requirements for flying with a 1 year old? (new questions - post #15)

[laurajetter]

DH and I will be flying this coming summer to go on vacation but it will be the first time with our baby. I have never flown with a baby, so I am not familiar with airline regulations. Jacob will be about 2 weeks shy of his first birthday.

Is he required to sit in a seat restraint or can he just sit on our laps? If he can sit on our laps, does it cost anything? Does the regular airline seatbelt go around both of us or just me with him sitting on top of it?

One other question, regarding carseats for rental cars; do rental car companies provide them for you, or do you need to bring your own?

I'm going to eventually give the airline and car rental co. a call, I just wanted to find out from you guys in the meantime.

thanks.

Laura

 

[icebrat001]

He does not have to have a seat, he can sit in your lap if you don't mind a baby sitting in your lap trying to squirm out of your lap. There is no additional fee for having a baby in your lap.

Some car rental companies rent out car seats, and others don't have them and some of the ones that do have really cruddy ones.

 

[DawnCt1]

There is no charge for a child flying in the laps of their parents under the age of two. That said, consider how unsecured objects fly around cabins of the airplane when in the presence of turbulance. Rental companies rent car seats at an additional sometimes significant cost. Bring your own and check it.

 

[laurajetter]

Some car rental companies rent out car seats, and others don't have them and some of the ones that do have really cruddy ones.

That's what I was afraid of if in fact they do rent them out; I wouldn't know the quality of the seat, how new it is, what the safety ratings are. We usually do a lot of research on Consumer Reports for car seats and such to get the safest one. I know we could bring it, it just seems like a big hassle if the seats the rental place provides are a good enough quality. I just haven't had any experience to know if they can be trusted. If they in general are of a good quality, then I'm inclined to just leave our car seat home.

Laura

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

A child under 2 is not required to have a seat on an airplane. We've done both for my DD. Frankly, we didn't see a difference, she's not a good traveler ,,,period. If you decide not to get a seat, the seatbelt only goes around you, not the baby.

If I was going to rent a car, I would bring my own carseat. Some of them are pretty crappy looking and when I checked into renting one, it was like $10.00 a day. Pretty steep, I thought.

Be prepared, some people on here get pretty uppity about NOT buying children seats on airplanes that are under 2. It has to be a decision you are comfortable with. Like I said before, we did both, bought DD a seat on a longer flight to the Carribbean, and let her sit on our laps to Florida, no matter what she ended up out of her seat, in the aisle, climbing over us, and whatever else she could do. So just because you buy a seat doesn't mean the ride will be any smoother. Its not required though, its your decsion.

 

[HeatherH]

Laura, the SAFEST place for your infant on the plane and in the car is in an approved car seat.

With a baby that young, you most definitely should use an FDA-approved car seat on the plane, and you could use the same seat for any rental car you have.

Many airlines offer special reduced infant fares now, just because it is SO much safer for an infant to have his/her own seat. Definitely check with your airline on the reduced fare.

Bringing your OWN seat and using it on the plane and in your rental car would be the cheapest and safest way to go.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Beth76]

If it's a long flight I would consider getting a seat for the baby. It would be so much easier on him (and you) to have his own seat and be restrained. When they are one, they tend to be very wiggly. And if it will be during his nap time, he'll be more comfortable in his seat than on your lap. Also it will be more difficult for you to have a drink or eat a meal if he's on your lap.

But, if you do decide against it, I would recommend you take your own car seat and just check it with your luggage. It really wouldn't be that difficult and then you know it's clean and safe.

 

[katerkat]

He can fly free on your lap; you can bring the carseat and take a chance that they'll have a free seat that day; or you can book him a seat. I've called a few and the "half off infant fares" are half off the full fare, not any discounted fare, so you're usually better off just booking regular. Russ has flown both as a lap baby and in his car seat on a chance that day. However, as we're approaching a trip on his first birthday, I can't imagine holding him. He is wiggly and he is MOBILE. The only thing that will hold him down is the carseat, not me.

One trick that helps - buy a luggage roller thingie, the kind that you can strap non-wheeled baggage onto, and strap the carseat to that to get it through the airport.

 

[aprilgail2]

For the cost of renting one of their cruddy car seats you could buy a brand new one! I only ever put my daughter in a car seat on the plane, even at 5 she still used her car seat on the plane since she was under 40 pounds. I am one of those people that think it is not safe to fly with a lap child and would never even condier it, I have read reports where even in just turbulance or rough landings they become a torpedo and can be seriously hurt...not worth it in my book just to save a few dollars...but to each their own...

 

[safetymom]

The best car seat is the one you use correctly. The start of your vacation is not the time to be learning the correct way to use the rental car seat. Bring your own seat.

