Told to turn my carseat FF on Airplane! Grrr!

Nifferous · Sep 23, 2008

DH and I flew with the kids on Sunday and after I installed DS#2's (he is 17 months) carseat in RF, a FA came and told my DH it had to be turned around. (I had moved to the row infront to install DS#1's carseat) I jumped in and said, "I have a printout of the FAA rules with me and they say he can be RF." (Thanks to you guys!) Then he replied with, "I am just doing what I am told. The carseat needs to be turned around. I can go get the agent if you want me to." I just restated that the FAA says I need to use it acording to the manufacturer's instructions and I have a printout if he would like to see it. My DH jumped in and said he could go get the agent if he wanted to. Then the FA said he would leave it like that as everyone wanted to get going quickly. I was really shaking after that. I do not do confrontation, but I was not going to let him make me turn him around!

I'm not sure if they would have approached me again after we got in the air, but they never had a chance. We got smoke in the cabin and ended up returning to the airport. All the FA's went into emergency mode after that. He did rush by us during this and tell my DH and I to make sure the kids were secured. We landed safely and without any trouble, but on the way down I was thinking how glad I was that I had carseats for both the kids!

No one said anything to us on the other two flights. In fact, I got the most trouble from my DH. He thought it was stupid to have not checked the seats, especially for our almost 4 y/o. Then when we got to our destination my mother's suitcase was lost. So I got to say "See! What would we have done if that was one of the boy's carseats!"

MomToEliEm · Sep 23, 2008

That really is frustrating, but I am not surprised. At least you had your FAA printout with you to show that you were right. I too would have asked for the manager if they contested. Luckily you didn't have to go that far though.

If they would have contested and said I had to have changed the seat, I would have taken my time switching the seat around, which includes moving the straps up to the next slot to adhere to the forward facing installation instructions. Moving a seat from rearfacing to forward facing isn't always a fast process (except for a seat like the evenflo triumph advance), even though the flight attendants might think it is.

kate4478 · Sep 23, 2008

i'm afraid of this. this happend to someone else she posted here about it. were flying next month and bring the ss1, so we can't turn it around. it really makes me nurvous and makes me want to lug the RA just in case i HAVE to turn it.

Nifferous · Sep 23, 2008

kate4478 said:
i'm afraid of this. this happend to someone else she posted here about it. were flying next month and bring the ss1, so we can't turn it around. it really makes me nurvous and makes me want to lug the RA just in case i HAVE to turn it.

I read that thread before we left. I'm really glad he didn't push it with us!

murphydog77 · Sep 23, 2008

:thumbsup: Perhaps that's a good tack to take with flight attendants who want parents to turn the seats ff. Even though it's hard to maintain composure because there's already been a confrontation and (generic) you're in fight mode, take the time to educate them in a nice tone of voice that in order to turn the car seat ff, you'd have to change the harness slots and that would take time. Depending on the seat, it could take anywhere from a few seconds to 10 minutes if you're lucky on a good day, and that's not with the pressure of other travelers waiting on you.

Flight attendants who are parents will then remember the pain of having to change those slot heights and be more likely to let you keep the seat rf and those without kids will learn something new.

LISmama810 · Sep 23, 2008

Ugh, that's infuriating, but good for you for standing your ground! :thumbsup:

Guest · Sep 23, 2008

kate4478 said:
i'm afraid of this. this happend to someone else she posted here about it. were flying next month and bring the ss1, so we can't turn it around. it really makes me nurvous and makes me want to lug the RA just in case i HAVE to turn it.

Actually, I'd bring the SafeSeat. Bring the manual with you, along with the FAA regs. If they tell you to FF, you can just point out that your seat cannot be FF as it's an infant seat and you have the manual as proof.

But yeah, I like the idea of saying it'll take you a LONG time to switch it to FF mode and it's gonna delay the plane. If you combine that with the FAA regs in their face, the threat of a delay is likely enough for them to back down.

