Southwest Airlines Child Restraint System

[BOTL76]

Hi Disney Fans,

We are travelling next week and DD is 17 months old so we will be bringing our "Child Restraint System" AKA baby seat onto the plan.
I will be calling Southwest customer service as well but pulled the following below from their website.

Just asking fellow Canadians if you can help me or have had the problem of having your baby seat turned away due to FAA regulations? Since this is our first time bringing a baby seat on board, we want to ensure ours is the correct one we can bring on! As DW told me, if the baby seat gets turned away and we have to check it....well the look in her eyes I can tell you ensured I knew where she would be sending me (to the checked baggage as well!! LOL)

Any help/feedback is greatly appreciated!



Child Restraint Systems
Proper use of a Child Restraint Systems (CRS) enhances child safety onboard the aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants and small children who weigh under 40 pounds be secured in an appropriate CRS when traveling by air.

Be sure to check the width of your CRS. Although the width of aircraft seats varies, a safety seat wider than 16 inches is unlikely to fit, even if the armrests of the aircraft seats are moved out of the way. An ill-fitting safety seat will not provide adequate protection for your child.

The FAA has banned the use on board aircraft of certain types of CRSs that may be harmful to a child in the event of an aviation emergency. These include backless booster seats, safety belt extensions (commonly referred to as "belly belts"), and vest or harness devices that attach to an adult. 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. Please note that a CRS may not be placed in any aisle seat, an emergency exit row seat, or in a row directly in front of or behind an emergency exit row.

• Approved Child Restraint Systems
  • Many of these carry the FMVSS.213 insignia and/or language indicating that they are "approved for use in motor vehicles and on aircraft."
  • Any CRS manufactured between January 1, 1961 and February 25, 1985, must have the following label: "This child restraint device conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards."
  • Any CRS manufactured since February 26, 1985, must have both of the following labels: "This child restraint device conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards" and "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."
• Harness-type devices approved by the FAA:
  • At this time, the FAA has approved only the AmSafe Aviation CARES, which is appropriate for children weighing between 22 and 44 pounds.
  • The AmSafe Aviation CARES must have a label indicating "FAA Approved in Accordance with 14CFR 21.305(d), Approved for Aircraft Use Only."

 

[kuhltiffany]

Check your carseat for the FAA approval, that's what they look for. Usually it's a written statement on one of the stickers.

 

[darwinsrule]

Never had an issue with the car seat. Only time we got a look and question was using the CARES child best (Google it). The first flight attendant had never seen one before, thankfully the other one had and it was quickly cleared up.

 

[BOTL76]

Thank you!

 

[dancin Disney style]

You bought a seat for your baby right? Otherwise you can't use the car seat even if it has the FAA sticker on it.

 

[Starwind]

This FAA document may be helpful - CRS approved by a foreign government or under UN standards are supposed to be allowed.

(specifically, as stated by American Airlines on their website (http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/specialAssistance/childrenTraveling.jsp&locale=fr_CH ):

Restraints manufactured outside the United States may be accepted provided that they bear either a label showing approval of a non-U.S. government OR a label showing that the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations (U.N.).


U.N. approval is designated by a label with a circle surrounding the letter "E" followed by the distinguishing number of the country which has granted approval, plus an indication of the category and mass group of the child restraint which will be affixed.)


http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC 120-87B.pdf

Also http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...afety/info/all_infos/media/2009/info09002.pdf and http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...afety/info/all_infos/media/2011/InFO11007.pdf

FAA webpage on Flying with Children:

http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/

Also, this Forbes article may provide you with useful information, especially so you can be prepared if you run into difficulties: http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngog...ldren-when-the-airline-doesnt-know-the-rules/

Finally, info from Transport Canada about Canadians buying a car seat in the US and trying to import Canada (it is illegal to import and use in Canada unless it meets Canadian standards, which many do not):

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehicl...u-353.htm?campaign=Twitter-eng&WT.mc_id=19ci4


Finally, here is the actual US regulation regarding what seats are and are not allowed: "14 CFR 135.128 - Use of safety belts and child restraint systems."

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/135.128

QUOTE:

(C) Seats that do not qualify under paragraphs (a)(2)(ii)(A) and (a)(2)(ii)(B) of this section must bear a label or markings showing:
(1) That the seat was approved by a foreign government;
(2) That the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations;

Also, a bit further down note the part about "no certificate holder may prohibit a child, if requested by the child's parent, guardian, or designated attendant, from occupying a child restraint system furnished by the child's parent, guardian, or designated attendant provided..."

 

[BOTL76]

This FAA document may be helpful - CRS approved by a foreign government or under UN standards are supposed to be allowed.

