Use of Infant Car Seats in UA's Polaris Seats, UA says No but ....
May 3, 2021, 9:38 pm
#61
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
May 3, 2021, 10:19 pm
#62
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SRQ, PDX
Programs: UA 1 MM, AA, DL
Posts: 930
I have a ~23-month-old daughter who will be flying with me in J in a 763 (767s in LIH, neat!). It seems that all 763s have been converted to the all-aisle-access new Polaris seats (1-1-1), although the seat map is still showing the old Diamond seats (2-1-2).
1. I would like her to sit in her child car seat, but https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...s/infants.html says: "Child safety seats or restraint systems also aren’t permitted in United Polaris® business class on 767, 777 and 787 aircraft, including those with rear-facing seats." However, https://www.dansdeals.com/points-tra...l-aviv-newark/ says that flight attendants do sometimes allow car seats. Does anyone have recent experiences or advice?
2. Even if a car seat is allowed, if the plane ends up being 1-1-1 new Polaris, that would be bad because I would be far away from my daughter. I guess I don't really have a question here, but...yeah.
1. I would like her to sit in her child car seat, but https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...s/infants.html says: "Child safety seats or restraint systems also aren’t permitted in United Polaris® business class on 767, 777 and 787 aircraft, including those with rear-facing seats." However, https://www.dansdeals.com/points-tra...l-aviv-newark/ says that flight attendants do sometimes allow car seats. Does anyone have recent experiences or advice?
2. Even if a car seat is allowed, if the plane ends up being 1-1-1 new Polaris, that would be bad because I would be far away from my daughter. I guess I don't really have a question here, but...yeah.
May 3, 2021, 10:39 pm
#63
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 296
No. I saw a blog post (plus comments below) saying that FAs do not enforce this policy and have a different official policy that is more lenient. Given that, plus the fact that the policy allows child seats on 757-200s with Diamond seats, it seems like they might also be allowed on 763s with Diamond seats. My question is: what experiences have people had with FAs enforcing this policy? (I mean, isn't so much of FT about what the airlines' effective policies are, not what's written on some web page?)
May 4, 2021, 2:34 am
#64
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: HND
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K
Posts: 1,230
I imagine the car seat restriction has to do with taxi/take-off/landing and the need for the shoulder belt during those phases of flight. If so, just have the child on your lap (some will argue, rightly, about the safety of that but it wouldn't be prohibited if the child is under 2) during those phases and you should be fine to use a car seat during level flight.
May 4, 2021, 3:55 am
#65
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
No. I saw a blog post (plus comments below) saying that FAs do not enforce this policy and have a different official policy that is more lenient. Given that, plus the fact that the policy allows child seats on 757-200s with Diamond seats, it seems like they might also be allowed on 763s with Diamond seats. My question is: what experiences have people had with FAs enforcing this policy? (I mean, isn't so much of FT about what the airlines' effective policies are, not what's written on some web page?)
The answer is that your child will not be flying in Polaris in a car seat. Either fly another airline or fly in Economy.
May 4, 2021, 4:19 am
#66
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,349
I've been critical of United's FAs on occasion on this forum, but this is one area where I've witnessed nothing but care and compassion from the FAs.
I suggest NOT to put any FA in the position of having to choose between accommodating a passenger with an infant and their employer's explicit policy.
Just put yourself in the shoes of the FA: Would you feel comfortable bending the rules for a passenger, but at the same time risk the airline and its pilot getting in serious trouble over it?
May 4, 2021, 6:44 am
#67
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 6,020
You are correct! 
Which means that OP will more likely get a Polaris-configured cabin than not, depends on when they are flying.
Or putting the FA's own FAA Airman status in jeopardy. (It's not always all about the pilot 
)
Which means that OP will more likely get a Polaris-configured cabin than not, depends on when they are flying.In my experience (mostly on Ultra-Long TPAC flights) United's flight attendants will bend over backwards to help parents with infants, and try and make travel on board as pleasant as possible for any infants and children on board.
I've been critical of United's FAs on occasion on this forum, but this is one area where I've witnessed nothing but care and compassion from the FAs.
I suggest NOT to put any FA in the position of having to choose between accommodating a passenger with an infant and their employer's explicit policy.
Just put yourself in the shoes of the FA: Would you feel comfortable bending the rules for a passenger, but at the same time risk the airline and its pilot getting in serious trouble over it?
I've been critical of United's FAs on occasion on this forum, but this is one area where I've witnessed nothing but care and compassion from the FAs.
I suggest NOT to put any FA in the position of having to choose between accommodating a passenger with an infant and their employer's explicit policy.
Just put yourself in the shoes of the FA: Would you feel comfortable bending the rules for a passenger, but at the same time risk the airline and its pilot getting in serious trouble over it?
)
May 4, 2021, 5:47 pm
#68
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
May 4, 2021, 9:44 pm
#69
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 6,020
This is moving away from the topic, but flight attendants cannot be flight attendants without their certificate of demonstrated proficiency. If the FA does not follow FAA required safety procedures, which includes enforcing airline-specific procedures that are related to not allowing child seats in seats that are not certified to do so, then they may be subject to a write up by the FAA inspector should they be onboard. They are, however, not expected to fly a plane in case of an emergency.
May 4, 2021, 10:30 pm
#70
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,671
I have a ~23-month-old daughter who will be flying with me in J in a 763 (767s in LIH, neat!). It seems that all 763s have been converted to the all-aisle-access new Polaris seats (1-1-1), although the seat map is still showing the old Diamond seats (2-1-2), which I am hopeful for.
