airplane and carseats

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bake1856

Guest
airplane and carseats

My daughter is two and a half and we will be flying in a few days. Most of what I've read about car seats in planes pertained to infants to small to be seat belted in a seat.

My question is do I need to take the car seat or will using the lap belt be enough?

I was leaning towards no car seat and now I'm leaning towards one but can't imagine how to handle daughter, diaper bag, car seat and possibly stroller.

TIA

karen
 
ADS
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UlrikeDG

Guest
Yes, your daughter needs her car seat...

Airline Travel and Child Safety www.cpsafety.com/articles...ravel.aspx

Not only will the seat be more confortable for your daughter (making the trip more pleasant for both of you), but it will be safer as well! Additionally, you will need the seat when you arrive at your destination.

As for how to get around inside the airport, I recommend using a 2 wheeled luggage cart. You can put the seat on the cart, then put the diaper bag and any other carry-ons on top. You'll be able to wheel pretty much everything with one hand. I do encourage you to make sure your seat fits well on the cart you pick *before* you get to the airport.
 
R

Robert

Guest
Re: airplane and carseats

Another reason to have the child seat secured in the airplane seat is that most injuries occurring on an airplane is from turbulence.
 
B

bake1856

Guest
Thanks

Thanks for the quick replies. I was just picturing having a hard time getting through the airport, but the truth is I wouldn't want to sacrifice safety for convience. I knew better, that's why after I decided to not take one I did some investigating.

This site is great. I'm glad I stumbled on to it.

karen
 
M

Meldom

Guest
I would take the seat

In addition to safety your child will be more comfortable sleeping in a car seat.

I travelled to Germany by plane in 2001 with two kids (4 yr old, 22 mos old), two car seats, a stroller (to transport one car seat and child) and diaper bag, lol.

The staff at the airport and in the plane was very helpful and it can be done!

Just preboard and tell them you need some help, I took the stroller right up to the plane and gate checked it.

Monika
 

MelllieMa

New member
A different opinion

Well...
I fly frequently and I have taken carseats on the plane multiple times and regretted it each time. I now prefer to check my carseat and have my child on the actual airplane seat. THis way the seat can recline for a sleeping child, I can lift the armrest between us to allow for snuggling, I have less to carry up and down those narrow aisles (especially with tight connections), and my child can lean forward and actually reach the little seatback tray to color etc. True that injuries occur from turbulence, but your child will still be in a seatbelt which holds well. And as awful as it sounds, the chances of survival in an actual airplane crash are practically nonexistant and a carseat will not make a difference there. Enjoy your trip. Travelling with children is really fun, despite all the extra work involved!
 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
There are many survivable plane crashes each year. Most of those are planes that slide off the runway in poor weather conditions, but other crashes are survivable as well. United Airlines Flight 232 is a good example. The crash itself was TERRIBLE, but a full 2/3 survived! http://www.airsafetyonline.com/multimedia/videos.shtml

In addition to keeping your child safe on the plane (and most kids are *more* comfortable and can sleep better in their own carseat), you also need to ensure that your carseat will be waiting for you at your destination *in one piece*. I've heard too many "horror stories" of seats that didn't make it to the destination (and how do you go somewhere to get a new seat when you don't have a seat for your child to ride in on the way there?) and seats that arrived damaged. Gate checking may minimize the risk, but the risk is still there, and you still have to haul the seat through the airport with you.

I've found that the easiest way to travel with a carseat is to purchase a 2 wheeled luggage cart that will hold the seat. The Samsonite Micro Mover is a popular choice that works well with the Britax Roundabout. Be sure to try your cart with your seat *before* you get to the airport. If they don't fit together well, you'll be stopping every 20 steps to readjust. I put the seat on the cart, the carry-ons (diaper bag, etc) on the seat, and the child in a sling, front pack or back pack, and I still have one hand free to handle doors and such.
 

MelllieMa

New member
Thanks Ulrike...I will check out that Samsonite as I do travel frequently, though my jury on the whole subject is still out. I happen to have a child who NEVER sleeps in his carseat, and on full days of travel naps are a necessity.
 

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