Would you bring a car seat just for the airplane?

[jodifla]

Please don't take this wrong and believe me I have nothing against kids, in fact I love kids, but for the sake of the people around you PLEASE keep your child in a car seat. I've had two very bad flights this year with kids not in carseats. In May '05 I was traveling solo and the lady in the aisle seat had a 11 month old that cried the whole way to Florida trying to get in the aisle to run. I tried to help her keep him entertained and the little thing made a nosedive right into my lap. Excuse me, I love kids, but do not want to baby sit them on a plane. By the time we got to Florida both me and that mom were exhausted and the poor people in front of us had had their seats pulled on and kicked the whole way.

This past May there was a couple that had a little girl about four sitting in the window seat, while the mom had the center seat, and dad had an aisle seat. They were holding a little girl about three who was determined not to sit in either parent's lap. Both parents took turns walking that child up and down the aisle with her constantly crying and kicking the people in the aisle seats as they walked. People on the plane offered her suckers and flight attendants gave her juice, but nothing pacified that child and she threw everything anyone offered. As we prepared to land obviously the parents had to reseat themselves and this little girl continued to fight and scream at the top of her lungs. As we were landing she scooted out and just sat down in the aisle crying. Since the flight attendants were already buckled up in their seats I don't know how the pilot knew, but he came across saying that the aisle must be kept clear and to 'please pick up everything from the aisle, including small children'. As the mom reached for her and she let out a blood curdling scream, the mom sheepishly laughed and said 'do you think he meant us, since we are the only ones with a baby on this flight and she has screamed nonstop for two hours'. I think we all felt so sorry for them, but at the same time I believe everyone on the plane had a splitting headache. Those poor parents had to be exhausted. I didn't know a child could scream and fight for two hours and 20 minutes! Don't most of them finally cry themselves to sleep?

Car seats may not have helped this situation. Children can kick and cry in car seats for two hours, too.

 

[Schmeck]

Screaming children on planes happen, whether they are in their parent's lap or strapped in a carseat. Having a carseat will not stop a miserable child from letting everyone else know how miserable he/she is.

If you are debating bringing a carseat, I assume you have purchased a seat for that child. So, it's not about having a lap child to place on the floor, etc. It's about whether the child will be more comfortable in a carseat or regular seat, and if it's worth lugging the carseat for a 3 hour flight. I wouldn't bother unless the child would be more comfortable in the carseat.

 

[golden1]

Hmmmm....it seems like there are a lot of strong opinions both ways. I am leaning towards not taking it though. I think ds is getting to the age that he will be more inclined to sit if everyone else is sitting. I am also thinking the whole car seat thing might backfire and like a pp said, he might get mad because he is strapped in and not moving. I will bring lots of activities and snacks for him and I think we will manage okay!

Thank you so much for your help everyone!

 

[rocky41102]

I would bring the carseat for my child. My son is 2.5 now and he can't sit still for anything. Even with a portable DVD player he tends to get up and move around unless he's in his carseat. We flew once with the carseat (Britax Marathon) and it was the biggest pain of the whole trip. It was torture lugging it around with the rest of our luggage. However, for our next trip I plan on buying one of those car seat covers with the wheels on them. I've seen people in airports with them and they have a handle and roll just like a suitcase. That way I can still have the seat and hopefully less hassle. They aren't super cheap-I think about $40- but I figure I can find one on sale or on ebay or something.

 

[robinb]

If your child is bigger, I would leave the car seat at home. My 3 petite 3 year old flew to LA in her car seat a couple of years ago and kicked the seat in front of her the whole way. I was at my wits end trying to get her to stop. She flew without the seat on the way home.

 

[Mommy2Lots]

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[ntburns22]

When my ds was 2.5 the first time he flew we took the carseat and would do it again. It gave him a boost to see out the window, it was his and he knew that he had to sit. Lugging the carseat really wan't that big of a deal for us. My sister is a flight attendant and she also said we should use it just for the safety issue alone.

