I am flying with both kids in June. We have a 30 min layover in Denver (yikes!) so I am trying to minimize carry ons. I do not need to take seats, since I can send them ahead of time with my parents, who are driving. But I know dd will need a seat on the plane, so taking either the Radian or the TFP for her. For ds, I would love to not take a seat, but will he fit in the airplane belt? He will just barely be 6yrs, and his weight is around 37/38 lbs. He is 43 inches tall, so skinnyish.
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Will he fit in the airplane seatbelt?
- Thread starter jnamommy
- Start date
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aeormsby
New member
I agree. If you're really worried you could look at renting a Cares harness. My DD will be flying for the first time using just the plane's seatbelt next month since we're taking a booster for her to use at our destination (she's 6yo and a little bigger than your DS). What concerns me almost more than the fit is younger kids messing with the buckle on the planes and not staying buckled.
crunchierthanthou
New member
My ds was 5 when I let him start riding in the plane's seatbelt alone. The biggest problem was him slouching way down and putting his feet on the seat in front of him. I'd bet your ds is too tall for the CARES already.
Yeah, I am really not interested in the Cares. I will either lug another carseat or he sits in nothing.
My other big concern is that he is sitting across the aisle from me. When I bought the tickets, we got 3 in a row...then a few days later I got an email from the airlines that our itinerary changed. A different model of plane means only two seats, aisle, two more seats. So he is across the aisle now. I am worried as it is a late night flight that he will not be able to get comfy to sleep and will drive the poor stranger next to him crazy.
My other big concern is that he is sitting across the aisle from me. When I bought the tickets, we got 3 in a row...then a few days later I got an email from the airlines that our itinerary changed. A different model of plane means only two seats, aisle, two more seats. So he is across the aisle now. I am worried as it is a late night flight that he will not be able to get comfy to sleep and will drive the poor stranger next to him crazy.
crunchierthanthou
New member
Well, that makes it easier. You can only use a car seat next to a window (unless you have two together in a family group). You can't put one on the aisle across from you, which is exactly the situation where ds ended up in a seatbelt at age 5.
Yeah, I knew if I brought a carseat for ds because we needed it for the fit, he would have to go by the window, next to Poor Random Stranger.
The more I think about it, the more it does make sense to not bring his seat. And just pack the RSTV in my carryon, since I am planning on worst case, missing our connecting flight
The more I think about it, the more it does make sense to not bring his seat. And just pack the RSTV in my carryon, since I am planning on worst case, missing our connecting flight
spokaneCPST
CPST Instructor
I've been flying once a week for the last month on a variety of planes with my little guy, who is 37 pounds and 45ish inches at 6 years. He has fit very nicely in the plane seatbelt on all the planes we've been on.
How about skip the carseat for him (my now 5 year old has done this a few times with no problem) and have the kids sit next to each other with YOU across the aisle. You're close enough to solve any problems between them, and you're next to the random stranger, not them.
Michelle
Michelle
mayasmommy
New member
This is what I would do. I would never want one of my kids sitting next to a stranger. Especially on a late night flight. I would worry about them being vulnerable. But I am overprotective like that.
This isn't directly carseat-related, but about your very tight connection: as you may know, when the airline changes THEIR schedule, they are often very accommodating about waiving the usual change fees so that you can get a better itinerary. I have done this several times even when flying just by myself, so I'd think they would be ever more sympathetic to a parent traveling with kids.
If you get the right reservations agent, you may be able to move your first flight up to have a more realistic layover, or potentially even switch to a more convenient morning flight or nonstop. They can also move assigned seats around for you if need be.
Usually you have to call the airline, but recently Delta actually called me when their schedule changed and they gave me plenty of new options.
You sound like an incredibly prepared person and have already done contigency planning for a missed connection, but I thought I would mention this.
If you get the right reservations agent, you may be able to move your first flight up to have a more realistic layover, or potentially even switch to a more convenient morning flight or nonstop. They can also move assigned seats around for you if need be.
Usually you have to call the airline, but recently Delta actually called me when their schedule changed and they gave me plenty of new options.
You sound like an incredibly prepared person and have already done contigency planning for a missed connection, but I thought I would mention this.
cantabdad - thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, they don't even fly to my destination every day (small airport)...so other flights at diff times are not an option. I did call to ask if they would move us up closer to the front of the plane so we could get off sooner, but they told me no. So I will just hope our first flight is on time, and if not, be prepared to spend the night just in case
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