Doing the Disney World thing with kids and grandkids, next week. All the grandkids have their own paid-for seat; daughter just called and asked if we are required to haul that huge carseat for the 20-month-old, or if she can just be belted into her seat, and I honestly didn't know the answer. I know the van service that will take us from airport to hotel and back will furnish a carseat for that part.

Help? Thanks!

FAA does not require it - neither does AA. Don't know if any airline does require the use of a car seat for a 22 month old in their own seat. Most airlines recommend the use of a car seat.

One thing's for sure - kids travel better when buckled into their familiar car seat.

How huge is this seat anyway? My twins accompanied me and my spouse on many trips, both domestic and international, and carrying their car seats was never that big a deal for me.

The carseat is 19" wide; it's a Fisher Price that we paid a premium price for because Consumer Reports praised it to the skies but FP had discontinued it. Had to get them on eBay. All the information I have read said that it would be too wide for the airplane seat.

On US airlines, a child can be a lap child if under 2. A 19" wide car seat will not fit into most airline seats. I'd buy a seat for the child but not bring the car seat.

I don't understand why anyone lugs those car seats onto an airplane. There's a reason why they're called car seats -- they're for cars!

If a child is too young to be able to sit in a seat with a lap belt (12 months? 18 months? depends on the kid), just do the lap baby thing. Be realistic when you assess risk and try not to waste your money.

When my youngest child was 18 months old, I bought a separate seat for him because the fare was low and he was big. He did just fine in a seat with a lap belt.

I've done my fair share of flying with my kids, and it's a pain enough as it is trying to board the plane. Dragging along a car seat, especially a big, expensive one, must be a nightmare, not to mention a complete waste of money for a baby you can hold on your lap.

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"Where's my money?" -- Pizza the Hutt

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JS:
I don't understand why anyone lugs those car seats onto an airplane. There's a reason why they're called car seats -- they're for cars!

If a child is too young to be able to sit in a seat with a lap belt (12 months? 18 months? depends on the kid), just do the lap baby thing. Be realistic when you assess risk and try not to waste your money.

When my youngest child was 18 months old, I bought a separate seat for him because the fare was low and he was big. He did just fine in a seat with a lap belt.

I've done my fair share of flying with my kids, and it's a pain enough as it is trying to board the plane. Dragging along a car seat, especially a big, expensive one, must be a nightmare, not to mention a complete waste of money for a baby you can hold on your lap.

</font>

Yes, dragging a car seat is pain but I feel safer with my daughter in car seat though. I still remember the Discovery Channel's documentary on United's DC-10 crash a while back. A lap child didn't survive while the mother made it.

It's one of those things, you don't miss/need it until you run into the situation...

I hope Child Aviation Restraint (http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum56/HTML/000059.html) becomes available soon.

[This message has been edited by DH (edited 09-04-2003).]

The reason we always brought along the car seats was that we needed them at our destination. Since they didn't fit into airline seats and weren't designed for airline seats we always just checked them. I don't know of any car seat designed for an airline seat and I doubt very much that one could be properly installed. Using a car seat improperly is dangerous too.

[This message has been edited by xyzzy (edited 09-05-2003).]

A different problem happened for us. My 22 month was able to undo the seatbelt (and also get her fingers pinched). She was too short to see out the window and too far back to reach the tray. Even if it is a hassle, I will bring a car seat for her again. The hassle of not having the car seat wasn't worth the troubles we had keeping her seated.

PS She slept better when she had it too since she couldn't play and squirm as much.

I only had Fisher Price car seats and always brought them on the plane for my children under the age of 4. I think Fisher Price only made one model; mine always fit.

The easiest way to lug it through the airport was to latch it closed and swing your arm through the loop, thus freeing your hands for the toddler, luggage, etc.

I would never travel on a plane or car without my child being in this seat.

Best of luck for whatever you do. However, if you do choose to use a car seat, MAKE SURE YOU READ THE LABEL to see if it conforms to aviation safety standards.

It will be in BOLD RED letters saying something to the affect "This seat is APPROVED for airline use" or "This seat is NOT approved for airline use"

I don't know how many times I've stopped people, even people who were on connecting flights, and read the car-seat label and it said that the seat was NOT authorized for airline use.

here is AA's rules for child pax:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Seating Restrictions
Child Held By An Adult ("Lap Child")
Children under 2 years of age may be held in an adult's lap at no charge. However, for the safety of your child, American recommends purchasing a seat and using an approved child safety seat. See Fares for information on a 50% discount.

When one adult travels with two infants, the adult passenger may only hold one infant. An additional seat must be purchased for the 2nd infant. Seats may also be purchased for both infants (see Fares above). The maximum number of infants per adult passenger is two.

Return to Top

Exit Rows
Children (or adults with children) under the age of 15 may not be seated in an exit row.

