flying with our MA, question?

momo123 · Mar 5, 2008

So we've decided to take our Marathon with us to San Fran so DS2 (3yrs) can ride in it during the taxi ride to and from the airport. He's also going to be riding in his MA on the plane. We bought him his own seat and we're flying Alaskan Airlines. Everything I read says to get seats next to the window if we're using a carseat, but we could only book an aisle/middle seat for me and DS2, and an aisle/middle seat for DH and DS1 (5.75yrs, 48lbs so he won't be riding in a carseat).

Should I be worried about the seating arrangements? It's only an hour flight so I'm fine with sitting where we are now, but should I be worried about having to switch seats? Oh, and DS2 will be FF.

natysr · Mar 5, 2008

It is likely that you will not be allowed to have your child in the middle. The seat may block the window passenger from getting out.

I would suggest that once you get to the gate, approach the gate attendant, and tell him/her that you are traveling with a child in a carseat, and was assigned an aisle/middle seat. They will switch you. Mostly likely, they will ask the person in the window seat on your row to take the aisle.

Is your DH flying in the row directly in front of you? If so, He may want to offer to also switch seats with his window passenger, explaining that his son may kick the seat in front of him.

AdventureMom · Mar 5, 2008

Natysr is correct: they aren't *supposed* to allow child seats in any seating areas except next to the window. It doesn't mean that it hasn't happened, but chances are that they won't allow it. I would contact the airline now to see if they can switch your seats somehow. Be sure to explain that you'll be using a child seat. If you wait until you check in, you may be left with the decision to either not use the MA on the plane or to take another flight. It's better to take care of it ahead of time. :twocents:

hopster67 · Mar 5, 2008

The airlines I've flown on with DD and her carseat clearly stated that the child had to be in the middle of the middle set of seats or in a window seat. The seat cannot block egress from the plane in an emergency.

PP was right - tell them when you check in of the problem, or call the airline directly and explain what's going on in advance and see if they can reseat you. And it would be really sweet for DH to do what was proposed, as the passenger is also not likely to be able to recline his/her seat either. Got some unhappy looks from the person in front of my DD on our transatlantic flight when she realized she couldn't recline, but there was no way to rearrange to get her a different seat.

Come to think of it, that's a good reason to get bulkhead seats with a carseat, isn't it? Hmmmm.... I'll have to remember that.

AdventureMom · Mar 5, 2008

FYI, twice when flying with DS, the other passenger is our set of three seats has moved voluntarily to another row before take-off - leaving DS and myself with our own row...

... Seriously! Of course, you can't guarantee that will happen and the plane may be too full anyway (which is why it's best to take care of it ahead of time), but folks are almost always accommodating on a plane when it comes to children - sometimes for more selfish reasons than others...

bombedier · Mar 5, 2008

It USED to be that car seats could only be installed in the seat next to the window. The guidelines now are that so long as the seat is not causing an obstruction for the window passenger to get out, then the seat can be in other locations. HOWEVER, many flight attendants may not have been updated with this information and many airlines may still be using the old guidelines.

But, generally, if you have to install at the window on your flight, the flight attendant will assist you in making the seating arrangements when you get to the plane.

Have a great trip!

flying with our MA, question?

momo123

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natysr

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AdventureMom

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hopster67

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bombedier

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