Traveling alone with 2 car seats...HELP!!

NatenMaddiesMommy

Senior Community Member
I was wondering if anyone has any info in writing regarding the new standard when traveling by plane with children in car seats? Normally when we travel, DH and I sit in separate rows and each of us has a child in a car seat by the window since the attendants still insist that car seats by the window. Me and the kids are leaving next Friday to meet DH in Orlando. He's on an extended business trip but we are flying back together.

My concern is that they won't allow me to have 2 car seats in the same row for the flight down since they all seem to be stuck on what I have heard is the old standard. I refuse to check either of my seats at the gate. Sorry if this sounds snobby, but I don't want one of our Britax seats damaged. In the past, we had an Evenflo Triumph that ended up with cracked EPS foam as a result. Obviously my 3.5yo "could" sit in just a lapbelt on the plane, but I prefer that he remained harnessed since he wiggles less and sleeps better in it. Obviously it's safer this way as well.

Does anyone know where I can find the newer standard that states that more than one car seat is fine provided the aisle is not blocked? Otherwise how much of PITA is it going to be to get them to allow me to do so because I will refuse to check the car seat nor will I allow one of my children to be placed in another row??

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions in this area.
 
ADS

MomToEliEm

Moderator
Here is the latest FAA advisory:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/60d70126cf679d5a8625723b007841e7/$FILE/AC%20120-87A.pdf

It has a section on "traveling with multiple children in CSRs" though it isn't very clear. I liked the older advisory that said as long as you were in a family unit, you could put the seats anywhere you wished as long as you were not blocked in.

When I traveled alone, I once had to sit in the aisle seat with the two kids beside me (rearfacing by window, forward facing in middle). Another time, I was able to sit between the two kids.
 

NVMBR02

New member
Here is the latest FAA advisory:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/60d70126cf679d5a8625723b007841e7/$FILE/AC%20120-87A.pdf

It has a section on "traveling with multiple children in CSRs" though it isn't very clear. I liked the older advisory that said as long as you were in a family unit, you could put the seats anywhere you wished as long as you were not blocked in.

When I traveled alone, I once had to sit in the aisle seat with the two kids beside me (rearfacing by window, forward facing in middle). Another time, I was able to sit between the two kids.


Same for me...A few times I have been able to sit inbetween the kids and others I had been instructed to have the kids next to each other. The kids do fine with each other (they don't tend to fight a lot) and I don't have trouble reaching dd so I don't argue the point. I will have to read the link provided, I will be traveling with the kids alone again in 3 months.
 

keri1292

Well-known member
Here are my boys on Northwest. I was worried they would squabble, but they fell asleep before takeoff! They wouldn't allow me to sit between them, but side by side was fine...
TriptoTX462.jpg
 

natysr

New member
I'm going to guess that he was RF in car and FF on plane. Thanks for reminding me that I'll need to put the HUGS back on since I do the same for my oldest (FF on plane and RF in car).

That was going to be my guess too. Plus, didn't I read on here once that the britax seats passed their tests w/o hugs for a child up to 55 pounds, and once they added the Hugs it passed up to 65 pounds? And this is one of the reasons the FPSVD is only rated to 55 pounds FF. :whistle:
 

keri1292

Well-known member
Yeah, I realized after we got there that I didn't use the HUGS! :doh: They were in the pouch for the tether. He was RFing in the car and I would've remembered in the car, but on the plane...I totally forgot. :eek: I even wrote it on my note for packing...put Hugs on MA. :rolleyes:
 

Chameleon

New member
When I travelled with both kids by myself, I can't remember which airline I was on, they just said that since we were all family and all in one row that it didn't matter if one of the carseats was in the middle. They wouldn't let me sit in the middle however, either.
 

NatenMaddiesMommy

Senior Community Member
When I travelled with both kids by myself, I can't remember which airline I was on, they just said that since we were all family and all in one row that it didn't matter if one of the carseats was in the middle. They wouldn't let me sit in the middle however, either.

See now that ticks me off because when we travel as a family they (usually Southwest) keep telling us that car seats need to go by the window and that we have to split up. I would much rather prefer to keep the kids side by side and have one of us next to them in the aisle seat and the other parent in the next row over in the aisle seat. It makes going to bathroom so much easier. We'll have to try this on the return flight.
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
Yeah, I realized after we got there that I didn't use the HUGS! :doh: They were in the pouch for the tether. He was RFing in the car and I would've remembered in the car, but on the plane...I totally forgot. :eek: I even wrote it on my note for packing...put Hugs on MA. :rolleyes:

That's what I figured. He must have been right at the harness slots for it to fit properly both ways. I forgot to move the harness height up when I let ds ride ff on a plane. :doh: It was a RA, so no missing HUGS, but I think the known risk from an improperly positioned harness is probably worse than leaving the HUGS off. :eek: :eek:
 

minismom

Well-known member
are you allowed to recline the airplane seats when installing FF? they look so upright in that picture....
 

NVMBR02

New member
See now that ticks me off because when we travel as a family they (usually Southwest) keep telling us that car seats need to go by the window and that we have to split up. I would much rather prefer to keep the kids side by side and have one of us next to them in the aisle seat and the other parent in the next row over in the aisle seat. It makes going to bathroom so much easier. We'll have to try this on the return flight.

Even when dh flies with us I usually put the kids togther and us on the aisles if they wont let me sit in the middle of the kids ( I am not sure they ever have let me sit in the middle on a domestic flight, but they have on at least 2 international ones) because Dh hates sitting in the middle seat. I just reserve our seats online when I purchase the tickets and no one has ever questioned me on it.
 

NatenMaddiesMommy

Senior Community Member
are you allowed to recline the airplane seats when installing FF? they look so upright in that picture....
Must be the angle. Britax seats seem very reclined to me even when fully upright. My son has never complained and his head doesn't slump forward when he sleeps on the plane.

I don't think they would let you recline the seats seeing as how they have to be fully upright for take-off and landing.
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
are you allowed to recline the airplane seats when installing FF? they look so upright in that picture....

no, but technically you can use a MA or BLVD in recline mode up to 33 lbs. Usually I'm not a fan of that (IMO, if your child is under 33 lbs and needs the recline, she should be rf), but I can see an airplane as a situation where that might be a good solution.
 

natysr

New member
no, but technically you can use a MA or BLVD in recline mode up to 33 lbs. Usually I'm not a fan of that (IMO, if your child is under 33 lbs and needs the recline, she should be rf), but I can see an airplane as a situation where that might be a good solution.

Perhaps, but I like to RF on an airplane as long as humanly possible too.

1) Safer
2) Easier to feed
3) Easier to entertain
4) Fewer dropped toys
5) Easier for them to sleep
6) No need to say "stop kicking. Put your feet down" 300 times.
 

keri1292

Well-known member
That's what I figured. He must have been right at the harness slots for it to fit properly both ways. I forgot to move the harness height up when I let ds ride ff on a plane. :doh: It was a RA, so no missing HUGS, but I think the known risk from an improperly positioned harness is probably worse than leaving the HUGS off. :eek: :eek:

Thanks for sharing your mommy blunder. :eek: I was pretty happy that he was right AT the slots. I thought about RFing him on the plane, but when I saw how big the MA was on the tiny plane...:eek: And I can imagine a RFing 3yo wouldn't go over too well. He did complain a bit about his legs hurting FFing, but they were able to sleep just fine as you can see. The install was more upright than it was in the car, but there isn't much you can do about it. :shrug-shoulders:

Edit: I totally forgot that I could recline the MA FFing. That would've helped a lot. Takien the pressure off his legs a bit.
 

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