "whipped" forward...

I'm sure there are other posters who can explain it better

 

[NotUrsula]

Actually, a "sudden stop" is probably the second-most common type of risk on an aircraft. The most common is turbulence, which normally puts *upward* force on the restraint.

The forward-force of a sudden stop works the same way in an aircraft as it does in a car; on the ground. Have you never been in a situation where the pilot put the plane down kind of hard and then *immediately* hit the brakes so as to avoid going off the end of the runway? I've experienced that times past counting, on lots of different airlines.