How come travel with children threads tend to spread paranoia - abductions, molestations, lap infants flying across cabins in turbulence, checked car seats breaking apart in crashes etc etc...

I wouldn't worry about a car seat breaking apart in a crash I would be more concerned about myself and my kids in a crash! But the airlines bust car seats checked as luggage all the time. This isn't paranoia. I AM concerned about car crashes because I've been in a few, once with my dd, who was fine because she was in a reliable car seat. Checking car seats as luggage is just a bad idea. So easy to avoid having your car seat lost or broken. No brainer!