News From USA Today: LAP CHILDREN AT RISK IN FLIGHT

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kate4478

New member
great article! i'm going to send it to my BIL and SIL who thinks it's ok for there 12 month old to fly without a seat. only b/c there too cheap, not b/c they don't have the money.
 

Mama's Girls

New member
I think this is a good point, though:
In August 2005, the FAA said, "Analyses showed that if forced to purchase an extra airline ticket, families might choose to drive, a statistically more dangerous way to travel." At that time, FAA administrator Marion Blakely said, "Statistics show that families are safer traveling in the sky than on the road."

I've flown twice with my daughter - once at 3 months and once at 14. Both time she was in my lap. Unfortunatley we would not have been able to afford going to spend 2 weeks with my mom had I had to purchase a seperate ticket. Maybe the airlines can offer decent breaks for parents? I definitely recognize the danger, but airline emergencies are, thankfully, somewhat rare.
 

Citrine

New member
We flew home for 13 days and I am big on safty like all the moms on this site. But I did not purchase a ticket for my 22mo old bc we did not have the extra $$ to spend on the seat. We thought it would be cheaper to fly home rather then drive from SC to RI with the way gas prices are and the tolls in the north east. I wish arilines would care more about the young children traveling but they dont, they care about money and not safety for wee ones.
 
U

Unregistered1

Guest
When we discussed seats on planes at my certification class, the thing about driving vs. flying was exactly what they pointed out to us as far as why seats weren't required for kids on planes. Our instructors told us that without a doubt a car seat should be used on the plane, pointed out that not all scenerios are fatal and that the seat can be helpful in turbulence, etc, but then mentioned that they weren't required because statistically a lap child is still safer than driving. I thought that was interesting to hear... and knowing that my own kids will still be in seats on the plane!
 

skiersnowboarder3

Senior Community Member
I might be in the minority here but that's okay. A plane seat is a plane seat is a plane seat. It doesn't matter what age of a person is in it. The airline still has to pay the same gas prices, the same wages to all of the flight attendants and pilots, etc. I understand price cuts for children at restaurants: they eat less food (most of the time), at amusement parks: they ride less rides. But on an airplane, they are filling the same seat as you or I. The price one thing to keep in mind when deciding where/ when/ how to go on vacation. It's all about priorities. If it's a priority to you that your child is in a safety seat on an airplane, you would scrimp and save to be able to buy your child that extra seat. If it's not a top priority, then you won't buy the child that seat.

Airlines are having a really tough time staying afloat with the economy the way it is and plane rides are expensive. That's becoming a fact of life. Especially at this point, if airlines continue to offer free and reduced seats to infants and toddlers, then they will continue to think of ways to charge us more money in other ways. Actually, they'll charge that money anyways but maybe they wouldn't have to charge as much. My point is that we will be paying for the seat no matter what. Either the parent will be paying for it or the other passengers will be paying for it. :twocents:
 

vamom

New member
I might be in the minority here but that's okay. A plane seat is a plane seat is a plane seat. It doesn't matter what age of a person is in it. The airline still has to pay the same gas prices, the same wages to all of the flight attendants and pilots, etc. I understand price cuts for children at restaurants: they eat less food (most of the time), at amusement parks: they ride less rides. But on an airplane, they are filling the same seat as you or I. The price one thing to keep in mind when deciding where/ when/ how to go on vacation. It's all about priorities. If it's a priority to you that your child is in a safety seat on an airplane, you would scrimp and save to be able to buy your child that extra seat. If it's not a top priority, then you won't buy the child that seat.

Airlines are having a really tough time staying afloat with the economy the way it is and plane rides are expensive. That's becoming a fact of life. Especially at this point, if airlines continue to offer free and reduced seats to infants and toddlers, then they will continue to think of ways to charge us more money in other ways. Actually, they'll charge that money anyways but maybe they wouldn't have to charge as much. My point is that we will be paying for the seat no matter what. Either the parent will be paying for it or the other passengers will be paying for it. :twocents:



I totally agree. Believe me, I understand money being tight and all that (I'm a single mom to a special needs kid). I pay for my ds (well it isn't optional now). As a paying passanger I sure wish it was required that all children had a seat. I also do not expect the airline to subsidize my child's seat. We get identical seats and service (actually he usually gets better service, but he does have the cute factor going for him, lol). So when we travel, I have to really do my homework. Back in the winter I ended up driving 12 + hours because I could not afford the airfare.
 

Adventuredad

New member
Thanks for the link. :thumbsup:

Our instructors told us that without a doubt a car seat should be used on the plane, pointed out that not all scenerios are fatal and that the seat can be helpful in turbulence, etc, but then mentioned that they weren't required because statistically a lap child is still safer than driving. I thought that was interesting to hear... and knowing that my own kids will still be in seats on the plane!

Car seats on planes are safer than lap children but saying lap kids are still safer than driving must be understatement of the century. The data suggests it's not only safer, it's safer than driving by a HUGE factor considering 3 people has died in turbulence related accidents during 20-ish years.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I might be in the minority here but that's okay. A plane seat is a plane seat is a plane seat. It doesn't matter what age of a person is in it. The airline still has to pay the same gas prices, the same wages to all of the flight attendants and pilots, etc. I understand price cuts for children at restaurants: they eat less food (most of the time), at amusement parks: they ride less rides. But on an airplane, they are filling the same seat as you or I. The price one thing to keep in mind when deciding where/ when/ how to go on vacation. It's all about priorities. If it's a priority to you that your child is in a safety seat on an airplane, you would scrimp and save to be able to buy your child that extra seat. If it's not a top priority, then you won't buy the child that seat.

