Do airlines allow the use of a infant seats on planes?

T.O. Twins

New member
On another forum, someone posted that "Even if the SEAT says it is airplane safe, most AIRLINES will NOT let you use infant carriers on the planes. You have to have convertible or boosters with 5-pt harnesses." This person says they greatly researched the topic.

This doesn't seem correct to me that airlines would insist on a convertible seat and not let you use your infant seat on board (assuming you have a ticket for the baby). Has anyone else heard or experienced this?
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Infants seats are FAA approved, and if you bought your infant a seat and you use an infant carseat they cannot legally tell you not to use it. Doesn't mean they don't, or that the flight attendants know this, but in the US they have to allow it.

Wendy
 

y_p_w

New member
I'm somewhat new to this, so bear with me.

Would it be possible to use an infant seat with a base on a plane? As far as I recall, the typical airline lap belt has a long strap near the buckle, and the buckle sits near the lap level of the average passenger. I wouldn't think this would be terribly compatible with most infant seat bases, which require a flat lap/shoulder belt in order for the seat to properly attach. It would probably require securing without a base.

As far as your original question goes, I think it would depend on the airline and the particular seat. I played around with a Safety 1st OnBoard 35 before returning it, and I really doubt that it would fit in most coach seats that I've been in. If you can get it to fit, then there might be a problem if the passenger in front wants to recline. The exit rows might have enough room, but federal law says that anyone sitting there must be physically able to open the door in an emergency and comply with flight crew instructions.

OK - I looked it up and now realize that the FAA allows the use of a special lap/shoulder belt setup that is attached around the back of the passenger seat.
 
Last edited:

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I'm somewhat new to this, so bear with me.

Would it be possible to use an infant seat with a base on a plane? As far as I recall, the typical airline lap belt has a long strap near the buckle, and the buckle sits near the lap level of the average passenger. I wouldn't think this would be terribly compatible with most infant seat bases, which require a flat lap/shoulder belt in order for the seat to properly attach. It would probably require securing without a base.

It's usually flat enough that you can, but it's easier to do it without the base.

As far as your original question goes, I think it would depend on the airline and the particular seat. I played around with a Safety 1st OnBoard 35 before returning it, and I really doubt that it would fit in most coach seats that I've been in. If you can get it to fit, then there might be a problem if the passenger in front wants to recline. The exit rows might have enough room, but federal law says that anyone sitting there must be physically able to open the door in an emergency and comply with flight crew instructions.

No one under 15 is allowed in an exit row, or the row in front of it. And the passenger in front isn't guaranteed a reclining seat. That's comfort. The last row doesn't recline, but yet people sit there and don't complain. The row in front of the exit row doesn't recline. Tough. You're guaranteed a trip from A to B, nothing more. Not comfort, not speed, just a trip. Or your money back.

The Onboard is FAA approved. It'll fit in a coach seat. Just put the armrest up. :)

OK - I looked it up and now realize that the FAA allows the use of a special lap/shoulder belt setup that is attached around the back of the passenger seat.

Do you mean the CARES harness? You cannot install a carseat with the CARES. There are no shoulder straps on planes other than the CARES and what the crew uses.

Wendy
 

LittlePeanut

New member
Well I've personally flown on over 100 flights with 3 different carriers with an infant bucket seat without issue or too much hassel. Dunno what kind of "research" this person has done but I'm voting that they are blowing smoke.
 

InternationalMama

New member
On another forum, someone posted that "Even if the SEAT says it is airplane safe, most AIRLINES will NOT let you use infant carriers on the planes. You have to have convertible or boosters with 5-pt harnesses."

This can be confusing for people so I could see how a person could do research and still not know the facts. Its important to note that many international airlines do not allow rear facing car seats, which means no infant seats. Sometimes people are flying on an international airline and actually don't know. What matters is who the flight is operated by rather than who you bought your ticket from. (When you buy your ticket, for example from Expedia, it will say "operated by blah blah" on your itinerary, this isn't secret info.) If you are flying a US carrier they are required to follow FAA rules and the FAA says any seat that is approved for use in aircraft by them can be used on a flight. Plenty of infant carriers, in fact possibly all currently on the market, in the US are approved for use in flight. Again, this is different in other countries.

Like Wendy said, even flight attendants are confused about the rules here and sometimes they give out false information, but there are documents you can bring with you from the FAA to help in your discussions with the flight attendants and I've found that once they checked their facts they have always agreed with what I posted above.

However, we are currently having a discussion on this board (and there are a few other places on the internet people are talking about this) about some customer service reps from United who claim that United is no longer following FAA policy on this point. We are in the process of researching this further.
 

T.O. Twins

New member
This can be confusing for people so I could see how a person could do research and still not know the facts. Its important to note that many international airlines do not allow rear facing car seats, which means no infant seats. Sometimes people are flying on an international airline and actually don't know. What matters is who the flight is operated by rather than who you bought your ticket from. (When you buy your ticket, for example from Expedia, it will say "operated by blah blah" on your itinerary, this isn't secret info.) If you are flying a US carrier they are required to follow FAA rules and the FAA says any seat that is approved for use in aircraft by them can be used on a flight. Plenty of infant carriers, in fact possibly all currently on the market, in the US are approved for use in flight. Again, this is different in other countries.

Like Wendy said, even flight attendants are confused about the rules here and sometimes they give out false information, but there are documents you can bring with you from the FAA to help in your discussions with the flight attendants and I've found that once they checked their facts they have always agreed with what I posted above.

However, we are currently having a discussion on this board (and there are a few other places on the internet people are talking about this) about some customer service reps from United who claim that United is no longer following FAA policy on this point. We are in the process of researching this further.

Thanks! Do you have link to those FAA documents? And would you mind if I quote your response in the other forum (a twin parenting forum)?
 

InternationalMama

New member
Thanks! Do you have link to those FAA documents? And would you mind if I quote your response in the other forum (a twin parenting forum)?

Here's the link:

http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...afety/info/all_infos/media/2009/info09002.pdf

It is a PDF document that is a clarification of their policy on car seats. As you can see, any FAA-approved car seat must be allowed and plenty of infant carriers are FAA-approved. ETA: You can also print out the FAA policy that this document is clarifying. I'll see if I can find that link too if you want it, but the FAs have usually already looked at that when they start the conversation so the clarification is really all you need.

You're welcome to quote me on the other forum. I would also provide a link back to this forum so people can come here to ask more questions if they want. I'm glad you came to ask here. The posters here are very knowledgeable about car seats on planes and we even have a few former flight attendants who post.
 

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