opinion on flying with a lap baby

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Brianna

New member
I wouldn't. I knew that I wouldn't, but that was solidified even more when I was in a plane taxiing that had to hit the brakes hard. The stop was so sudden I had to throw my hands up to protect my head from the seat in front of me. If I had been holding a baby, the baby certainly would have been injured from that- and that wasn't even at take-off or landing speeds.

It's hard to pay for a ticket when it isn't required by the airline, or to pass up a trip you want to take but that's what families have to deal with past the 2nd birthday anyways.
 

lourdes

Well-known member
Thanks for the info. The first time I "flyed" with my DD she was 6 months and I had her the entire time in my lap with her sling, at that time I didn't even knew that you had to option to buy a seat for her, all the say at the airline was the baby doesn't pay if she is less than 2 years old.
Now we have a different situation, we are planning a family trip but we can't afford it... I am pregnant and don't work but we want to go home for next Christmas so my MIL is paying for my DH, my sister is paying for my DH and we have to pay for mine and the new baby and flying home is really expensive....
Me and DH have talk about the baby's ticket but he is not sure he wants to pay for the ticket if we can't gather enough money...
Just wanted to know what everyone here thinks about it.
Thanks
 

rachelandtyke

Well-known member
IIRC a baby carrier or sling is not permitted during take off and landing, which are the most important times for baby to be strapped into it's own seat anyway. And if it were allowed, it seems to me baby would pretty much become your air bag if you were thrown forward or anything.

We flew to DH's home country for the holidays this year. It was a huge sacrifice to pay the extra money for a ticket for DD2. But we knew ahead of time that it was the best thing to do, so we planned for it and made it a priority to pay for it, even though DH was out of work by the time we bought the ticket.
 

lourdes

Well-known member
I did with my DD but that was 5 years ago. Maybe they didn't see me? Don't know...
I think we will need to consider driving to Atlanta, the tickets are less expensive from there than from Charlotte or Greenville....
Thanks to all
 

jjordan

Moderator
If the alternative is driving, then flying with a lap infant is safer. If, however, you're choosing between spending $300 on a plane ticket for the baby and spending $300 on a new television, then I'd spend it on the plane ticket!
 

thtr4me

New member
Having an airline pilot for a DH I would never fly without a seat for each person. Part of our airline benefit includes 'free' flights (as a standby passenger). But children are not put on the benefits until age 2, and can only go as lap children. Needless to say, we did not use our flight benefits at all when our kiddos were under 2.
 

kaharris83

New member
Absolutely no way, no how would I fly with a lap baby. I used to be a flight attendant and we had some colorful terms for lap babies. Part of my job was to secure all loose articles before take off and landing, including coffee pots so they didn't become projectiles. I've yet to meet a parent who didn't think their child was more important than a coffee pot...yet lots are willing to fly with their child unrestrained. Turbulence can be rough and unexpected. Aborted take offs and landings are quite scary as well.
 

lourdes

Well-known member
If the alternative is driving, then flying with a lap infant is safer. If, however, you're choosing between spending $300 on a plane ticket for the baby and spending $300 on a new television, then I'd spend it on the plane ticket!

The driving will be from where I live to a different airport that from there the plane ticket is less... and I wish it was a 300$ problem! Tickets are 500 and up!
 

lourdes

Well-known member
Need to drive 2.5 hours to Atlanta, or 1.5 hours to Charlotte (but is more expensive from there) or no driving from Greenville...
 

CaseyRN

New member
We live in Greenville. We never fly out of GSP though....almost always drive to Charlotte. Only time we use GSP is when DH flies out for business bc then we aren't paying for the ticket!
 

rachelandtyke

Well-known member
I did with my DD but that was 5 years ago. Maybe they didn't see me? Don't know...
I think we will need to consider driving to Atlanta, the tickets are less expensive from there than from Charlotte or Greenville....
Thanks to all

...
 
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lourdes

Well-known member
We live in Greenville. We never fly out of GSP though....almost always drive to Charlotte. Only time we use GSP is when DH flies out for business bc then we aren't paying for the ticket!

I have randomly found good deals from GSP but we have to do it with time. Usually we fly from CLT but they are getting expensive and for December they are getting ridiculously expensive... if it is only 1 or 2 people flying we go from Charlotte but since is 4 people flying then we might need to consider leaving from Atlanta... and I hate that drive!
 

rachelandtyke

Well-known member
So what do you do to feed the baby during the flight? Or the biggest risk is at take off and landing?

I take the baby out when the seatbelt light is off to feed her. I fed her when we were first on, and she went to sleep, then I put her in her carseat for take off. She slept for a bit, took her out to feed, put her in her seat some of the time, took her out again to feed before descent (and she fell back asleep), put her back in her seat for landing.

The biggest dangers are take off and landing and sometimes turbulence.
 

rachelandtyke

Well-known member
I have randomly found good deals from GSP but we have to do it with time. Usually we fly from CLT but they are getting expensive and for December they are getting ridiculously expensive... if it is only 1 or 2 people flying we go from Charlotte but since is 4 people flying then we might need to consider leaving from Atlanta... and I hate that drive!

. . .
 
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