Airplane - car seat size?

Jan06twinmom · Aug 3, 2015

After a discussion about flying with children, my friend decided to take her car seats on a plane trip. This is the first time she is flying with her 3yo twins. She has the Alpha Omega Elite seats. She was told that her car seats were too big to use on the plane so she had to gate check them on both of her flights.

Has anyone had a problem with being told their seats were too large? I've flown with the Britax Decathlon, the old Evenflo Triumph (40lb limit) and the Sunshine Kids Radian without any issues. We usually fly on Canadair Regional planes from our airport.

From the information that I'm finding on the FAA circular, she should be able to use her car seats on the plane. Is there any other information she needs to document her ability to use the seats on the plane?

AllieK · Aug 4, 2015

What airline did your friend have trouble with? Was she told this at the gate or on the phone prior to flying?

One flight attendant on American tried to tell us our kids would be more comfortable without the car seats since the plane was so full and pressured DH to gate check them but that was it.

This article is super helpful: http://carseatblog.com/22134/flying-with-a-car-seat-know-your-rights/

It might have been overkill but I had the FAA circular printed and the pertinent sections highlighted. I also knew where the FAA approved sticker was on our car seats so I could quickly point it out.

Jan06twinmom · Aug 4, 2015

AllieK said:
What airline did your friend have trouble with? Was she told this at the gate or on the phone prior to flying?

One flight attendant on American tried to tell us our kids would be more comfortable without the car seats since the plane was so full and pressured DH to gate check them but that was it.

This article is super helpful: http://carseatblog.com/22134/flying-with-a-car-seat-know-your-rights/

It might have been overkill but I had the FAA circular printed and the pertinent sections highlighted. I also knew where the FAA approved sticker was on our car seats so I could quickly point it out.

She was on United Airlines. She was told the seat was too big when she was at the gate.

Thanks for the link.

rachelandtyke · Aug 4, 2015

The seat was not too big as long as she could raise the armrest between her and the seat at the window. If it is FAA approved (and has the logo or wording on the sticker on the seat), it should be allowed on the plane. I think the bigger problem is that so few use seats on the plane that attendants aren't used to seeing them. I was ready for comments when I flew with DD2 last month and installed her RA50 rfing for both flights even though she is 2. No one said anything though. We have flown with our EFTA and TF, which are both hefty seats with no problems.

murphydog77 · Aug 6, 2015

:yeahthat: It could have been a problem if they had booked bulk head seats, but simply asking another passenger to move to those seats would have solved the problem. I don't know how that works, though, on an airline where you pay premiums for the seats you sit in. I only fly Southwest unless someone else is paying for it

.

jjordan · Aug 6, 2015

The FAA requires that if a caregiver has purchased a seat for a child, then the child is allowed to use an FAA-approved child seat, and if the seat doesn't fit in the assigned location, then the airline needs to re-seat the child in a seat that does accommodate their restraint (if possible). Here is the pertinent document; check out 10.d and 10.f.

storkbyte · Aug 10, 2015

jjordan said:
The FAA requires that if a caregiver has purchased a seat for a child, then the child is allowed to use an FAA-approved child seat, and if the seat doesn't fit in the assigned location, then the airline needs to re-seat the child in a seat that does accommodate their restraint (if possible). Here is the pertinent document; check out 10.d and 10.f.

But this is only for flights within the US, right? It doesn't apply to international carriers, right?

rachelandtyke · Aug 11, 2015

storkbyte said:
But this is only for flights within the US, right? It doesn't apply to international carriers, right?

Correct, since they are not under FAA jurisdiction.

Airplane - car seat size?

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