Originally Posted by
mdavies
So, rather than buy 3 upper class seats, or all sit in coach, we felt it would be sensible to buy 2 upper, and one coach seat. during takeoff and landing, mom and the baby would sit in upper class (baby in her car seat), and I'd sit in the coach seat. during the rest of the flight, the baby seat would sit empty in coach, and the baby would sit on my or her mother's lap. so my question is this: Who's seat is the coach seat? Do I buy my seat in coach, since I'll really only be the person ever sitting there, or do i put the baby in coach (who will never sit there), because the majority of the flight, the baby's carseat will be occupying that seat?
Nice try.
I'm pretty sure that you cannot assign a seat to an infant or small child without you sitting next to said infant or small child. Children aren't allowed as unaccompanied minors until at least age 5.
In addition, there are rules about where you can and can't put car seats. For example, in an A-B window/aisle configuration, the car seat *must* go in the window A seat and not in the aisle B seat.
Therefore, the answer is that you need to officially assign the baby to a seat next to one of you. And if you actually install the car seat in that seat, you're going to have issues with uninstalling it and moving the other parent into that seat.
I have a toddler of my own, and those seats get expensive, but I don't think your idea is going to work.
PS Portable DVD players, with headphones and Dora the Explorer/Elmo/etc are your friend. Don't forget the air power adapter.