FAA Approved Infant Seat/Child Restraint Devices
Most restraints that are used in automobiles are acceptable for use in aircraft by an infant or small child. Acceptable restraints manufactured in the United States will bear one or both of the following labels:
"This child restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards"
Additionally, the restraint may carry a second label with red lettering which states the following:
"This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."
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. </font>


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Gordon 'Sluggo' Valentine
AA Furloughed Flight Attendant

Yes, Most say if they are airline approved.

I personally do not lug carseats for my kids. I have travelled alone with them since they were babies and it was just too much of a headache. That being said, the stroller in the airport was a must for me!

[This message has been edited by princessmom (edited 09-07-2003).]

I would encourage you to take a car seat. Traveling with children is hard enough without being properly prepared.

I would suggest a sit and stroll for traveling (http://www.safelinekids.com/skprodsns.asp). It is a combination car seat (FAA approved, that fits into an airline seat) and stroller. I cannot tell you how many times I was promised a car seat from a taxi or transportation company. I once sat in Toronto for three hours waiting for my "pre-confirmed" car seat. I am unwilling to let my children enter any form of a moving vehicle without being properly restrained.

Also, my I taught my children it is like being in a car. You stay seated and buckled in. My children behaved significantly better in an car seat!

Almost all car seats that are FAA approved for airlines WILL fit into a coach seat. Remember, most coach seats have space below the armrests that would allow a wider base to fit.

However, the original question was "can a 20 month old sit in his own seat with a seat belt". The real answer is that it depends on the size of your child. We recently completed a trip to the Bahamas with a 22 month old and didn't take the car seat on the plane with us, it was fine.

We are back, made the trip without the carseat and did fine. A sincere thanks for the conversation sans criticism; that seems to be rare lately.

What about when you get to your destination?
You will need a car seat for taxi, rental car, or Friends car - so why not take one - seems to make sense to me (though we have an extra at Grandmas)
Travelled internationally and did not use car seat on plane with 6 month old - when he got to be 18 months, wish we could have "restrained" him better

We used a pick-up service at the Orlando airport, they provided a carseat on request. If we had been renting a vehicle, we would most definitely found a way to transport the carseat.

Our kids are almost 3. (November) They've been on a lot of plane rides, all of them in carseats.

Latest story is four plane rides SEA-DEN-MSP and back in Early SEP. So they were like 34 months old.

They were in car seats. For many of the points mentioned above:

1) Familiarity: mainly ours. We know how that they work and that they work. For the plane and the rental/loaner car.

2) Our guys generally can tolerate 3+ hours in their car seats. We know this for sure. They sleep there too. Comfort factor.

3) Nobody's mentioned this yet, but a kid in a car seat can actually see out of the airplane window. A 2 year old sitting on a pillow really can't. Big advantage for a carseat. Our guys love talking about what is on the tarmac.

4) Yah its a pain in the a** to schlep the carseat through the airport, but you can minimize the pain. I use a backpack that I can hook the car seat onto while walking the little one to the plane or next plane. Before, when they were smaller (up to age 2.0) we used to bring those little umbrella strollers, that we would gate check. The kids would sit in the stroller and the carseat would fit underneath, kind of. A FA taught us that trick. But now they walk. And we carry the seats. Actually I carry two carseats while my wife walks the kids.

6) If you want to, ask to be boarded early to load the carseat on then deboarded. I do this with both of our carseats, then my wife an I wait until the final call so we can excercise the kids as much as possible before we board. The GA's and FA's are typically understanding of this strategy. (As are neigboring pax.)

Edited to note that I missed forgiveamatic's comment about kids seeing out the window.

[This message has been edited by gregseattle (edited 09-22-2003).]

Mrs T, Mini T & I will be making the annual pilgrimage to AKL. Mini t will be 20 months. My feeling is to take the car seat for the flight. YVR-LAX 3 hours, LAX-AKL 12 hours. Others have mentioned the familiarity with the seat, i am also thinking that the car seat is better at "confining" her, and yes she does behave better in a car seat, more likely to sleep.
We have only booked two seats, F. Here is my plan. If we take the seat to check-in and the gate, hopefully we can use an extra seat if it available, if not, the car seat can be gate checked.
Is this plan too "cheeky" and presumptious, or is it fair game?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by taupo:
Mrs T, Mini T & I will be making the annual pilgrimage to AKL. Mini t will be 20 months. My feeling is to take the car seat for the flight. YVR-LAX 3 hours, LAX-AKL 12 hours. Others have mentioned the familiarity with the seat, i am also thinking that the car seat is better at "confining" her, and yes she does behave better in a car seat, more likely to sleep.
We have only booked two seats, F. Here is my plan. If we take the seat to check-in and the gate, hopefully we can use an extra seat if it available, if not, the car seat can be gate checked.
Is this plan too "cheeky" and presumptious, or is it fair game?</font>


I've used this plan twice, although not in F. Once the GA just told us we had to check the seat (the plane wasn't full) the other time we were able to use the car seat on the flight. We've since just started buying seat for our youngest daughter on all flights.