Gooseandmav

Thank you!

MSPeconomist

Technically some airlines prohibit you from using your own seat belt extender. It must be supplied by the airline to guarantee that it's safe and in good condition.

SD213

Hi, I just got back from my trip and wanted to follow up. Before leaving, the final reply from United was that CARES harnesses would not work in premium cabin flat bed seats due to seat size constraints. We brought our car seat, but also brought along the CARES because we had a domestic connection. We ended up changing our plans and were on a 747-400 on the way out. When we boarded, the FA said that the car seat was not allowed, so we tried our CARES and it worked fine. Later during the flight, she looked it up and said that there actually was no contraindication to using a car seat. It didn't matter to us at that point since we were able to use the CARES. On the way back we were on the 787, and again the CARES harness fit around seat fine. Both seats were able to recline fully even with the harness installed. I am still not sure what the official policy is, but in case anyone else was wondering if it actually fits, it does, for what it's worth.

lost*in*cyberspace

Thanks for the update!

Eclipsepearl

Excellent! Sometimes the Swiss surprise me...

Just wanted to mention, please never put your child to sleep on the floor. It's not allowed by most airlines and is very dangerous. Turbulence can hit at any time and not necessarily when the seat belt sign is on. Don't risk a head injury from a sudden bump.

Just want to make sure no one's child is injured (even if it didn't happen previously).

rjque

I'm not sure how sleeping on the floor is any more or less dangerous than sleeping anywhere unsecured, such as in a bassinet. Indeed, some of United's bassinets actually go on the floor, so this advice doesn't really work if you are using one of those.

DirtyDan

Don't the bassinets have lap belts for infants inside (not that I'm attesting to the validity of infant lap belts as a functional safety device) ?

BalbC

All the ones I've seen have a wide (maybe 10-12") piece of strong belt-like fabric attached at one side that passes over the top of the bassinet and fastens with double attachments. FA/CA enforce the closure of this when occupied. Presumably, this would act as a safety belt and is wide enough to reduce the chance of the infant flying out of either end.

KiteM

But in case of turbulence you have to take out the baby from the bassinet....

BalbC

In case of unexpected turbulence?

KiteM

As soon as the belt sign is on (whatever is the reason), the baby has to be fasten to the parent's belt.

6rugrats

Unless you are on a carrier that doesn't provide these; then they just sit in your lap.

fredandgingermad

I've been on carriers that have bassinets where the baby does not have to be taken out during turbulence, they however have had 5 point harnesses

BalbC

Might be a bit late by then if there were no restraint in the bassinet. That's why it's different to sleeping on the floor.

Interesting. Do you know which carriers this was in?

lost*in*cyberspace

Not on US carriers! This is not allowed.