Great article in our Sunday paper re: restraining kids on airplanes

mom2juliarose · Oct 12, 2010

I was so excited to see this in the local newspaper!

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/oct/09/littlest-fliers-are-safer-restrained-in-seats/

A very well-written article, in my opinion, about restraining kids on airplanes.

LISmama810 · Oct 12, 2010

Fantastic article. Sadly, most people will agree with the nay-sayers, but hey, it's a step in the right direction.

aeormsby · Oct 12, 2010

Good article. Also interesting that Southwest still does infant fares, when DD was little almost all the airlines still did 1/2 price fares for infants. I saw a great Q&A about purchasing seats for babies in the latest Parents Magazine also (small write up that's kind of hard to find, but it was there! And written by a Dr).

DahliaRW · Oct 12, 2010

Honestly, citing 2 deaths and stating that over 7 million unrestrained children fly a year. That's a very very very very small number of deaths from kids that might have survived had they been in a seat. And even on the flight where the 23 month old died, the 3 other lap children didn't. Statistically flying is soooooooo safe. I'm all in support of it being a parental decision.

aeormsby · Oct 13, 2010

DahliaRW said:
Honestly, citing 2 deaths and stating that over 7 million unrestrained children fly a year. That's a very very very very small number of deaths from kids that might have survived had they been in a seat. And even on the flight where the 23 month old died, the 3 other lap children didn't. Statistically flying is soooooooo safe. I'm all in support of it being a parental decision.

I wouldn't be as concerned about lap babies if all those seats weren't being checked as luggage and gate checked. But I also feel better with my DD in a Cares harness than just the lap belt when we're flying (we carry on her GO but can't use it on the plane).

LISmama810 · Oct 13, 2010

DahliaRW said:
Honestly, citing 2 deaths and stating that over 7 million unrestrained children fly a year. That's a very very very very small number of deaths from kids that might have survived had they been in a seat. And even on the flight where the 23 month old died, the 3 other lap children didn't. Statistically flying is soooooooo safe. I'm all in support of it being a parental decision.

Flying is extremely safe, I'll give you that. Statistically, given the number of people who fly every year, the death rate is practically zero. So why do any of us bother buckling up? Because you never know.

Remember that's it's not as black-and-white as life and death, either. There are injuries, too. People can and do get hurt on rough landings and in turbulence. Even mild turbulence that doesn't seem too bad when you're not holding another human being on your lap could cause injuries to a kid whose parents weren't holding on when it hit.

I don't understand why an adult's life matters so much that we have to buckle up, yet a baby's life or well-being isn't given the same regard.

Eclipsepearl · Nov 4, 2010

Sorry I saw this late (computer problems + visitors!)

Great article but the only issue they should have addressed was the fact that it's allowed only because air travel itself is so safe. Holding them in your lap is not, but rarely does anything go wrong just because overall, very few incidents happen in commercial aviation. This is not true on the road.

I also wish they had addressed the checking car seat issue. It's far more likely that a car seat would get lost or broken by being checked than anything unthinkable happen to the little one in the aircraft. Having parents arrive at an airport with no car seat is more of an issue (and it can take days to get your luggage back to you-experience speaking!)

A lot of us are a little miffed that the government pays for a seat for each member of the family when flying on gov't business (often they were diplomats relocating or similar). I'm thinking, okay, their children are worth strapping in but ours' aren't!

Great article in our Sunday paper re: restraining kids on airplanes

mom2juliarose

New member

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

aeormsby

New member

DahliaRW

New member

aeormsby

New member

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

Eclipsepearl

New member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics