I really need help with these travel plans

Hi everyone - We are planning to fly my family of 5 this May. I have three kids, 5, 3, and 6mos (will be 9mos when we travel). It's a 2.5 hour direct flight on Delta on one of their express jets, which are small... each row has 4 seats (2 seats, aisle, 2 seats). There are a few things I'm trying to work through:

1.) The baby: I know that the recommendation is to buy him a seat on the plane, but there is no way he's going to stay content in his seat AND if we want a 5th seat, then our family will be separated on the plane, which I'm extremely concerned about. Is it really that bad to keep him on my lap?

2.) My 5 and 3 yo are in a Britax Frontier and Radian XT. I know that the recommendation is for them to be in car seats on the plane, but there's no way my husband & I are going to be able to trek thru the airport with three kids, three car seats, and our bags. Nevermind the fact that the Radian is SO heavy , and I don't even know if the Britax will fit in the airplane seat. Plus logistically, I don't even know how we would not only get three car seats to the gate, but then lug them onto the plane and install them. One of us will have to be holding the baby - likely me, which leaves only my husband to do all that... it's just not feasible.

We may have the option to borrow car seats from friends at our destination, so we wouldn't even need to lug our own, anyway. I've seen some mention of CARES harnesses but they are so expensive. $150 for two harnesses is a lot of money for us. If these are a good option, is it possible to rent them? As an aside, my kids are VERY good at following instructions so I know they will stay in their seats and not mess with any seat belts.

PLEASE help me on this. I am so incredibly stressed about this travel.

I would put the 5 year old in the seat without harness, take a cheaper carseat for the 3 year old and carry the baby in a carrier and hold on lab- borrow a stroller and put carseat on the top- sit and stand would be cool or use a trolley- if you have baby in a front carrier , carry on on the back, 3 year old and carseat on stroller and hubby another carry on plus 5 year old - we have been there just recently it can work

My recommendation would be to get a seat for the infant and bring a bucket for them, bring a seat for the 3yo, and bring a booster in your carryons for the 5yo assuming that they can sit in one for the driving you'll be doing, and weigh enough to use one. If you have seats at the destination, a cares harness may work for the 3yo (lap belt for a 3yo is a stretch, but may work if they're big), the 5yo can probably just use the lap belt; I would still probably bring a seat for the infant.

In my experience lugging a carseat on the plane isn't that tough. We have a radian for DS. We fold it and DH puts it on his back. We've also strapped it to a stroller before which is pretty easy. You could also get a lightweight seat like a cocorro or scenera for the infant and possibly the 3yo (or maestro for the 3yo if they're ffing) if you're worried about the weight, but strapped on our backs the radian doesn't bother us.

As for the infant, if you're holding them and you hit very bad turbulence, they'll become a projectile. Not a risk I was ever willing to take. If you end up getting a lightweight travel seat for the baby, you can baby wear to get through he airport (which is what we always did).

Since the FAA, AAP, and NTSB have all said for the last 10 years or so that kids need tickets and restraints on planes, yes. You need a ticket and a restraint for the baby. You hear the announcements at the beginning of a flight to put away your laptop, right? That's so the laptop doesn't become a projectile and hurt anyone. And your baby weighs more than a laptop and is more precious. The soap in the lav is restrained so it doesn't hurt anyone in there. The coffee pot is restrained. Everything on an airplane is restrained. Except babies under two.

You think your baby wouldn't want to sit in their seat for 2.5 hours. Do they want to sit on your lap for 2.5 hours? Try sitting on your sofa facing the wall with your knees about four inches from it. Get up once to pee, change diapers, and walk around your house, then otherwise stay in your seat. Or, you can have a place to put baby that is safe, not on your lap, and you can get up to tend to the other children, have a snack, read a book, etc.

Besides the Frontier and Radian, what do you have? The Radian can have backpack straps and installs like a breeze on a plane, and is very comfortable to sit next to. So that's a real possibility.

If you have an infant seat what I'd probably do is have the baby on your back, put a booster on top of the infant seat in a stroller/stroller frame, and then have your husband wear the Radian. Give your older two kids little backpacks for toys/snacks, and put your diaper bag in the basket of the stroller. That's easy to get everything for everyone around the airport.

On board the plane you sit next to the baby, your husband sits in front of you next to the three year old. Then your five year old is on the aisle across from your or your husband. Not a huge deal. Everyone is safe, everything is easy to move around the airport, and no surprises when your friends hand you two boosters and a forward facing combination seat. Or you don't know how to use them. Or they're ten years old. Or they've moved their three year old to a booster so your three year old can use the harnessed seat. Or you're diverted and you take a taxi to them instead of getting picked up. Or the plane is six hours late and you take a taxi.

http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/108/5/1218.full
http://www.ntsb.gov/news/2010/101215.html

Wendy

Thank you for your replies. I really appreciate it.

