May 27, 2016, 2:35 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Child Safety Seats & Restraints on American Airlines
See aa.com here.For discussion about AA and infant / lap child fares, see here.
For discussion of baby bassinets, see here.
Acceptable child restraint / harness
Only approved harnesses are Aviation Child Safety Devices (ACSD) showing the FAA aircraft approval label, such as the CARES child safety harness (link); these are not approved for oblique / angled seats (see below).
The CARES child safety harness is for children weighing between 22 and 44 lbs, up to 40 inches tall and occupying their own seat.
Acceptable safety seats
Most safety seats that are approved for use in motor vehicles are acceptable for use in aircraft, but must be approved for aviation use according to the label. The seat must have a solid back and seat, restraint straps installed to securely hold the child and a label indicating approval for use on an aircraft.
The label may include:
- These notes: “This child restraint system conforms to all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards” and “this restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircrafts” or “this restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.”
- Approval of a foreign government or a label showing that the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations.
Safety seat requirements
- The safety seat can't be used in an exit row or in the rows on either side of an exit row.
- Install the seat in the direction appropriate for the size of the child and according to the instructions on the label.
- The child must remain in the safety seat with the harness fastened during taxi, takeoff, landing and whenever the “fasten seatbelt” sign is on.
- To carry on a safety seat, you must have bought a seat for the child, or a seat must be available next to you. If an unoccupied, adjoining seat is not available, the gate agent will check the safety seat to your final destination.
Aircraft with Business seats not allowing safety seat or restraint use
FAA: "Several air carriers have installed, or plan to install, oblique seats (over an 18 degree angle and up to a 28 degree angle from the aircraft centerline) in their premium class cabins. However, the provisions of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 91, § 91.107, part 121, § 121.311, part 125, § 125.211 and part 135, § 135.128 only allow CRSs to be secured to a forward-facing seat (seats that are installed up to an 18 degree angle from the aircraft centerline)."
"In the future, based on additional dynamic tesing data, the FAA may revise the current requirements. At this time, however, the use of a CRS in an oblique seat is not in compliance with FAA regulations, which require all FAA-approved CRSs be properly secured to an approved forward-facing seat or berth."
"In the future, based on additional dynamic tesing data, the FAA may revise the current requirements. At this time, however, the use of a CRS in an oblique seat is not in compliance with FAA regulations, which require all FAA-approved CRSs be properly secured to an approved forward-facing seat or berth."
- Airbus A330-200 (or A330-300)
- Boeing 777-300ER ("77W")
- Boeing 777-200ER ("772") with all aisle access Business seats
- Boeing 787-8 or 787-9 aircraft
See this page. Under "Safety seat requirements" swipe or click on "View seat width dimensions". Business seats not certified for safety seats show thusly:
Swipe or click on manufacturer, e.g. Airbus
A330-200 Business class 20*/ 20.5" Main Cabin 238 / 16.3 - 17.8"
*Not forward facing seats and not authorized for child restraint systems
REASON: These seats do not face forward (they are oblique / at an angle to the fuselage center line); on at least some of these aircraft, forward facing seats are at an angle requiring supplemental shoulder belt restraints during taxi, takeoff and landing.
*Not forward facing seats and not authorized for child restraint systems
REASON: These seats do not face forward (they are oblique / at an angle to the fuselage center line); on at least some of these aircraft, forward facing seats are at an angle requiring supplemental shoulder belt restraints during taxi, takeoff and landing.
Guide: Child “car” seat or safety restraint / harness on AA (not OK in oblique seats)
Aug 6, 2018, 8:04 pm
#46
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Aug 7, 2018, 12:39 am
#47
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Note that for take off and landing, a lap infant must be held, not in any sort of carrier. So if she was nicely asleep in a carrier, we had to take her out for takeoff or landing, often waking her. Car seat avoids that issue, though of course we have to take her out for boarding/deplaning.
(Actually now we don't use the car seat in some cases; she’s big enough that she sometimes kicks the seat in front of her, and we think without really having checked the evidence that the safety benefit is smaller at this age. Obviously we try very hard to enforce the no kicking the seat rule, but she never kicks the seat when she can’t physically reach it! But this is not relevant for an 18 month old.)
But no airplane that flies ORD-SNA has this issue (and it’s not an issue in coach on any AA plane); ORD-SNA is narrowbody only, and all AA narrowbodies have only forward-facing seats. Therefore, tpvn can use the car seat if they wish, assuming it’s approved for aviation use.
