What is required (if anything) when flying with a child for the seat?

[halfmonkey]

So I know the rules for the car seat when riding in cars but can anyone tell me what the rules are for a child when flying? I have an almost 3dd, 6.5ds, and 8ds at the time of travel. I guess my question is mainly about the 6.5 y/o and almost 3 y/o. Dod they require some kind of "car" seat to be used? Am I supposed to buy a special restraint system to be used on a plane? Can they just sit in the seat without any restraint system other than the seat belt?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So I know the rules for the car seat when riding in cars but can anyone tell me what the rules are for a child when flying? I have an almost 3dd, 6.5ds, and 8ds at the time of travel. I guess my question is mainly about the 6.5 y/o and almost 3 y/o. Dod they require some kind of "car" seat to be used? Am I supposed to buy a special restraint system to be used on a plane? Can they just sit in the seat without any restraint system other than the seat belt?

AFAIK, there is no set requirement for safety restraints on airplanes. I could be wrong, however. My personal comfort zone is - if a child requires a safety seat for the car, they should use it for the plane also.

There are some safety seats show that they are approved for use in aircraft. Not all are.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

I would say your 6.5 yo is fine, if your almost 3 kiddo has a hard time staying seated, and uses a full car seat now, then it might be helpful to bring it (they get trained that they can't get up when they're in their car seat from the car), otherwise, it's really up to you.

One note, planes don't allow booster seats (no shoulder belts), so if your kids are in boosters, then no car seat is allowed, it's only the full seats with their own restraint system that are used, then the lap belt is used to secure the seat, not the child.

 

[cashe]

I always had DD in her car seat when flying but by 3 she was too big so we always checked it and i purchased the CARES harness. Be warned though, don't forget it when you get off the plane!!! I forgot mine and someone stole it. ugh.

www.kidsflysafe.com

 

[Divah]

We fly with our 3 yold .We used to take the car seat when he was infant- now I check it and use a C.A.R.E.S. restraint system- it is designed for little kids and FAA approved for all US airlines. The CARES system (kidsflysafe) easy to use and it gives us so much more space......but you do not need one it is up to parents. Our little guy is average size but tall the belts fit him ok but I am just over cautious.

Edit* also depends on how do you think the child will do with out one . Ours likes being the big boy and gives him more room to color or activity we keep him busy with.

Southwest airlines at 3 do not need one.....I just talked to travel agent to confirm. We are driving down this time but flying in october. I still have the system but by October it may not be needed either for his size.

If in doubt call airline....best answers from the source

 

[SuperDry]

Here's the official word:

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

 

[halfmonkey]

We're trying to minimize stuff that we bring and even the car seat is something that we plan on leaving at home because we're planning on just renting a car seat when we get to Vancouver. I looked into the CARES system and it seems like a good option but it's pricey and considering that we aren't frequent flyers, that's way to much to pay for a few hours of use because we're cruising home after arriving in Vancouver and don't anticipate another trip that involves flying for a few more years.

It seems that if a child restraint system other than the belt on the chair is not required, we might not use anything extra.

 

[Divah]

We're trying to minimize stuff that we bring and even the car seat is something that we plan on leaving at home because we're planning on just renting a car seat when we get to Vancouver. I looked into the CARES system and it seems like a good option but it's pricey and considering that we aren't frequent flyers, that's way to much to pay for a few hours of use because we're cruising home after arriving in Vancouver and don't anticipate another trip that involves flying for a few more years.

It seems that if a child restraint system other than the belt on the chair is not required, we might not use anything extra.

If in doubt call airline or your travel agent...Ours just told me southwest we did not need one at 3 and by October when we do fly he will be bigger the system my not be needed...something about lap belts safer at certain age than harness ...good luck

 

[Yooperroo]

Additionally if you use a car seat, not just any car seat will do. You have to check your manual to make sure it's FAA approved in order to use it.

 

[Dug720]

I will say this - if you purchase a seat for your child, the child needs to be in it, even if of the size and age to be a lap child. I was on a plane once and I thought for a moment we were going to be taken back to the gate to have a guy behind me escorted off the plane. He had purchased a seat for his 9-month old child and clearly never intended to use the seat for the child at all. The flight attendants and eventually either the pilot or co-pilot told him that if the seat had been purchased, the child needed to be in it, and if he had no intention of putting the child in it but holding it on his lap the whole time, he should have registered the child as a lap infant.

Snowflake Junior was quite capable of sitting up, and eventually WAS buckled in for take-off and landing, but the second we were airborne he was in Dad's lap as Dad sprawled across the seats (which was clearly his intent the whole time).

I have no issue with you buying two seats if you want room - you have to do it if you're a "customer of size", so I know there's a way to do it. But don't hold up everyone else on the plane because you were an idiot. (I could understand *maybe* not knowing that you couldn't do it, but don't proceed to argue for 20 minutes over it.)

 

[lisamarie12]

Related question, assuming that our car seat is FAA approved (which I will have to check), we will probably use our car seat on the plane. We are bringing it for the purposes of the rental car anyway, so I might as well use it. So if we use the car seat, can it be in the middle seat or does it need to be in the window seat. For those that have done it, is there enough room for everyone else to move? DH and I are not small people (but not big enough that we do not fit in the seat). But if the car seat takes up more than its share of seat, then we might have an issue.

 

[owensamo]

I believe most airlines will request the seat is on the window in order to not obstruct the window seat's occupant's access to the aisle for emergency purposes (or the flight attendant's access to the window seat occupant). The FAA site above has a tips PDF that indicates this as well.

Honestly, by the time most kids are forward-facing, they'll probably want to be on the window anyway so they can see out. It's really hard to see out the window from a middle seat!

 

[halfmonkey]

I did some searching and found this website that rents the CARES system. It's called rentcares.com. Has anybody on here used them before or know of anybody that has used them before? If so, can you provide some feedback on their service and if it worked for you? Thanks.