How long will your child be in a seat on a plane?

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #1

With DS being over 4 1/2 yrs old and all of this talk about FAA and airlines, I'm wondering how long you guys are going to put your child in a child restraint on a plane?

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jul 19, 2007

• #2

I've never gone longer than age 2 (uh...that is to say, my other kids were lap babies, then went on the plane seat, the one time i brought a seat bitsy screamed until i got her out of it and put kar in it straps below his shoulders...sigh)... with Leah I'll probably go to age 3 or 4, just because it's a MUCH longer flight to grandma's and so much easier to sleep in a seat...(we've always had seats at grandma's, and that's about the only place we go, so no 'need' to have a seat on the plane with us).


And since I typed that long explanation BEFORE I saw the poll, I voted for 40 pounds...you asked WILL you, not DID you, so let's look forward, not back

 

ThreeBeans

New member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #3

I marked until 40 lbs, although my answer is, I'll bring the carseat on the plane as long as I know I'll NEED a harnessed seat on the other end...in other words, even if my kid is in a harnessed seat full time at home at, say, 5 years and 40 lbs, if I think he's mature enough to handle a booster for a short vacation, I'll probably do that.

 

J

jen_nah

CPST Instructor

• Jul 19, 2007

• #4

I said 40lbs or so. Kaylee & I are taking a trip to SC in the spring to visit my bestfriend & god daughter. I have no plans on bringing any seat with me. She will be 6 1/2yrs old and probably around 46ish lbs (she is currently 44). My bestfriend has a PW that we will be using while we are there.

Now if Kinlee was coming with us then yes she would be in her MA just for the mere fact to keep her from running about the plane.

But, Next summer we are planning a Disney trip. I don't think we will bring their big seats (I don't think Kaylee will fit in a MA at that point anyways). I plan to bring a HBB Tubro & a LB Turbo in a spare suitcase. But, Kinlee will be close to 5 & Kaylee will be close to 7 at that time.

 

B

bensmom

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jul 19, 2007

• #5

I used a seat on the plane for DS1 until he was 3 and about 35 pounds. At that point, he sat in the seatbelt and I took the SafeGuard Go with me (his carryon) for our destination.

 

MsFacetious

New member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #6

I will until they can use a booster on the other end. We will never have seats on the other end. So we have to bring them somehow. Until they fit in a booster I can stick in a suitcase...they will be taking seats on the plane.

 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #7

I voted as long as there is one that will fit them because we need seats wherever we go. It's much easier to have them in a harnessed seat on the plane and then use that seat in the vehicle than to find room to put a booster in carry-on. I will *never* check a carseat, booster included.

 

Leila

New member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #8

So long as there's an FAA approved seat, my younger son will be in one. He's just not capable of sitting still for a flight, no matter how long/short it might be. My older son is using the plane belt already, he's too large for FAA approved harnessed seats now.

 

natysr

New member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #9

I voted as long as there is one that will fit him. Once he outgrows all the 5 pt airline approved seats on the market, then we will just bring a booster with us to use at our destination.

 

Dillipop

Well-known member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #10

I put until he no longer fits, too. We usually only fly to see the inlaws, but they are in Utah, and we are in Rhode Island. It is a long flight and DS loves his seats. Besides, we need a seat when we get there and when we go we stay for 2-6 weeks, so I will bring his safest seat. Once he outgrows the safeguard- highest harness slots with FAA approval that we own- we will take a booster or make DH's parents go out and buy one, but I have the feeling that is a looooong time away!

 

MomToEliEm

Moderator

• Jul 19, 2007

• #11

My older DD (age 5 1/2) sits in a regular seat on the plane and I carry along a backless booster for use at the destination. Since we have no harnessed seat that is FAA approved for her (she rides in a regant), I don't really have a choice unless I buy another car seat (not really interested in that). She sits well in a booster so I don't have a problem with her using the booster for travel.

 

V

vamom

New member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #12

Ds was just under 40 on our last trip and we were using disney transportation, so we did not take the cars seat (he has a husky, anyway). He did use a booster for the one taxi ride to seaworld, and I could not believe how anxious I was. Anyway, now we have a radian for papa's truck, and I am planning to use the radian for the next plane trip. I think it will help too - ds 's legs hit the seat in a way that he ended up kicking the seat in front of him (fortunatley in noticed the poor guy had lost his blackberry - so he made amends, lol).

 

hsjwmom

New member

• Jul 19, 2007

• #13

I voted as long as she fits...