(specifically, as stated by American Airlines on their website (http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/specialAssistance/childrenTraveling.jsp&locale=fr_CH ):

Restraints manufactured outside the United States may be accepted provided that they bear either a label showing approval of a non-U.S. government OR a label showing that the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations (U.N.).


U.N. approval is designated by a label with a circle surrounding the letter "E" followed by the distinguishing number of the country which has granted approval, plus an indication of the category and mass group of the child restraint which will be affixed.)


http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC 120-87B.pdf

Also http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...afety/info/all_infos/media/2009/info09002.pdf and http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...afety/info/all_infos/media/2011/InFO11007.pdf

FAA webpage on Flying with Children:

http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/

Also, this Forbes article may provide you with useful information, especially so you can be prepared if you run into difficulties: http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngog...ldren-when-the-airline-doesnt-know-the-rules/

Finally, info from Transport Canada about Canadians buying a car seat in the US and trying to import Canada (it is illegal to import and use in Canada unless it meets Canadian standards, which many do not):

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehicl...u-353.htm?campaign=Twitter-eng&WT.mc_id=19ci4


Finally, here is the actual US regulation regarding what seats are and are not allowed: "14 CFR 135.128 - Use of safety belts and child restraint systems."

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/135.128

QUOTE:

(C) Seats that do not qualify under paragraphs (a)(2)(ii)(A) and (a)(2)(ii)(B) of this section must bear a label or markings showing:
(1) That the seat was approved by a foreign government;
(2) That the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations;

Also, a bit further down note the part about "no certificate holder may prohibit a child, if requested by the child's parent, guardian, or designated attendant, from occupying a child restraint system furnished by the child's parent, guardian, or designated attendant provided..."

Awesome, thanks for this!

 

[scrappinginontario]

I flew with a car seat on SW flights about 6 times. Never had a problem with them accepting the seat. (I did have the book that showed it was FAA approved as it did not have a sticker on it. Was asked to present this once.)

The one thing to note when you're securing the seat is that you may not be able to put it in tight like you so when it's in your car. The reason for this is the design of the seat-belt on aircraft. In a vehicle the belt is secured low, beside your hip. On an aircraft, the belt is designed to do up more central on the body. Depending on the make of your seat, if the seat-belt goes up and behind your child's back, the buckle portion could sit right in the middle of your child's back. Unfortunately this was the case with the Cosco brand seat I had borrowed from a friend. I was able to secure the seat but it was VERY loose - would NEVER drive with it like that but had no other choice for flying. Regardless, my DD was secure and happy in her seat. One time we boarded for at 10pm for a red-eye flight and were promptly delayed for 2 hours. (Air Canada, not SW). My DD fell asleep within moments of being secured in her seat and slept through the delay and the 5 hour cross country flight. When we pulled up to the gate 7 hours later she woke up and asked when we were going to fly!

 

[BOTL76]

Hi folks,
Thanks again just wanted to report that we had no issues with the car seat and they didn't even check for any stickers! We are settled in to Windsor hills and ready to take all the magic in!

 

[keltiesmom]

I flew with a car seat on SW flights about 6 times. Never had a problem with them accepting the seat. (I did have the book that showed it was FAA approved as it did not have a sticker on it. Was asked to present this once.)

The one thing to note when you're securing the seat is that you may not be able to put it in tight like you so when it's in your car. The reason for this is the design of the seat-belt on aircraft. In a vehicle the belt is secured low, beside your hip. On an aircraft, the belt is designed to do up more central on the body. Depending on the make of your seat, if the seat-belt goes up and behind your child's back, the buckle portion could sit right in the middle of your child's back. Unfortunately this was the case with the Cosco brand seat I had borrowed from a friend. I was able to secure the seat but it was VERY loose - would NEVER drive with it like that but had no other choice for flying. Regardless, my DD was secure and happy in her seat. One time we boarded for at 10pm for a red-eye flight and were promptly delayed for 2 hours. (Air Canada, not SW). My DD fell asleep within moments of being secured in her seat and slept through the delay and the 5 hour cross country flight. When we pulled up to the gate 7 hours later she woke up and asked when we were going to fly!

In the future if you ask for a seat belt extender you can manipulate where the buckle sits so it is more to the side than the middle. We did this on one of our flights to get the buckle out of their back.

 

[scrappinginontario]

In the future if you ask for a seat belt extender you can manipulate where the buckle sits so it is more to the side than the middle. We did this on one of our flights to get the buckle out of their back.

Thank you so much for this info Keltiesmom! We are now past the stage of using a car seat in planes as my DD is 6 but I will change my response to others in the future. Wish I'd thought of what you said when I was flying in years past!