Aug 7, 2018, 6:11 am
#48
Join Date: Nov 2003
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First time travelling with my toddler (18months old) from ORD to SNA on AA. Bought a seat for her. My question is: am I required to have a car seat for her to sit on her own seat? Wife and I have been back and forth on whether to bring it on the airplane, so just check it. The nightmare would be her not liking it after like 5min on the airplane, then we have no way to store it after we remove it... Sorry if this is the wrong place to post.
Aug 7, 2018, 6:56 am
#49
Join Date: Sep 2014
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Thanks JDiver, Ashill, and Deeruck for the info! We have the Britax for the car, but bought the widely recommended light weight Cosco Seneca for air travel. Sound like we will be carrying the Cosco on our ORD-SNA trip. It will be only 4 hours, so if our daughter becomes bored, I am sure we can find a way to entertain her. Also have a flight a month after that, ORD-CDG, which would be much longer, 9 hr, I believe. Does anyone have any experience with toddler utilizing the car seat that long? Would it be possible that they refuse to sit on it after a period of time? What would you do? Holding her / on lap for hours would suck!
Aug 7, 2018, 8:22 am
#50
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Thanks JDiver, Ashill, and Deeruck for the info! We have the Britax for the car, but bought the widely recommended light weight Cosco Seneca for air travel. Sound like we will be carrying the Cosco on our ORD-SNA trip. It will be only 4 hours, so if our daughter becomes bored, I am sure we can find a way to entertain her. Also have a flight a month after that, ORD-CDG, which would be much longer, 9 hr, I believe. Does anyone have any experience with toddler utilizing the car seat that long? Would it be possible that they refuse to sit on it after a period of time? What would you do? Holding her / on lap for hours would suck!
18 months is a much more difficult age to fly with than 3-6 months because they require far more attention and of course are much bigger to hold in the lap. It is virtually certain that an 18-month-old will be in your lap for part of the flight whether or not you have a car seat on board. But it’s totally manageable and worth it!
Aug 7, 2018, 9:06 am
#51
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<snip>
But no airplane that flies ORD-SNA has this issue (and it’s not an issue in coach on any AA plane); ORD-SNA is narrowbody only, and all AA narrowbodies have only forward-facing seats. Therefore, tpvn can use the car seat if they wish, assuming it’s approved for aviation use.
But no airplane that flies ORD-SNA has this issue (and it’s not an issue in coach on any AA plane); ORD-SNA is narrowbody only, and all AA narrowbodies have only forward-facing seats. Therefore, tpvn can use the car seat if they wish, assuming it’s approved for aviation use.
Thanks JDiver, Ashill, and Deeruck for the info! We have the Britax for the car, but bought the widely recommended light weight Cosco Seneca for air travel. Sound like we will be carrying the Cosco on our ORD-SNA trip. It will be only 4 hours, so if our daughter becomes bored, I am sure we can find a way to entertain her. Also have a flight a month after that, ORD-CDG, which would be much longer, 9 hr, I believe. Does anyone have any experience with toddler utilizing the car seat that long? Would it be possible that they refuse to sit on it after a period of time? What would you do? Holding her / on lap for hours would suck!
Aug 7, 2018, 9:32 am
#52
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: SGN
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Yes, we flew far longer flights (SYD-United States, as well as PHL-Europe). Obviously she didn’t spend the entire time in the car seat, but the long hauls where we had it were nicer than the ones where we didn’t. The airline-provided bassinet was annoying, partly because it was situated where lights distracted her and partly because at least on some airlines she had to come out when the seat belt sign went on. (I don’t remember if that was AA policy; I recall that either US airlines required kid out of bassinet and foreign airlines didn’t or vice versa; we flew long hauls on QF, DL, US/AA, VA [Virgin Australia], and BA, all in coach.)
18 months is a much more difficult age to fly with than 3-6 months because they require far more attention and of course are much bigger to hold in the lap. It is virtually certain that an 18-month-old will be in your lap for part of the flight whether or not you have a car seat on board. But it’s totally manageable and worth it!
Only if we can find a way to store the car seat on board when the little one becomes sick of it, it would be perfect. But of course life never is.
