A pp was wrong. More people survive crashes today than die in them. Nuf said.

Yes, your baby has a better chance of surviving an accident loose in your lap. Belted to you, they don't stand a prayer in forward impact. Since some children (we were not given the details in training) were killed this way, the FAA mandated that all lap babies have to be loose in the adults' laps and not attached to them in any manner.

In a prepared emergency, UA and some other airlines, have the adult hold the lap baby to the floor, to give him or her the maximum protection without putting them at risk with a double seat belt. The parent would also only have to hold them in one direction. This is not an FAA requirement as I know it and not all airlines have this policy.

I wrote the CAA (the British version of the FAA) about this. They said they had to protect other passengers on their flights by requiring the double seat belt (often called "belly belts"). They don't want the child to fly through the cabin on impact. That does make sense in a way. Why put other people at risk if the parent doesn't want to buy the baby a seat?

Two different ways of seeing it. The FAA wants the child to be as safe as a lap baby can be, while the European air authorities want other people to be protected from a projectile baby flying through the cabin.

There isn't enough crash data (which is a good thing) to really show which is the bigger safety risk. Yes, there have been accidents with lap babies that it's difficult to even compare the few crashes that have occurred. The different circumstances in each make it impossible to ask "What if...?"

Once you decide to not buy a ticket for an under-2 baby, you're basically deciding that a crash is so unlikely that it's worth the risk. But technically speaking, your child is at risk. It's sort of like crossing the road with a little red man, when there is no car in sight.

Lap babies aren't protected but you're betting that the flight will proceed normally and without incident. That's overwhelmingly likely. There is no gadget or position to hold the child or whatever that will make it safer for your child.

Once you decide to fly a company, you are agreeing to abide by their rules. If they require a belly belt, you have to use it. If they want the child loose in your lap, than you need to do that. You wont be able to hold your baby in forward impact. Impossible. Putting your baby in a double seat belt is to protect those around you, even if it puts your baby at risk.