I would like her to sit in her child car seat, but https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...s/infants.html says: "Child safety seats or restraint systems also aren’t permitted in United Polaris® business class on 767, 777 and 787 aircraft, including those with rear-facing seats." However, https://www.dansdeals.com/points-tra...l-aviv-newark/ says that flight attendants do sometimes allow car seats. Does anyone have recent experiences or advice?
I would like her to sit in her child car seat, but https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...s/infants.html says: "Child safety seats or restraint systems also aren’t permitted in United Polaris® business class on 767, 777 and 787 aircraft, including those with rear-facing seats." However, https://www.dansdeals.com/points-tra...l-aviv-newark/ says that flight attendants do sometimes allow car seats. Does anyone have recent experiences or advice?
i have interviewed Jan Brown for my blog and have her full support in using her name and flight 232 story to convince flight attendants to allow car seats in Polaris. She thinks it's egregious that United and the FAA haven't worked out a solution and she considers the FAA to be a worthless agency. She said that post flight 232, it frustrates her to no end that flight attendants would tell someone to hold an infant instead of using a car seat, just because that's what the company policy is.
So I have no shame in going 4/4 in using carseats in Polaris.
May 5, 2021, 8:18 am
#71
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: KEWR
Programs: Marriott Platinum
Posts: 794
United is violating FAA policy by banning car seats in the forward facing Polaris seats.
i have interviewed Jan Brown for my blog and have her full support in using her name and flight 232 story to convince flight attendants to allow car seats in Polaris. She thinks it's egregious that United and the FAA haven't worked out a solution and she considers the FAA to be a worthless agency. She said that post flight 232, it frustrates her to no end that flight attendants would tell someone to hold an infant instead of using a car seat, just because that's what the company policy is.
So I have no shame in going 4/4 in using carseats in Polaris.
i have interviewed Jan Brown for my blog and have her full support in using her name and flight 232 story to convince flight attendants to allow car seats in Polaris. She thinks it's egregious that United and the FAA haven't worked out a solution and she considers the FAA to be a worthless agency. She said that post flight 232, it frustrates her to no end that flight attendants would tell someone to hold an infant instead of using a car seat, just because that's what the company policy is.
So I have no shame in going 4/4 in using carseats in Polaris.
May 5, 2021, 8:55 am
#72
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, BA Gold
Posts: 430
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-infant-3.html
Bottomline is that there are FAR's that say the "no certificate holder may prohibit" the use of a car seat if all required conditions hold. One interpretation is that a forward facing Polaris seat satisfies all conditions. And UA's prohibition is just a result of laziness, because it was easier for them to ban carseats from all Polaris seats instead of just the angled ones (more than 18 degree angle rules out a car seat). I am not sure it's 100% clear cut in terms of the rules, but the end result of banning car seats in forward facing seats is definitely something that reduces safety.
May 5, 2021, 9:01 am
#73
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, BA Gold
Posts: 430
I have a ~23-month-old daughter who will be flying with me in J in a 763 (767s in LIH, neat!). It seems that all 763s have been converted to the all-aisle-access new Polaris seats (1-1-1), although the seat map is still showing the old Diamond seats (2-1-2), which I am hopeful for.
I would like her to sit in her child car seat, but https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...s/infants.html says: "Child safety seats or restraint systems also aren’t permitted in United Polaris® business class on 767, 777 and 787 aircraft, including those with rear-facing seats." However, https://www.dansdeals.com/points-tra...l-aviv-newark/ says that flight attendants do sometimes allow car seats. Does anyone have recent experiences or advice?
I would like her to sit in her child car seat, but https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...s/infants.html says: "Child safety seats or restraint systems also aren’t permitted in United Polaris® business class on 767, 777 and 787 aircraft, including those with rear-facing seats." However, https://www.dansdeals.com/points-tra...l-aviv-newark/ says that flight attendants do sometimes allow car seats. Does anyone have recent experiences or advice?
May 5, 2021, 9:02 am
#74
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Most passengers booking seats for an infant won't easily realize that only ~50% of polaris seats can take a car seat. And even more of a challenge if the airline has to do some seat switching.
Yes, I realize it *could* do these things, and perhaps that's "laziness", but I could understand why they'd do this . . . even if though I agree with the point they should allow it if it's permissible from an FAA/safety perspective.
May 5, 2021, 9:57 am
#75
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,671
There is a thread with the details:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-infant-3.html
Bottomline is that there are FAR's that say the "no certificate holder may prohibit" the use of a car seat if all required conditions hold. One interpretation is that a forward facing Polaris seat satisfies all conditions. And UA's prohibition is just a result of laziness, because it was easier for them to ban carseats from all Polaris seats instead of just the angled ones (more than 18 degree angle rules out a car seat). I am not sure it's 100% clear cut in terms of the rules, but the end result of banning car seats in forward facing seats is definitely something that reduces safety.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-infant-3.html
Bottomline is that there are FAR's that say the "no certificate holder may prohibit" the use of a car seat if all required conditions hold. One interpretation is that a forward facing Polaris seat satisfies all conditions. And UA's prohibition is just a result of laziness, because it was easier for them to ban carseats from all Polaris seats instead of just the angled ones (more than 18 degree angle rules out a car seat). I am not sure it's 100% clear cut in terms of the rules, but the end result of banning car seats in forward facing seats is definitely something that reduces safety.
People can also book an exit row seat (or the row in front or behind an exit row seat!) without realizing that carseats can't go there. They get reseated, big deal.