Mrosehughes - I totally forgot that the Radian can be worn on your back - thanks for reminding me!

As for the big kids, those car seats are all we have. I'll know my 5yo's weight at her next dr appt in a few weeks, but I'm not sure she's 40 lbs yet - maybe 36lbs? I just measured her height and she's 43 inches... do you think she can even use a booster? That in and of itself would make getting through the airport SO much easier. To be honest, I've never even looked at boosters since we have the Frontier.

wendythomas - I noticed you didn't say anything about the CARES harness for the 3 and 5 yo - do you not think that's a good option?

As for the baby - yes, he WOULD be perfectly happy on my lap that long. My other kids were never like that but this guy loves to be held!

What about the Baby B'air for the baby? I had never heard about it until last night, and it seems to have really good reviews...

Thanks again

CHSgirl said:

As for the big kids, those car seats are all we have. I'll know my 5yo's weight at her next dr appt in a few weeks, but I'm not sure she's 40 lbs yet - maybe 36lbs? I just measured her height and she's 43 inches... do you think she can even use a booster? That in and of itself would make getting through the airport SO much easier. To be honest, I've never even looked at boosters since we have the Frontier.

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Yes, there are many boosters that start at 30 pounds, even backless boosters, or foldable ones.

wendythomas - I noticed you didn't say anything about the CARES harness for the 3 and 5 yo - do you not think that's a good option?

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No, I don't. It doesn't tighten the lap belt so if the lap belt doesn't fit without the harness, it still won't fit with the harness. The CARES will help for positioning and turbulence, but they could submarine during a ground emergency.

What about the Baby B'air for the baby? I had never heard about it until last night, and it seems to have really good reviews...

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It's not usable during taxi, take off, and landing, the three most dangerous parts of the flight. It will mean your baby will hopefully not be a projectile and hurt others, but it means he'll be your airbag. Sorry, the only recommendation you'll get here is to buy him a ticket and use his seat on board. You can take him out of his seat when the seatbelt light is on.

"Did you know the safest place for your little one during turbulence or an emergency is in a government-approved child restraint system (CRS) or device, not on your lap? ... The FAA strongly urges parents and guardians to secure children in an appropriate restraint based on weight and size. Keeping a child in a CRS or device during the flight is the smart and right thing to do." http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spYWuO20fCM

Just pretend your baby is two and another ticket isn't an option. You have five people in your family. You need five tickets.

Wendy

I really found that CARES useless also. My son kept slumping under it when trying to get comfortable. And its max weight is 40 lbs, so by the time the lap belt is likely to fit, the cares is outgrown. I only used it once, after that I brought a car seat.

In your position I would bring a booster for the 5 year old, a Maestro for the 3 year old, and an infant seat or Coccoro for the baby.

wendytthomas said:

Just pretend your baby is two and another ticket isn't an option. You have five people in your family. You need five tickets.

Wendy

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This is well said. Thank you. I know I probably sound really naive, but I've never flown with my kids before. After looking thru all of the links you sent, I just don't understand why car seats aren't required. The culture around me (friends) is to lap your baby and gate check the car seats for the bigger kids :-/

Ok, so for the booster - I started searching car-seat.org for booster recommendations after reading your last post and I came across this, which says "...Boosters may not be used on aircraft." (see end of third paragraph):

http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/627_choose_boost.pdf

I'm so confused now - why does it say this?

If we didn't want to lug the Radian, is there a super affordable, yet lightweight seat that we could purchase for my 3 yo?

Awesome.

There are no shoulder belts on planes. Boosters require shoulder belts. So they're not allowed on planes.

The Evenflo Maestro would be a great travel seat for your three year old.

Wendy

That's just great! just when i felt like we had a good plan

So is there anyway we cam make the CARES work for the 5yo? Is there any kind of attachment that would prevent "submarining"? I def dont think the frontier will fit in those narrow seats...

Nope. They've tried to get a crotch strap and it just can't work yet.

It's quite possible your five year old just fits. It's also possible he doesn't. Maybe two Maestros?

Wendy

You know - I was just thinking, if the lap belt won't tighten enough for my 3 or 5yo, then it's definitely not going to tighten enough for our infant car seat :-/

We def can't buy two new seats. If we have to buy one for our 5yo, then we'll need to lug the Radian.

The infant carseat will install just fine. It's a lot bigger around than your kids.

I'd practice installing it baseless before you go.

Wendy