Delta One A330 family seating query
#16
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
Related question - any suggestions for a family of four? We have an experienced 8-yo flyer, a 3-yo, and two parents. We currently have a whole row in D1 booked with the 8-yo at one window, one parent and the 3-yo in the middle, and the other parent on the other window opposite the young one.
#17
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Join Date: Nov 2010
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Related question - any suggestions for a family of four? We have an experienced 8-yo flyer, a 3-yo, and two parents. We currently have a whole row in D1 booked with the 8-yo at one window, one parent and the 3-yo in the middle, and the other parent on the other window opposite the young one.
#18
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM/2MM, Flying Blue Gold, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 1,934
I flew with my baby in D1 many, many times. We traveled infant-in-arms at first. Then we brought on a full car seat (which was a huge pain in the a$$). The thing about the airbag seatbelt is that on the back of the belt itself is a warning label, saying it CAN be used with a child restraint provided a seatbelt extender (the kind given to customers "of size") is used, as this disables the airbag. One time, a FA challenged me and claimed this was not safe or allowed. I showed the label. She brought the captain out and we all discussed and he deemed it fine. We used the seatbelt extender and it was fine. (I am aware that the published rules say no child restraints in D1, but the label on the seatbelt contradicts this. It's a total gray area and no one really knows what the policy is.)
Also, the CARES harness is a great option. Still need the seatbelt extender to disable the airbag, but it's a cheap, light alternative that is also much less of a "statement" requiring an FA to make a decision about. I believe it's safe for an 18 month old, but you should check this. No matter what some people may say, I've had no problem fitting it around any D1 seat.
As for A330, in my opinion this is a terrible product for traveling with a toddler. You can't move between the B and C seats even though they are next to each other. Plus, the distance between one seat and the tray table of the other seat is quite far. So the parent with easier access to the kid will be across the aisle, farther away. And in the event of turbulence or an illuminated seat belt sign, it'll be very hard to get to the child. For all these reasons, I prefer the 767 or even the 757 D1 products for traveling with a child, as it's far easier to tend to him/her. (Of course, traveling as an adult there is nothing better than the A330, but that's not what we're discussing here.)
#20
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
I showed the label. She brought the captain out and we all discussed and he deemed it fine. We used the seatbelt extender and it was fine. (I am aware that the published rules say no child restraints in D1, but the label on the seatbelt contradicts this. It's a total gray area and no one really knows what the policy is.)
There have been several reports like this on FT. Some claim that the angle of the seats make child restraint seats in D1 unsafe, but this label on the seatbelt surely must be FAA approved as I believe all safety instructions on placards and other signs are. This whole thing really irks me as it's so family unfriendly, and I don't even have kids.
#21
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
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Couple different things are being confused.
1)FAA prohibits child seats in angled seats. It does not matter if the seat can be belted in using a belt extender. The parent above was focusing on the wrong thing and caused the pilot to unwittingly violate FAA regs when the said ok.
2)children under 2 can't be seated in a seat with airbag activated. Contract to belief the airbag is not by default activated on most aircraft. Instead when you put the belt into the buckle it activates. The magnet you see is what causes it to activate. On seat belt extenders the magnet is left off and thus the airbag remains deactivated.
Thus for OP. The child can sit in the seat except for taxi, takeoff, landing, AND anytime the seat belt light is turned on.
1)FAA prohibits child seats in angled seats. It does not matter if the seat can be belted in using a belt extender. The parent above was focusing on the wrong thing and caused the pilot to unwittingly violate FAA regs when the said ok.
2)children under 2 can't be seated in a seat with airbag activated. Contract to belief the airbag is not by default activated on most aircraft. Instead when you put the belt into the buckle it activates. The magnet you see is what causes it to activate. On seat belt extenders the magnet is left off and thus the airbag remains deactivated.
Thus for OP. The child can sit in the seat except for taxi, takeoff, landing, AND anytime the seat belt light is turned on.
#22
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
Just googled this. The prohibition appears to be on seats that are angled more than 18 degrees. I think this probably includes DL but I'm not sure. However, if it does include DL, then this begs the question of why the instructions on the belts allow for child seats? Perhaps because in certain jurisdictions they are permissible? In this case, is it the location of departure whose laws govern?
#23
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM/2MM, Flying Blue Gold, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 1,934
Just to clarify: the few times I traveled with a full car seat, it was on a 76ER, where the seats are not angled. I have used the CARES harness - with a seatbelt extender to disable the airbag - on an A330.
The biggest issue here here is the contradiction in DL rules. Also, I’ll never be convinced that a small child isn’t safer when restrained in the way I described above (even in an angled seat) as opposed to just sitting unrestrained in a parent’s lap.
#24
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
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Just to clarify: the few times I traveled with a full car seat, it was on a 76ER, where the seats are not angled. I have used the CARES harness - with a seatbelt extender to disable the airbag - on an A330.
The biggest issue here here is the contradiction in DL rules. Also, I’ll never be convinced that a small child isn’t safer when restrained in the way I described above (even in an angled seat) as opposed to just sitting unrestrained in a parent’s lap.
#25
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
#26
#27
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Related question - any suggestions for a family of four? We have an experienced 8-yo flyer, a 3-yo, and two parents. We currently have a whole row in D1 booked with the 8-yo at one window, one parent and the 3-yo in the middle, and the other parent on the other window opposite the young one.
Adult in 2C, youngest child in 2G
Older child in 3C, Adult in 3G
This way each child has both a parent next to them as well as one on the same aisle as them to help out if needed