Successful Airplane Install Thread

[cantabdad]

I'd forgotten about this thread -- I hope it is useful to people as they plan their trips.

To add to the list here, earlier this year we used a Britax Roundabout 40, rear facing (RF), in coach/economy class on the following:

- Air France, Boeing 777, middle seat of center section
- US Airways, Airbus 319, window seat
- Porter Airlines, Bombardier Dash 8 Q400, window seat
- Jet Blue, Embraer 190, window seat

No troubles with installation. Flight attendants on one of the Air France flights (but not the other) tried to prevent us from using the carseat, but ultimately OKed it once they checked their manual. On Porter they wanted to see "CMVSS 213" on the label but accepted my explanation that US seats don't have that label but are still approved by Transport Canada.

Happy (and safe) travels, everyone.

 

[krasota]

Scenera 40RF, installed forward facing.

Delta, MD-88, surprise bulkhead row toward the rear of the plane (not indicated on seating chart when I booked the seats, may have been an aircraft switch)

And multiple Southwest and Jetblue flights, though I don't have the aircraft models.

 

[martygras]

SR22- Delta 757

SnugRide 22 - Delta Connection (SkyWest, I think) CRJ200

RFing CCO- Delta 757

SR22- Delta Connection CRJ 700 in the bulkhead (no pic)

Scenera FFing- Delta 757

Scenera FFing- Delta Connection CRJ900

Scenera RFing- JetBlue 757 (bulkhead)

Radian FFIng- Delta 757

Radian FFing- Patriot Express (Atlas Air) 767... the airplane seat's headrest made it really, really, really upright and too close to the seat in front if we used the recline on the Radian. We ended up reclining the airline seat after take off and tightening the seatbelt to hold the seat reclined
sleeping with the seat reclined

eating (I had to reinstall the seat with the seatback upright for her to use the tray table)

 

[lyn_ak]

I wanted to take pictures on this trip, but did not have the time to.

Flew with a Coccoro, two connections and three different airlines outbound, same thing inbound.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-200 (combi). Don't know how often you see these in the lower 48 states. It is a combination cargo/passenger plane so it loads from the rear. Be prepared for stairs while boarding.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-400.
Seats are normal economy seats, fit rear facing well, person in front not able to recline, no issues with flight attendants or gate agents.

Delta Boeing 737-800 Economy Comfort
Coccoro fit rear facing with just enough room to spare for person in front to recline. No issues again with flight attendants or gate agents.

South African Airways Airbus A340-600

Car seats are not allowed to rear face since they are not under FAA jurisdiction. Their seatbelts are long, I did not need an extender at all. The buckle fit rested on the leg of the car seat on the forward facing red part. I had one gate agent question me and said the CCO won't fit. I just told her it will and walked past.
On both flights I a flight attendant physically touched the seat to make sure it was secured to the airplane seat. They did not ask to see if it was FAA compliant or not. I have to say, the SAA flight attendants were very helpful and pleasant and very child friendly!!

Jet Blue Even More Room Airbus A320

Rear facing with PLENTY of room to spare!!! No comments or questions from crew or gate agents.

 

[angel_eyes8370]

Has anyone used the Evenflo Generations car seat on Air Canada flights? Does it fit ok, do I need the seat belt extender?

 

[osurxbiker]

Just flew jetblue today Burlington VT to Austin TX. A320 and Embraer 190. Radian with angle adjuster fit just fine rear facing. It did brace against the seat in front, but her brother was forward facing in his radian and didn't care that he could not lean back.
Edit: These were the regular seats, not the even more room.

 

[LittlePeanut]

I have never had an issue flying with a FF Scenera, FF Radian, FF MyRide in any of Air Canada's or Air Canada Jazz's fleet. The MR requires a seatbelt extender to access the release tongue for removal. The buckle winds up in the child's back of the Radian and the Scenera FF but my children have never complained. This was all in Y/coach class.

The only time I couldn't install a seat was an international J/business class cabin with the sideways facing pods (since the seats were neither forward nor rearward facing). They also have airbags in the seatbelts and was concerned about how they would affect the performance.

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

International flight from US to London.

AA 767-300.

We used a Evenflo Sureride, had no problems with it and it was very light.

We put it in the middle seat and had to put the arm rests up for it to fit correctly in the seat.

 

[Amy7707]

Coach class in a Jetblue Embraer 190 - no issues with the flight attendants. They were all very helpful when they realized we would be using the seats on board. A few of them automatically assumed we were gate checking the seats.

Graco Size4Me rear facing:

Safety First Avenue forward facing:

 

[ngs215]

Sureride FF fit beautifully on Delta regional jets. CRJ-200, CRJ-700, and CRJ-900. These are 2 seats, aisle, 2 seats style planes. It did not fit RF on the 200. After that, we did not try on the others. The tray was not usable. The arm rest between seats could be down on the 700. I did not try on the others.

 

[KaiLing]

IcelandAir flights, RF CCO fit fine in economy window. Flight attendants wanted to see that it was properly secured (they were expecting the belt to be over like a baseless infant seat).