Airlines are having a really tough time staying afloat with the economy the way it is and plane rides are expensive. That's becoming a fact of life. Especially at this point, if airlines continue to offer free and reduced seats to infants and toddlers, then they will continue to think of ways to charge us more money in other ways. Actually, they'll charge that money anyways but maybe they wouldn't have to charge as much. My point is that we will be paying for the seat no matter what. Either the parent will be paying for it or the other passengers will be paying for it. :twocents:

I agree completely. I think ticketed seats should be mandatory for all and I don't think children's tickets should cost less. My daughter's well over two. If we can't afford to buy her a plane ticket, we can't go on a plane. That's just the way it is.
 

R&J'sMom

New member
I agree completely. I think ticketed seats should be mandatory for all and I don't think children's tickets should cost less. My daughter's well over two. If we can't afford to buy her a plane ticket, we can't go on a plane. That's just the way it is.

Great point!
 

R&J'sMom

New member
I wish arilines would care more about the young children traveling but they dont, they care about money and not safety for wee ones.


We, as parents, have the ultimate responsibilty to care about the safety of our children while traveling. Of course the airlines care about money, the last time I checked thay are a business trying to make money! ;)

Bottom line, if someone can't afford seats for ALL of their children, then they can't afford to go. Plain and simple. :twocents:
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
short, but VERY sweet. Great info, lots of nice numbers for those who want stats and sources, and I think it really hits home.

I do wish, though, that they had brought up the caress harness for frequent flyer kids from 22-40lbs... because it really is a cool product, and one could use a safeguard go or have a seat waiting for them.
 

tweetykl

New member
I am going through this debate right now about flying because we are flying to California this Christmas. At $400 a person in my family, we don't know if we can afford to purchase a seat.
 

smurf

New member
I might be in the minority here but that's okay. A plane seat is a plane seat is a plane seat. It doesn't matter what age of a person is in it. The airline still has to pay the same gas prices, the same wages to all of the flight attendants and pilots, etc.

I agree with you. The only way they could justify different prices would be based on weight, same as with luggage. All passenger take up one seat but some weight considerable more than an infant (and cost more fuel). I'm not advocating this by any stretch of the imagination, and I'm sure you can see which way this could go, but it would be a solution. Passengers weighing less than x lbs would get some sort of discount because they're lighter and cheaper to lug around.
 

mamabear

New member
Airlines may be toying with the idea of charge MORE for higher weights (because of fuel costs) just like many are doing already with checked baggage, but would not be likely to charge less for lighter weights than an "average" adult.

Actually,airlines have an estimated/average weight for each passenger, as well as baggage. That is how they calculate their weight and balance for fuel fill up. It's solely based on how many of each are on the plane, multiplied by the "magic number".
They would not be likely to charge less for a small child or infant though, because they way they look at it, a seat is a seat.
If they charged, say, half price for all children under 12, they would be destined to loose money, because afterall, that is a seat they could have sold to a full fare paying adult.
You're only 2 bets to get a seat for your child are 1.) to purchase it or, 2.) you're lucky enough to get on a pretty empty flight and there were extra available seats at take off.
Number 2 is getting harder to do as most of the flights that take off these days are pretty full almost always. If they aren't booked full, it's not cost effective for the airline to fly it. They've adjusted their routs and schedules very carefully.
The way fuel costs are today, the airlines are struggling just to stay afloat, I don't forsee any "deals" in the near future.;)
Like a PP said, a plane seat is a plane seat. It's ultimately on the parents to make the best, safest decision possible.
 

brightredmtn

Well-known member
In the 12 or so times that I flew with DS before he turned two I never once paid for a seat for him and never once did I not end up with an extra seat for him. I got really good at figuring out when to fly to find flights that weren't sold out. It's not that hard to fly at off peak times.
 

mamabear

New member
In the 12 or so times that I flew with DS before he turned two I never once paid for a seat for him and never once did I not end up with an extra seat for him. I got really good at figuring out when to fly to find flights that weren't sold out. It's not that hard to fly at off peak times.

That's great! (If you are willing to take that chance). It doesn't always work out though.
I fly standby 100% of the time. I haven't bought a ticket for myself or my children in over 5 years. I also have ways of figuring out what flights may be "more open" but there's always that time where they just canceled the same flight before yours, moved everyone to your flight, and now it's sold out. Or they've downgraded to a smaller plane. Can it happen? yes. But I wouldn't tell people it's something they can almost depend on happening with certain planning if they really want a seat for their child. Remember "off peak" times are now becoming more popular as well, because they are priced lower.
Again, flying with a child on your lap is taking a chance.Small or large, it's only up to you.
 
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Morganthe

New member
That's great! (If you are willing to take that chance). It doesn't always work out though.
I fly standby 100% of the time. I haven't bought a ticket for myself or my children in over 5 years. I also have ways of figuring out what flights may be "more open" but there's always that time where they just canceled the same flight before yours, moved everyone to your flight, and now it's sold out. Or they've downgraded to a smaller plane. Can it happen? yes. But I wouldn't tell people it's something they can almost depend on happening with certain planning if they really want a seat for their child. Remember "off peak" times are now becoming more popular as well, because they are priced lower.

You're a very lucky person + you obviously have plenty of flights to choose from ;) Both times we've lived in the US, we're always at the mercy of the small airport. I'd hate to route to the main transfer point and then get stuck. :(

Way to go. I'm completely Awed. :thumbsup: You must have a gift :D
 

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