air travel with Britax Boulevard question

[Unregistered]

We will be traveling within the US with our 26 month old daughter in 2 weeks. She is currently rear facining in a Britax Bouvelvard and 25 pounds. I am wondering how to attach the car seat rear facing and will the seat in front of her be able to recliner. We are traveling with frequent flyer miles in first class. I called Delta last night and was told that she needs to be forward facing. Has anyone traveled with Delta and used a car seat Rear facing?

 

[LP Mom]

I would not be too concerned about forward facing her on a plane. You are mainly protecting her against turbulence and it does not matter whether she is RF or FF. I flew with my Blvd once and it basically swallowed the entire seat and the space in front of it so there was no way it would have fit RFing. This was on AA. I will never travel with the Blvd again because it was such a pain. We now use a Scenera for air travel.

 

[vonfirmath]

The Marathon fits RFing. I don't know if the Boulevard is larger or not. But no, the seat ahead can not recline when it is installed RFing. OTOH, they don't have to deal with kicking feet in their back either. So its a tradeoff

 

[LuvMyCharlie]

The Marathon and the Boulevard are the same size, so it will fit RF. I'm not sure about first class but in coach the passenger ahead of the carseat cannot recline their seat. On the rare occasion someone has gotten snarky with me about that, I just remind them that they can either have their 1/2" of recline, or they can deal with my kid kicking their seat for the entire 4 hours or so.

As far as flight attendants and RF, there are some things you can print off to keep in your carry-on regarding FAA rules and regulations for carseats. I don't have the links saved so hopefully someone will come along soon with those. One time I forgot to print them, and wouldn't you know, they were all.over.me. I politely, but firmly, told them I'd like to see it in a DELTA manual that my child could not RF and then I'd be happy to oblige them and turn his carseat around. It took three attendants(who never came up with anything, btw), and many explanations that that was how he rides in the car and was within the seat's limits for RF and that I'm a CPST, but they finally backed down. The people around me told me after the attendants left, 'good for you for sticking up for your kid!' I was quite relieved I hadn't annoyed them with the hold-up.

 

[MomToEliEm]

Print off these two FAA related documents which talk about using carseats on an airplane. They should indicate that you have every right to install your carseat rearfacing as long as your child fits within the limits of the seat.
Official FAA guidelines on carseats on planes
New FAA clarification memo on carseats on planes

 

[LP Mom]

The Marathon and the Boulevard are the same size, so it will fit RF.

Not always. My Blvd would have only fit RFing with zero recline. When FFing, the front of the seat was touching the seat in front of ours and my toddler had no leg room. This may not be a problem for the OP though since she is flying first class.

 

[LuvMyCharlie]

Not always. My Blvd would have only fit RFing with zero recline. When FFing, the front of the seat was touching the seat in front of ours and my toddler had no leg room. This may not be a problem for the OP though since she is flying first class.

You're right. You won't get a 45-degree install, but OP's LO is over two years old. She would be just fine RF at the upright angle, barring any physical limitations. Legroom has never been a problem for my DS(facing either direction) and he's flown about twelve times since he was born in a variety of planes(from the smallest puddle jumpers to bigger jets). He's also never had any problems sleeping or getting comfortable being that upright. It'd be the same if your LO was FF.

 

[Jan06twinmom]

I did a quick check of Delta's policy and they don't specifically mention rear-facing or forward facing the car seat...

http://www.delta.com/planning_reser...s_for_children/infant_child_seating/index.jsp

I'd recommend printing this out too and if someone asks about it, you can give them their policy and ask them to show you where it says that you have to ff your child.

Another option is to also contact the airline and ask them what their policy is about rear-facing car seats - and where that information is available for customers. You don't have to mention anything about the size or age of your child.

Melanie

 

[indie]

Can you ask them to put you in the front seat? Even if you were to forward face your kid will kick the seat in front of you. I think this is usually more annoying to other passengers than not being able to recline. Neither will be an issue if you're in the bulkhead seat and their is often more room which would accommodate rear facing.

 

[vonfirmath]

Car seats are specifically not allowed in bulkhead seats. (Or at least, that is what I was told)

I just took Delta and they were VERY car seat unfriendly. Going to Atlanta, they hovered over me (TWO attendants) while I switched my car seat forward facing. (NO one complained, they just stated it as fact that I could not do it and I didn't feel I could argue with them. This is when I discovered that, when forward facing, a kid can't help but kick the seat ahead of them. My fellow passengers, luckily, were MUCH nicer than the flight attendants)

Going home, the lady at the gate said I ought to check the car seat with the stroller and "let him sit in the seatbelt" And when I firmly said I was installing the car seat she said not to take too much time and not to hold up the line.

I frankly got the distinct impression Delta does not like car seats.

 

[wendytthomas]

Car seats are specifically not allowed in bulkhead seats. (Or at least, that is what I was told)

Nope. They're allowed there just fine. Coach bulkheads are awful, though, because you can't put the armrest up. You can't in first either, but the seats are wide enough you often can fit your hands in to buckle.

I just took Delta and they were VERY car seat unfriendly. Going to Atlanta, they hovered over me (TWO attendants) while I switched my car seat forward facing. (NO one complained, they just stated it as fact that I could not do it and I didn't feel I could argue with them. This is when I discovered that, when forward facing, a kid can't help but kick the seat ahead of them. My fellow passengers, luckily, were MUCH nicer than the flight attendants)

Again, they're wrong. Don't argue, just ask to see the manual where it says you can't rear face.

With a Boulevard I'd definitely install rear facing just so you don't have to worry about the uninstallation at the other end. I know I'm not the only one who has had pilots/copilots/mainteance crews helping them getting their big Britaxes out of planes.

Wendy

 

[jsmom]

I didnt fly Delta but we did recently fly with DDs BLVD. On the way there she was FF and kicked the seat in front of us and also stayed awake for almost an hr into the flight. On the way back we RF her and she fell asleep in about 15 mins, having her RF also kept the crayons and books up off of the floor because they just fell into her seat instead of rolling.

 

[Unregistered]

I had a Delta flight Attendant show me in their manual where it says the seat must forward-face. It says "a child restraint may not be placed on a rear-facing airplane seat" NOT that it can't be placed rear-facing. I've never installed my BLVD rear-facing on a plane (I had a scenara at the time) but I highly recommend asking for a seat belt extender if you install FF. I actually got my arm STUCK in the belt path the first time I installed it on a plane (and I am a pretty tiny person).