We (me, my wife, 3 year old, 7 month old - 4 seats ticketed) will be traveling to Singapore and back. Our original plan was to use a CARES for the 3 year old and a Cosco Scenera car seat, rear facing, for our 7 month old. We did this when our oldest was 1, and it worked out well.

But as I was double checking the rules on Cathay Pacific and Dragon Air for our flights home (JAL on the way there allows rear facing), they only allow forward facing car seats. I don't know of any forward facing car seats that are rated for 7 month olds. I can't imagine it would be safe or comfortable for them at that age either.

I'm sure we aren't the only family to run into this issue. What have other people done when this comes up? Is it better to use the car seat forward facing, since it's better than the lap belt extender / holding them as a lap infant? Or is the forward facing car seat just too dangerous at that age, even more dangerous than just being held or being in an infant carrier for most of the flight?

Thanks for any insight that people have.