 

[NotUrsula]

I've posted it before, but my cure for seat-kicking by a car-seat occupant is "hobble-pants" -- a pr. of much-too-long PJ pants worn over clothing during flights. I pull the ends of the pant legs back up under the child's tush so that he is sitting on them. The feet can swing sideways or cross, but not swing forward, so seat kicking becomes next to impossible. I only had to use them twice, after that the threat alone was enough.

Having said that, I have found that in most coach seating, a child who is taller than 46" is going to be too tall to sit in a carseat. The problem is that usually the edge of the passenger seat projects further forward than the carseat does, causing their lower legs to rest at a 50-60 degree angle instead of hanging down straight from the knee. Once their legs get long enough, this will cause the tops of their feet to press against the seatback in front, sometimes painfully, because the middle of the shin doesn't bend. The tighter the seat pitch, the sooner it will happen.

 

[Nynaeve]

I had to fly with my 3 1/2 year old for her 1st plane ride by myself when we recently moved to Vegas. It was tough enough with the stroller and a huge suitcase in the airport, let alone a bulky carseat! We left the car seat with my hubby when he drove.

My daughter was great (surprise!). I made sure that I had plenty of new books, new crayons, new coloring books, stickers and snacks to keep her occupied. My hubby even bought her a cheap MP3 player, and we put all her Disney music on it for her to listen to with headphones. It helped to keep her quiet, and she's a little chatterbox. She was really good, a shocker for her, and loved her plane rides.

Sounds like you'll be fine with out it.

 

[PaulaSue]

h- no. Our youngest was the same age as OP DC and she did fine both to and back. Our flights were direct and 2 hours each way. Each DD had a backpack packed with toys and snacks each way.

 

[ilovepooh]

My best friend worked for an airline and she yelled at me when I asked if I should use a car seat for my (when we go to WDW will be) 2yr. old.

She insisted we get him his own seat and use a car seat. She said it's not worth an injury from turbulance, etc. with him in my lap and he's too small to sit in a seat by himself without one.

Hope this helps!

 

[mom_of_2_princesses]

Definitely check with the airlines. They are pretty strict about what kind you can use and where. This will be our 3rd flight from west to east this year and DD(3) has done great each time. Just take lots of snacks and stuff to do. Jet Blue is great because they have the T.V but we have done it w/o too. I am not taking a car seat but do whatever you feel comfortable with. Good Luck and Have Fun!

 

[golden1]

Just to be clear - I did purchase him his own seat. I am just asking whether I should put a car seat in it. At 2.5 he is too old to be a lap baby.

 

[disnutt]

I would take the car seat. The hassle will be worth it.

I once flew with a 3 yo and no other adult. I had to go to the restroom and was able to ask the flight attendant to keep an eye on my child who was securely buckled in her carseat while I ran to the loo. If she had just been using the seat belt she would have had to have come with me. Have you ever tried to use the potty in a plane lavatory while your kid flips the door lock switch? It's no fun! She fussed while I was gone but was safely strapped in.

I just looped the straps over the handles of my stroller which I had gate checked and we rolled off into the sunset after the flight.

 

[nicolem]

We've flown with DS (who turned 2 in July and is not a hyper child - at least not compared to the other kids in his playgroup) 3 times - at 12 months, 17 months, and 23 months. We never took a carseat. The first trip went well; the second trip was horrible (I brought dozens of dollar store toys, snacks, and a DVD player, and none of it kept his attention for long); the third trip was only bearable because we were traveling with extended family who all took turns amusing him. Plus, our DS won't sleep in anyone's lap, so even though our last flight was delayed and we didn't land until almost midnight (almost 5 hours past his normal bedtime), he refused to sleep, which made him even more wiggly and fussy.

I've already told DH that I won't be flying with DS in the next year or so unless we use a carseat, even if we don't use the carseat once we get there. It's just too stressful to try to keep him entertained and quiet and away from the back of the seat in front of us!

This is the primary reason we're driving to Orlando next month. I hate road trips, but I think I'd rather not go at all than sit through another plane ride - the torture of the last one is still too fresh on my mind!!

Good luck to you as you decide. It's nice to hear that some kids are easily corraled without the carseats; maybe our next one will be like that!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

we are ds2 is used to his so we are bringing it and i want it go smoothly