 

[mrsltg]

As others have said, you can have the baby ride in your lap or buy a seat for him. I would not, however, check a carseat. Carseats are good for a total of one impact. Have you seen the way baggage handlers toss luggage around? You have no idea what's been placed on your carseat, how it was handled, etc etc etc. You won't know if the impact absorbing styrofoam has been broken or not. If it has, your seat is no good. On a plane the carseat is to restrain your child (impact on a plane is generally not a good thing), in your car, the seat restrains and absorbs impact.


Have a great vacation!

Erin

 

[RadioNate]

While I understand the in a crash a car seat won't save my child arguement there are pleantly of other reasons to use a seat on the plane. For us it was always more convient for DS to have his own place. Holding a nearly 1 year old for HOURS can be very difficult. Those seat spaces are also small. Imagine, you, your ds, your DH and a stranger all in a row.

Then there is the safety issue. There is severe mid air turbulance. I was on a flight from SA to Memphis once where I know there is no way I could have held onto my DS. The flight attendent was thrown against the ceiling of the plane and paramedics came to take her off when we landed. The speculation at the time was that she broke her collarbone.

During the Souix City crash the lap babies were all thrown around and their parents had to evacuate w/out them. In several cases other passengers found them and took them off the plane but one was found later in a luggage compartment. During the Detroit crash the lone survivor was a little girl in a car seat.

If you buy a seat and use your car seat on the plane you'll have it at your destination and won't have to worry about the rental place's seat and learning how to install it correctly.

 

[Disney Doll]

I do not have children, but my SIL does. She lives in MO and travels to CT to visit us. She puts both her children in their car seats in the plane for safety. But she also said something which I found interesting "They have "car seat behavior". They know the limits of what they can do when they are strapped in and they behave accordingly". Seems as if the car seat might be better for all involved, in terms of safety for your child, comfort for you, DH & other passengers, and not having the expense of renting a maybe not-so-good car seat from the rental car company.

Remember, your child is used to being in a car seat, so it won't seem all that different.

 

[scanne]

Just to piggyback on what most other posters have said: PLEASE buy your baby a seat and bring your own carseat. You can usually get a pretty sizable discount on a seat for a child under 2. Once they are 2, it's full price. We have a car seat carrier - we got it from Babies R Us - my DH carries it on his back through the airport. Most airlines let you pre-board to get the seat installed.

I cannot stress enough how important I feel about the safety of my kids. I am sure you feel the same and I hope that this thread has helped you to make the right decision for you and your family.

 

[laurajetter]

hmm... I was leaning toward just having him as a lap baby but now I'm thinking about buying him a seat and using his car seat after reading your responses. The flight will be about 4 hours, so I was thinking it was doable (to have him on our laps). I just keep thinking if he's so wiggly and ends up in our laps anyway, we will have wasted the money on the seat. You all have pointed out though the possible dangers of not having him restrained so I see that it is worth it.

**NEW QUESTIONS**
Does the car seat count as a carry on? Do I just check my stroller as is, or does it need to be packaged/secured up somehow?

I've flown numerous times in my life but have never paid attention to details of flying with kids!

Laura

 

[RadioNate]

If you use the car seat on the plane it won't count as a carry on. You will gate check the stroller. We always used a wheely cart and pulled the car seat but they have bags that you can wear as a back pack. If you will be traveling with baby a lot there is a car seat that has wheels that pop out.

For a 4 hour flight I would definately use a car seat. There is no way I would try to hold a 1 year old for that long. My ds always fell asleep in his car seat, something he would never do on my lap. Disney Doll has a great point about 'car seat behavior' and we saw that affect too. DS was used to the car seat, it was his and familiar. They don't get all wiggly and need to be removed from the car seat when they are in the car. If you were driving you would expect him to sit in it the entire time so why is a plane different? Put him in the seat, leave him in the seat except for a diaper change or 2 and enjoy your flight.

Oh and if you choose not to use a car seat, under no circumstances put the belt around both of you (the airline won't allow it anyway). If there is an issue your weight against the belt will crush your child. Also the tethers that are marketed for inflight are generally not allowed to be used by most airlines so don't waste your money.

 

[ILUVMYBRIT]

I know when I check in a family with an infant, as soon as we add the infant to the parent boarding pass on the computer at check in, it will "soft block" the seat next to the parent with the infant code. That means as long as that seat isnt needed for a paying customer the system will not assign the seat to anyone. So as long as its not a full flight, that seat will remain empty. What I usually tell parents is bring the car seat up with them to the gate and if they have the empty seat then use it...if it cant be used because the flight is full, the carseat can be gate checked.
Car seats never count towards your baggage allowance as they are required by law to wherever you could be traveling too. I tend to be a nice ticket agent...I dont charge people for ANY baby item including pack and plays because I just think its so hard to travel with a baby...you practically need to pack EVERYTHING.