TerisBoys · Sep 23, 2008

kate4478 said:
i'm afraid of this. this happend to someone else she posted here about it. were flying next month and bring the ss1, so we can't turn it around. it really makes me nurvous and makes me want to lug the RA just in case i HAVE to turn it.

codex57 said:
Actually, I'd bring the SafeSeat. Bring the manual with you, along with the FAA regs. If they tell you to FF, you can just point out that your seat cannot be FF as it's an infant seat and you have the manual as proof.

What Codex said, plus (if your sig is correct) point out that Gage is under the minimum weight for FF and CANNOT ride that way. He MUST be RF regardless of the seat that he's in.

Wineaux · Sep 23, 2008

codex57 said:
Actually, I'd bring the SafeSeat. Bring the manual with you, along with the FAA regs. If they tell you to FF, you can just point out that your seat cannot be FF as it's an infant seat and you have the manual as proof.

But yeah, I like the idea of saying it'll take you a LONG time to switch it to FF mode and it's gonna delay the plane. If you combine that with the FAA regs in their face, the threat of a delay is likely enough for them to back down.

That, as well as a cellphone with the number to the corporate office of the airline(s) you will be flying, because I guarantee you that I'll be on the phone with the office of the president of the airline before I ever am forced to FF my son by some clueless FA.

kate4478 · Sep 23, 2008

murphydog77 said:
:thumbsup: Perhaps that's a good tack to take with flight attendants who want parents to turn the seats ff. Even though it's hard to maintain composure because there's already been a confrontation and (generic) you're in fight mode, take the time to educate them in a nice tone of voice that in order to turn the car seat ff, you'd have to change the harness slots and that would take time. Depending on the seat, it could take anywhere from a few seconds to 10 minutes if you're lucky on a good day, and that's not with the pressure of other travelers waiting on you.

Flight attendants who are parents will then remember the pain of having to change those slot heights and be more likely to let you keep the seat rf and those without kids will learn something new.

what a great idea! :thumbsup:

kate4478 · Sep 23, 2008

codex57 said:
Actually, I'd bring the SafeSeat. Bring the manual with you, along with the FAA regs. If they tell you to FF, you can just point out that your seat cannot be FF as it's an infant seat and you have the manual as proof..

i'm glad you said that, i don't keep the manual on the seat, it's in my glove box. so i'll have to remember to take it out and put in in my carry on bad. thanks for the great idea!

kate4478 · Sep 23, 2008

TerisBoys said:
What Codex said, plus (if your sig is correct) point out that Gage is under the minimum weight for FF and CANNOT ride that way. He MUST be RF regardless of the seat that he's in.

yeap siggy is correct. well......on the weight, but he's 16 months.

kate4478 · Sep 23, 2008

Wineaux said:
That, as well as a cellphone with the number to the corporate office of the airline(s) you will be flying, because I guarantee you that I'll be on the phone with the office of the president of the airline before I ever am forced to FF my son by some clueless FA.

i hope i'm strong enough to do that.

i don't do well at ALL with confrontation. my face usually turns bright red, i get shakey and sometimes start to cry(especially if i'm upset). i'll have to prepare dh before we leave, incase he has to step in. we are buying him a seat for a reason! we didn't have any problem at all last time we flew with ds, he ws 6 months old at the time in his companion. i hope this trip goes the same!

jernlor · Sep 24, 2008

Just had the same issue...m

I was on my 4th and final flight home and 2 FA's came up to me and told me I had to turn the seat around, ds is 8 months and about 20 pounds. I told them he is under 1 and the seat is to be used rf. They argued with me that the seat in front of me can't move (recline), blah, blah, blah. I continually said this seat needs to be installed rfing because of age and weight. They said, "we'll have to go check the manual, just because it is installed in a car like that doesn't mean it will be the same for a plane". Luckily there was another FA on the flight headed home and she informed the other 2 FA's that I was correct and they let me keep it rfing. I'm really glad I had read some other posts about this stuff and was prepared to stand my ground, otherwise, I would have probably just turned it around when they asked. I find it annoying and frustrating that many of the FA's don't know the rules for car seats! Glad yours worked out okay as well!