Aug 7, 2018, 11:24 am
#53
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In case you don't know, the car seat must be in a window seat on a narrowbody or in a window or inner seat in the middle part of a twin-aisle aircraft to avoid blocking emergency egress. So make sure you have a window seat and the adjacent middle, otherwise no car seat.
Aug 12, 2019, 7:30 pm
#54
Join Date: Apr 2011
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i stumbled across this post as my wife is awaiting all passengers to finish boarding and they denied her use of a carseat for our 2 year old in business class on 787. We were apparently lucky that we could use it on the 772 aircraft several weeks ago. The fight attendant was quite rude about it though. It's not what you say, it's how you say it. If you say it in a condescending, rude, and arrogant way, it will be taken as such. My wife is traveling with our 3 kids and they only fly business class and while not the most traveled people on earth, the kids have been Platinum Pro or Executive Platinum since birth.
Anyway, some FAs are rude... and to be rude to a passenger is not a requirement. To be rude to a passenger who is only leg 2 of a 3 leg journey, lasting 24+ hours with 3 kids (2, 6, and 8 years old) is not necessary. This was already after the fact the gate agent was incredibly rude and would not allow my wife to inquire with the crew about storing the umbrella stroller in a closet. We have stored this stroller in closets on 773, and 772 on AA and 787, and 777 aircraft with UA. It fits in an overhead bin along with the 3 kids carry-on and tucks nicely in the back of nearly any closet onboard (without disturbing hanging clothes and the occasional crew bag stored in the back of the closet.
I find it completely unnecessary in a customer facing role to be rude. Yes, the job can be frustrating at times but kindness goes far. Being a ..... just makes your customer want to look elsewhere next time they spend 7k per person to fly in a metal tube.
Anyway, some FAs are rude... and to be rude to a passenger is not a requirement. To be rude to a passenger who is only leg 2 of a 3 leg journey, lasting 24+ hours with 3 kids (2, 6, and 8 years old) is not necessary. This was already after the fact the gate agent was incredibly rude and would not allow my wife to inquire with the crew about storing the umbrella stroller in a closet. We have stored this stroller in closets on 773, and 772 on AA and 787, and 777 aircraft with UA. It fits in an overhead bin along with the 3 kids carry-on and tucks nicely in the back of nearly any closet onboard (without disturbing hanging clothes and the occasional crew bag stored in the back of the closet.
I find it completely unnecessary in a customer facing role to be rude. Yes, the job can be frustrating at times but kindness goes far. Being a ..... just makes your customer want to look elsewhere next time they spend 7k per person to fly in a metal tube.
Aug 13, 2019, 7:20 am
#55
Join Date: Nov 2003
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That's rough. Travelling multiple kids can be very challenging. Unfortunately, you aren't able to use any carseat or restraint system on oblique seats. I believe the FAA seats 17degrees as the limit. So effectively, PE and Y are quickly becoming the only options across the widebody fleet. At a glance, my guess is the 767 is the only model that would still allow a carseat.
Aug 5, 2020, 1:32 pm
#56
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Child travel safety harness - First Class 777-200
Greetings all --
Would anyone happen to know if the FAA-approved travel harness is able to be used on a 777-200 aircraft in First Class? The website only mentions safety seats are not permitted.
Many thanks,
SJUflyer
Would anyone happen to know if the FAA-approved travel harness is able to be used on a 777-200 aircraft in First Class? The website only mentions safety seats are not permitted.
Many thanks,
SJUflyer
Aug 5, 2020, 1:36 pm
#57
Join Date: May 2010
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I doubt it as the harness is designed to wrap around the back side of a seat. Since you’re referring to a lie-flat seat, you can not attach anything around the back of it. I’ve looked into this myself, but I haven’t tried it as I didn’t think it’d be successful.
I doubt an FA would allow you to try and rig it up around a seat like that, but YMMV.
I doubt an FA would allow you to try and rig it up around a seat like that, but YMMV.
Aug 5, 2020, 3:09 pm
#60
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As stated, there is no more F on 772s, only J. There are two different types of J seats on AA's 772s and it's almost impossible to determine which you will be on before the plane pulls up to the gate.
As others have stated, these are all lie-flat seats, so they don't necessarily have the ability to wrap a harness around the back of them. Does AA require these harnesses be used during flight for children?
As others have stated, these are all lie-flat seats, so they don't necessarily have the ability to wrap a harness around the back of them. Does AA require these harnesses be used during flight for children?