Aegean Air (a Greek airline, a Star Alliance member), RF CCO fit, but flight attendants were rather difficult to convince on two different flights. They, too, were concerned that the seat was not secured (European infant seats often have only IsoFix, I believe?). One set of flight attendants tried to get me to put the baby in the lap belt for take off and landing, the other set suggested it should be forward facing. I found and printed the 'special needs passengers' instructions for travel agents from here: http://en.aegeanair.com/e-services/travel-agents/info-guide/passenger-with-special-needs/
That's more specific than the page on 'flying with babies,' and I think that helped.

I'll edit when I figure out what planes we were on.

 

[jasminegrl]

RF coccoro and FF Radian on a military C-5 it was quite an easy install all the seats are pretty spacy since they are meant for grown men plus their military gear and I had no trouble from the air crew, they actually offered to hold and watch my kids while I was installing the seats, the row I was sitting in could have accommodated a RF radian but I had packed the boot in my bag because i had assumed it would not fit. The only difficult part was the stairs associated with getting onto the aircraft and into the seating area but again the air crew was more than willing to help.

 

[lawgirl5]

Southwest flights only.

RF Snugride 35 no problems..except for person infront of the seat. They can't recline. So sad, too bad...

FF Safety 1st Onside Air no problems. Tray table can't be all the way down, child does kick the back of seat infront of him but I do my best to minimize that...which translates to....look helpless and stressed out when the person looks over the seat. (lol)

Both seats required that the arms be up...but to be honest, even if my son was just sitting in the seat with the belt...I'd put the arms up.

 

[Persimmon]

Southwest Boeing 737

Foonf FF center and window. In recline position 2. No problem reaching buckle to release without seatbelt extender. Couldn't use the tray table. Used one of these but needed a folded up sweater underneath to bring it up to a good height.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Kids-Snack-Play-Travel/dp/B000KJBFC8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top"]Amazon.com: Star Kids Snack and Play Travel Tray: Baby[/ame]

DS is 3.5 and 35 lbs. I liked this travel tray better than the plane tray table because the edges kept his vehicles from rolling off the edge. RF looked like it would have been a tight fit. Probably not a bit of recline for the person in the seat in front of him if I RF'd him.

The Foonf just barely fit down the aisle on a gogobabyz.

 

[embee]

We flew WestJet, and used our Safety 1st Complete Air FF with no issues.

Installing went pretty easy on either side of the aisle (one side there, other side back!) and DD was quite comfortable. I did lift the armrest to install, then put it back down after tightening the belt. The flight attendants did ask to see the CMV sticker, which when I readily pointed it out, they asked me if I was a flight attendant! haha! nope, just an informed parent!

 

[shashoo]

Just got back from a trip with my a Frontier 85 on Southwest. It really was a breeze to install on the airplane and getting it through the airport was smooth since I was armed with my rolling luggage cart. We were even able to use the tray table and not one question from the flight attendants. I must have had a don't mess with me look on my face while carrying the Frontier over the seats to our row or it was because I had all my FAA guidelines etc printed and ready to use in my backpack .

 

[Nedra]

I hope the picture shows up. I took Delta connection flights with my Aton 2. I don't know the specific planes, but they were tiny (2 seats on each side in coach). I flew Economy Plus on the way down and had TONS of spare room (see picture). I didn't even notice a lack of space in regular coach on the way back, though. Install was super easy and very tight.

Flight attendants were nice. On the way down someone checked to make sure it was FAA approved. On the way back nobody did. In both cases, folks in ground support were confused by the fact that I had actually bought a seat for a baby, but they were nice about it.

I loved flying with my Aton 2! I'd almost rather fly with a baby in an infant carrier than fly alone! So much extra space with the additional seat.

ETA: Sorry, it looks like my picture did not show up. Will try to figure it out when I get on a computer.

 

[HayleyCPST]

Bump for holiday travels. Please use the following format:

AIRLINE
Airplane model and brand (boeing 737/airbus A320):
Location in airplane (bulkhead, 1st class, coach, window seat):
Car seat model and setup (rear facing, forward):
Any pictures add them at the end

*if you don't know any of the above, then please use your best judgement or tell us about your flight so others may know.*

 

[Hazelandlucy]

Delta MD 88 - Rear faced a Safety First Guide 65 and Coccoro no problem.

Delta Canadair CRJ-200LR - Britax Boulevard G4 and Click Tight did NOT fit rear facing and barely fit forward facing, even my 10 month old kicked the seat in front.

Delta 767 -300. Both the G4 and Click Tight Boulevard fit in the bulkhead row no problem. Rear faced the G4 with tons - like a foot of room - between the shell and the wall. Click tight would have been the same.

 

[Angie]

Southwest

Not sure what size airplane, but it was 3 seats on each side of the aisle. Not the newly renovated, fancy lit up ones.
Graco SnugRide 30
RF, no issues with it fitting. Not sure if the person in front of her could recline their seat, but I didn't really care either. There may not have been anyone in front of her on that flight.