Independence Air iClub - ? for I-Air employees re: lap child

I have noticed that a few Independence Air employees are active in this forum and I would like to ask their advice.

Though I am a seasoned traveler, I am a new parent and I will be taking my first flight with my child on DH. I have posted in the "travel with children" forum asking about the "lap child" approach as I cannot afford to buy an additional seat. The replies I received ranged from very helpful and constructive to sanctimonious and judgmental - no surprise I guess. The consensus seems to be that I should bring a car seat and hope that there will be at least one empty seat on my flight. I was also advised to contact DH and advise them of my plan which I will do. I am posting my story here in hopes that a/some DH employee(s) might have some insight. Is it reasonable to call reservations and ask to be seated next to the last seat to be sold? How should I approach this with gate staff and/or the f/a's?

My flights are DH 56 on 5/20 and DH 57 on 5/23 do the current loads give me a chance of success? I realize that it is still quite a ways off.

I know that I am asking to get something for nothing but I would very much appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance and I look forward to flying Independence Air!

-Micromegas

I'm not a DH employee, but I have done this several times on many carriers including FlyI.

The experience has always been the same. Bring the car seat (Make sure its FAA approved). We had to hold our child in our laps during takeoff and landing.

The carseat must be in a window seat, and obviously, not an exit row. The window seat is important should there be an evacuation, nobody is trying to get past a carseat.

We usually chose the aisle and window seats to improve our chances, but usually, someone is willing to change seats.

The only time we couldn't do it was when a flight was 100% full. In that case, we had to gate check our carseat.

I have noticed that a few Independence Air employees are active in this forum and I would like to ask their advice.

Though I am a seasoned traveler, I am a new parent and I will be taking my first flight with my child on DH. I have posted in the "travel with children" forum asking about the "lap child" approach as I cannot afford to buy an additional seat. The replies I received ranged from very helpful and constructive to sanctimonious and judgmental - no surprise I guess. The consensus seems to be that I should bring a car seat and hope that there will be at least one empty seat on my flight. I was also advised to contact DH and advise them of my plan which I will do. I am posting my story here in hopes that a/some DH employee(s) might have some insight. Is it reasonable to call reservations and ask to be seated next to the last seat to be sold? How should I approach this with gate staff and/or the f/a's?

My flights are DH 56 on 5/20 and DH 57 on 5/23 do the current loads give me a chance of success? I realize that it is still quite a ways off.

I know that I am asking to get something for nothing but I would very much appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance and I look forward to flying Independence Air!

-Micromegas

rd7242 pretty much covered it, but the biggest thing is to make sure that your seat is FAA approved (there should be a sticker or marking on the back side). From what customer service tells me, our policy is the same as most other airlines... if there is an open seat you can use it for the lap child. At this time both of the flights you are booked on are wide open, but the loads will probably change quite a lot in the next month or so... however, I think you will probably be OK. When my child was younger we would go to the gate agent at check-in and tell them our situation and ask to be put by an open seat, then on boarding the flight attendant will normally ask you whether the baby will be a lap child or if you want to let him sit in a seat with the car seat. If you are concerned about the flight filling up it is perfectly acceptable to call and ask how the flight load looks, or you could instant message me and I would be happy to look for you... however I would wait til the first of May to get a more accurate number.

One more thing... you said you posted in other forums and got judgemental advice from others... you probably know this already, but take all of that with a grain of salt. When I was a new parent, me and my wife would surf several forums looking for advise on different things, and for some reason the parenting forums can bring out all the people that want to tell you what you are doing wrong, and judge you even though they don't know you. Just try to take the good from those boards and leave the bad.