Infant Traveling in a Baby Bjorn (Sling)
 

Hello all, as a soon to be first time dad I was wondering, and have not been able to locate on the NWA site, the policy for using a baby bjorn type device to carry an infant. I do not plan to hold in my arms my baby but would rather use a sling or purchase another seat for an FAA approved car seat.

Any ideas?

Buy the seat.

You can't use any type of restraint, other than FAA approved (car seat) during take-off and landing. You could use the sling during the flight. They also won't allow you to walk through security without taking the baby out and putting the sling through the xray.

In the rare chance that something happened in the air, you would not be able to hold onto your infant, thus they become a human projectile. Not to mention, having the car seat to have your arms free is priceless, and it provides a comfortable and familiar spot for your baby to be.

Good luck!

Everything from the previous post. Infant-under-2 seats are usually 1/2 T-fare, and bookable on nwa.com (go to "more options" page). Start their frequent-flyer account early!

I can believe people do child-in-lap, but it amazes me... and when I hear about child-in-lap on TATL, I gasp. Last TATL MR, there was a family in WBC, across 4 seats... 2 adults, 2 kids, and a child-in-lap. Very well behaved, all went well, but... ouch!

Steve B.

Buy a seat if you can afford it or the trip over an hour and a half or so. Having a lap baby, especially a super young one, is not too bad even easier if both parents are traveling and you can share the work. I am not sure about the baby bjorn seems to me that having a child in a bay bjorn is actually safer then in your arms only. Don't know the rules.

Also, be sure not to put a seat belt around you and the baby. Put the seat belt around you only ( ytou can thread it on the inside of a bjorn between you na d baby) as you weight could crush a baby strapped together.

Don't forget strollers can be gate checked and used right up to the AC door and oicked up after the flight,

My wife and I took our 6 month old son trans-pacific as a lap child. We requested bulkhead seating as it has the fittings to attach the NW provided bassinet. We had to hold the baby on takeoff and landing. Almost all other times (when he wasn't being fed) he was asleep in the bassinet. We also used the Bjorn sling.
We paid roughly ~$200 for his ticket. We were not required to have an infant seat. This was our first SFO-NRT trip with the baby so I can not state that this is the standard procedure for everyone. It was our experience. Yours may differ! We did not take a stroller on this flight as there was one waiting for us at Narita. I am not sure if domestic flights have differing requirements or not.

The Baby B'Air vest is a great solution for comfortably securing your child during a flight, even though it inexplicably has not been approved for use by the FAA during taxi, takeoff, and landing. I personally recommend it.

I think you'll get more grief using this vest as it is not allowed for taxi, takeoff or landing. Some F/As will not allow you to use during flight either. There is no restraint device (except care seats) that are allowed during taxi, takeoff and landing.

The CFR that permits its use is permitted on the back of the vest in case you need to educate a flight attendant. Moreover, the manufacturer will give you a $50 refund check if a flight attendant/airline refuses to permit its use. Finally, while it is not technically permitted for use during takeoff and landing, fat chance of that prohibition being enforced on most flights with the flight attendants generally not in the line of sight when they strap themselves into their jump seats.

I'm going to be the contrarian and say use the baby Bjorn. Why would this be unacceptable for an under-2 child held in your lap? It's an additional layer of restraint; it's not replacing any FAA-approved restraint method. If the FA doesn't like it, then take it off, hold the baby for takeoff and landing, then use.

Thanks everyone for your insight here. I agree, I always cringe when I see someone just holding their baby for the whole flight and my wife and I decided we would always have a seat for our baby.

Then I started thinking about the sling approach. I was not sure if it was banned or not so this was very informative.

This is why this board is so useful!

Thanks again.

So it's okay to break the rules as long as the flight attendant can't see you?

There are no guarantees that a bulkhead seat with bassinet would be available on these flights, even with the prior requests.
I can not imagine holding a child in lap for even more than 1 1/2 hour flight. And as for safety, the child being restrained in a appropriate, approved car seat is the way to go! ^ Plus junior will love being in his car seat in the plane.

And winging their way to their very own elite status! ^

Absolutely correct. Nothing is guaranteed. However, I booked this trip well in advance and requested and received row 10 (bulkhead seating) 90 days out. I have been Platinum with NW since 1998. I have never had assigned seats switched on me in 65+ transpac flights. I was not concerned about losing my seats.

You also can take the chance that there is an open seat next to you. Last december i went out west with my sister & her 3mo baby and they just tock the chance that there would be one open. And if there is you can bring your car seat on the plane and use it. if not they will do a gate check.