Re: "Lap-Child Rules" - Flying with Air Canada
Hi there,
I've just learned about this forum. It is very informative to read the American regulations. I have a similar problem: We are flying with our infant daughter ( then 7 month old) from Ottawa to Frankfurt, with Air Canada. We have booked an extra seat for my daughter, that she can fly in her own car seat (a brand new Graco Snugride, which we have purchased especially for this flight, because we don't have a car). Now there is a problem: Air Canada seems to require to take the baby out of the seat for departure, landing and turbulences. This is kind of ridiculous for me, because we have to fasten our seat belts, and I have to unfasten my baby, because its safer on my lap. I was told so by 7 (!) Air Canada associates. I was also told that this is a Transport Canada regulation, but apparently its not. They actually recommend to leave the baby in the seat in all phases of the flight. I have this written in an email, and their links to the official homepage. But even this doesn't seem to impress those Air Canada associates. If its not a Transport Canada rule, than it is an Air Canada regulation, but nobody was able to tell me, where I can find this written down... What can I do in case they want to force me to take the baby out? I mean, it seems like I'm the first mother who wants to properly secure her baby on board of an Air Canada flight. I'm really frustrated, because obviously my baby doesn't have the same right to be safely in her own seat, that everybody else has. Just because she is under 2? I don't have to understand this, do I?
I also have a little problem with the car seat. The seat doesn't have this sticker that sais that the seat is approved for use in a motor vehicle AND an aircraft. I have called the importer, they didn't know that such a sticker exists. Then I called Graco in the US, an the US seats (exactly the same model) bears this sticker, and the friendly lady at the service line didn't have a sticker to send me. But she will send the FAA approval for this seat, hopefully this is enough. Does anybody know where I could get such a sticker?
Sorry for the long post and my bad written English, I am German and English is my second language. I am really frustrated and really do not know what else I can do. I just want my baby to fly securely to Germany, nothing else. And I'm pretty sure they wouldn't take there Baby out of the car seat in case of a car crash, because its safer on the lap. Because then we wouldn't need car seats, right?
Best regards from Ottawa
Anja