We may be flying to PA this fall and I am thinking I may get a Recaro for dd2. She is close to outgrowing her MA and I'm pretty sure I do NOT want another Regent. Anyway, I would rather get the Recaro in time to use on the flight because of our two boosters, only one of them separates into a backless (I will take the bottom in a carry-on and the back in our luggage) Plus, I will be able to use the Recaro for #3 after the RA is outgrown.

(and yes, I do believe in planning ahead. LOL)

 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

• Jul 19, 2007

• #14

I voted as long as she fits. Eva, age 7, still fits in her Marathon (barely), and I don't know if I'd use it on a plane or not, as she switched to the Parkway as her primary seat last month. I did use the Marathon for Roman when he was 7, because I knew I'd need it on the other end. So, my *real* answer is "well over 40 lb, but possibly under the maximum limit for the harnessed seat if the child's primary seat isn't FAA approved."

 

J

jen_nah

CPST Instructor

• Jul 20, 2007

• #15

aidensmom02 said:

I voted as long as there is one that will fit them because we need seats wherever we go. It's much easier to have them in a harnessed seat on the plane and then use that seat in the vehicle than to find room to put a booster in carry-on. I will *never* check a carseat, booster included.

Click to expand...

I would never check one either. I would break the booster down and put it in a small suitcase and carry it on as my carry on luggage. All the rest of my luggage can be checked.

But, The only time we travel is to visit either my bestfriend or my dad and both have seats for the girls.

 

Morganthe

New member

• Jul 20, 2007

• #16

I answered according to past experences with "What? You mean we can have carseats on a plane?!? "

We didn't travel via air when dd was a baby. She was 2 1/2 years old when we had 3 connecting flights from Germany-Texas. I used the plane's seatbelt, padded along her sides with blankets, & raised the metal armrests. It worked out pretty well :shrug-shoulders:
Our carseat was the Euro Maxi-Cosi and didn't work for lapbelts. It went in the hold all stuffed with pillows and blankets in its bag.

I did the same a couple of months afterwards on our trip to PNW. She's great in the seatbelts for behavior and has no problems falling asleep leaning against me.
Perhaps I should feel motherly guilt for not having her in a carseat, but we survived anyway There's no way I would made it travelling with the Triumph, which was our other seat. I didn't like porting that thing around.

I don't know when we'll fly again, but we might end up using the Radian. I'm not sure. I'll have it with me and stick it above if not. But she'll be at least 4 1/2 years old, around 40lbs, and definitely above 41 inches. So TBH, I'm not that concerned.

 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member

• Jul 20, 2007

• #17

Thanks, everyone! I would like to keep Nolan harnessed as long as possible on a plane, even if it means moving up to the CARES. When he was little, he was a lap baby all the way... ... But now I know better about lap babies after seeing that crash video on here, hanging out here, and going through my CPS course.

But it does get a little more "gray" with preschoolers and smaller children. In the crash video someone posted - the *real* footage of the crash landing, they instructed everyone to brace themselves against the seat in front of them, leaning on it with their arms crossed in front of their heads. However, a small child wouldn't be able to brace themselves, therefore it could possibly put them at the same risk as a lapbelt in a vehicle: internal decapitation, etc. Other than that concern, I wouldn't have a problem with the lapbelts on the plane... Does this concern anyone else?

 

Loves2sing

New member

• Jul 20, 2007

• #18

If i have to buy a seat anyway, I would prefer to use my own seats on the other side of the flight. So I will be putting Jenna in the Radian until she outgrows it, cause it is such an awesome seat for airplanes.

 

canadianmom2three

Active member

• Jul 20, 2007

• #19

Am just trying to decide this now - we will be flying to florida in August, and DS will be 5 and 50lbs. I am trying to decide if it is better to take the Radian, or just a hbb...we will be shuttled directly from the airport to Disney, where we will stay for the week, so I know there will be very little travel time, hence the booster being easier to put on the shuttle bus or whatever, and an adult will always be with ds so he will be sitting safely, but I would LOVE the radian for the flight - anyone btdt?

 

MomToEliEm

Moderator

• Jul 20, 2007

• #20

canadianmom2three said:

Am just trying to decide this now - we will be flying to florida in August, and DS will be 5 and 50lbs. I am trying to decide if it is better to take the Radian, or just a hbb...we will be shuttled directly from the airport to Disney, where we will stay for the week, so I know there will be very little travel time, hence the booster being easier to put on the shuttle bus or whatever, and an adult will always be with ds so he will be sitting safely, but I would LOVE the radian for the flight - anyone btdt?

Click to expand...

Shuttle buses typically don't have any seatbelts on them so there is no way to use a booster or car seat. Are you going to be renting a car or taking a taxi anywhere? If not, it might not even be worth taking a booster seat with you. If you going to be traveling by other means, definately take along a carseat or booster for use then.