Lori

Wineaux · Sep 24, 2008

kate4478 said:
i hope i'm strong enough to do that. i don't do well at ALL with confrontation. my face usually turns bright red, i get shakey and sometimes start to cry(especially if i'm upset). i'll have to prepare dh before we leave, incase he has to step in. we are buying him a seat for a reason! we didn't have any problem at all last time we flew with ds, he ws 6 months old at the time in his companion. i hope this trip goes the same!

This is your child's life on the line here. Be strong! Let knowing that you are protecting him give you strength.

CaseyRN · Sep 25, 2008

We took our MA on the plane last week RFing. On the 1st flight no one said a word. On the second 2 FA's were standing in the aisle and looking. I asked them if there was a problem and they said "is it supposed to face that way" I said "yes she is still rearfacing" and that was it. I found it hilarious the way they asked.....like I should have said "oooh no you're right....I knew something was different"

Nifferous · Oct 11, 2008

I just wanted to update that no one said anything to us on our return trip. On our last leg, the FA from first class came to the back for something and I could have sworn I heard her say (kinda to herself) "we need to turn that around" But we had already started our decent and no one apprached us. I may have just been paranoid though. I was really worried that we would be told to turn it around again.

I never mentioned this before but, my DH is a pilot for the USAF. (yes, I was very frustrated with him over his objections to taking the carseats) So yesterday he comes to me and tells me I was right. At work they were talking about a recent flight (commercial flight) where several people went to the hospital b/c they were injured during really bad turbulance. The reports were that some of them were even buckled in. He told his coworkers how I had insisted we take the carseats and they thought I was really smart.

Kat_Momof3 · Oct 11, 2008

good for you for standing your ground!

There are times I would be okay with ffing them just for the plane ride (for older ones who would prefer it), as the turbulence and such are different from a car crash, but for most kids who are rf on this board, I wouldn't install the seat any other way... we're talking a lot of kids under 2... so they are built differently than kids over age 2... they nap more, they are going through that special age where they don't take to changes well... so having them reclined and comfy and seeing Mommy or Daddy's face the whole time is just easier, period.

And if she'd said anything about the seat in front of him, I'd have pointed out that your other child was using that seat and couldn't care less about reclining it.

(since it sounds like that is the case)

In fact, that sounds like a good idea for families... get different rows instead of sitting on either side of the aisle so you can take up the seat in front of the rearfacing seat.

Oh, and I love the idea of the cellphone with the number for corporate programmed!

starglowz · Oct 11, 2008

Isn't it impossible to buckle up an infant seat FF? There is NO WAY to turn it around so I would fight an infant seat with that knowledge...

I tuck my manual (and airline regs) just under the cover of the seat on the right side so it's easy to get at if I were to need it (then I tuck a diaper or two on the left side "just in case"). Last time I flew with my daughter I asked when I called to purchase the tickets if it would be possible for my child to ride rear facing in her carseat on the plane since that is how she rides in the car (I was told yes), then when I checked my baggage I relayed the information that I was informed when I purchased the tickets that my daughter would be allowed to ride rear facing and asked for a notation on the boarding ticket, she thought it was an odd request but went ahead and made the notation... That way when we were finally on the plane I could PROVE that I had been told she could ride rear facing, with the manual, regs, and notation... bummer no one said a word to me.

As for them saying that the person in front of your carseat couldn't recline their seat... Having a child who can't sleep because they are sitting up like an adult therefore is uncomfortable and cries the ENTIRE flight is far more annoying than having a seat that does not recline IMO.

ketchupqueen · Oct 11, 2008

Yeah I have to say, once someone reclined their seat in front of my forward-facing three year old... They were not happy when she got mad about her space being invaded and kicked their seat! They promptly moved it back up!

Told to turn my carseat FF on Airplane! Grrr!

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