Minor Vent

The Bjorns

New member
Just a bit of a vent. You guys will understand my frustration and won't think I'm nuts.

I was talking to my girlfriend about our travel plans to my grandmother's funeral. I mentioned how I finally got Alaska to give us a better price than their standard berevement fare (over $500/pp!). I also mentioned that it was nuts that they don't offer children's discounted fares since I need two. She carefully pointed out that my youngest (8.5 mo) could be a free lap baby. Yes, I said, but I want to guarntee she'll get to use her car seat on the plane. Oldest was a lap baby once and we lucked out and were able to use her infant seat, but that was several years ago on a flight that typically didn't sell out. Now with fewer flights available, they tend to be fuller, on Saturday there aren't as many flights so they're fuller, etc.

Here's where I got peeved. She said, "Diane, you do know, don't you, that if the plane crashes, she's not going to be any safer in a car seat." YES, SHE WILL! I know my friend is a nervous flier and is afraid of the plane falling out of the sky. And yes, if that happens, I don't think a car seat is going to be particulary helpful. However, that's not where most accidents happen. After seeing that YouTube video, Seconds from Disaster, about the Sioux City crash, I just can't have my child be a lap baby. I watched that whole video picturing having to hold her on the floor while she screamed. Can't do it. If my grandmother had lived another year and a half we would've purchased a seat for her (and still complained it wasn't a child fare). Why are the laws of physics different for babies? Um, they're not!

This friend already thinks I'm nuts and will change my tune about harnessing once DD is in school and I see how all her other friends are just in boosters. No, I won't. She's delighted that the 8/80 law hasn't passed yet (mainly because her 8 yr old is such a lightweight).

Just for the record, I was calling the rental car company about car seats (just so I could tell my mother I had called with no intention of actually using one from them) and my 4 yr old piped up that she needed a race car seat belt (5-pt harness) when she overheard me mentioning booster seats using the vehicle belt. She calls her Radian her race car booster seat! She knows what's safe!

When we read my old copies of Dick and Jane, she always comments that they're not safe when the pictures show them bouncing around in the back seat. "Why are they not in car seats, Mommy?" Try explaining that one! I usually leave it that they're just playing in the car in the driveway and not really going anywhere. I hate those old illustrations!

Okay, I feel better now. My kids are safe and that's all that matters!
 
ADS

thepote

New member
Yup - they're safe :thumbsup: Some people just don't get it and probably never will even if you try to 'educate' them. Maybe you could email her a link to the Sioux City youtube clip. It's pretty graphic so maybe she'll get it.

Don't worry what others think, though. You are way ahead of the curve and are following CPS best practices. Your friend isn't. Maybe it's the 'not gonna happen to me' mentality. It's too bad, though, that parents that feel that way are making those decisions for their kids. Kids can't consent to being less-than-fully protected by best practices. :twocents:
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
What about the child who lived in a plane crash in canada. It was a smaller plane but her father and grandfather were killed. And she lived why??? Because they cared enough to put her in her carseat!

Susan
 

CaseyRN

New member
Slight tangent but is there really such a thing as a bereavement fare? Do all airlines have it?
 

MsFacetious

New member
Just a bit of a vent. You guys will understand my frustration and won't think I'm nuts.

If it makes you feel any better... my mother in law was not only totally annoyed that I brought car seats on the plane... she also was upset that I didn't rent (BOOSTERS) from the rental car agency for my 4 and 5 year old children with special needs. Then both of my kids slept most of the flight and I pointed out to her that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't been in car seats.

My sister in law is going to be quite unhappy when her daughter turns two and she actually has to buy a seat for her on a plane. :rolleyes:

Inconvenience, annoyance and even my own physical pain of lugging car seats is just not enough for me to endanger my children. If I can not transport them safely I don't transport them at all, regardless of how important it is to go. Therefore...I've decided I will never fly with my mother in law again... it's the safest thing for us all...especially her. :whistle:

Though I was humored when she made one of her very very frequent little comments....actually as I was installing the seats in the rental car at the airport....she said: "You know, this would be SO much easier if we didn't have these car seats!!!"

My wonderful, smart little girl piped up and said, "Grandma!!!! I have to have my car seat, don't you love me and want me to be safe?!" :love:

I swear, I didn't tell her to say that...I've just told her more than once that we ride in car seats because I love her and want her to be safe. lol
 

The Bjorns

New member
I love when DD makes comments about safety! Yup, they're listening!:thumbsup:

As far as berevement fares...they're out there, but the airlines differ vastly in what they can/will do. When I initially called Alaska Airlines some snipy girl said it was $510.41, would I like to book now? For 6 tix?!:eek: Can't afford that. I tried other airlines flying out of other airports and they all said I had to go thru Alaska since it was actually operated by Alaska. They have a strangle hold on the So Cal to Wash market.:thumbsdown: I called back and got a great lady, Penny, who managed to get the fares down to $389 after fees and taxes. Huge difference! Kudos to Penny at Alaska Airlines!!!:love:
 

MsFacetious

New member
We are fortunate enough that most of our relatives that die either live close or we don't go to the funeral anyway. The exception is people in Arizona, but usually we drive when that happens anyway.

My sister lives in Alaska and my parents use Delta to fly up there from SLC. I know Delta is much better about those fares. My mother in law and aunt both work/worked for them.




I love when DD makes comments about safety! Yup, they're listening!:thumbsup:

As far as berevement fares...they're out there, but the airlines differ vastly in what they can/will do. When I initially called Alaska Airlines some snipy girl said it was $510.41, would I like to book now? For 6 tix?!:eek: Can't afford that. I tried other airlines flying out of other airports and they all said I had to go thru Alaska since it was actually operated by Alaska. They have a strangle hold on the So Cal to Wash market.:thumbsdown: I called back and got a great lady, Penny, who managed to get the fares down to $389 after fees and taxes. Huge difference! Kudos to Penny at Alaska Airlines!!!:love:
 

The Bjorns

New member
Yeah, Alaska (which is usually great with customer service) was lousy until I hit a supervisor. It just annoys me that since Alaska essentially owns the routes between SoCal and the Pacific Northwest they can do whatever they want. There is really no competition from other carriers...and it shows.

The really weird thing is that the last time we flew it was for my other grandmother's funeral and DD#1 was only about 1-2 weeks older than DD#2 is right now.

I guess the lesson here is that if you're related to me, don't let me have any more kids get to 8.5 mo unless you're really, really healthy. I feel like a jinx!
 

sfeitler

Member
I totally understand your frustration. I'm lucky that none of my relatives have ever questioned our use of seats... my parents cared enough about us, in 1972, to have car seats. For twins!

As for the Dick and Jane books--I would just tell her the truth, that when these books were written, we didn't know enough about car safety, and kids then didn't have seatbelts. Even adults didn't have seatbelts then. But now we know more, and we have seatbelts and car seats to keep everyone safe.

-Sarah
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
she said: "You know, this would be SO much easier if we didn't have these car seats!!!"


*snort* You should've paused with your finger on your chin for moment, then said "Oh my God, you're right. Why didn't I think of that? In fact, it would be even easier if we didn't have these KIDS with us! Why did we even bring them? I wonder if someone on the plane will buy them from us and take this horrible inconvenience off our hands... HEY! Anyone wanna buy two gently-used children? Rare models - one with Down Syndrome and one with Autism! You can't find these just anywhere, you know! One-time-only special discounted price!"

That would've shut her up. ;)
 

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