Car seat for 22 month old on a plane?

[ilovemygirl]

I'm flying and want to get dd a seat to save my sanity. She will be 22 months. I will not be bringing her car seat. Will they allow her to sit in the seat by herself without one?

[kirstenb]

I would contact the airline to ask what their policy is, but I would recommend using your carseat on the plane either way. It's safer for them to be in the carseat, and I know when I have flown with DS, there is no way he would have sat in the seat for the flight if he did not have the carseat.

[JERENAUD]

The last time I flew with my kids (5 and 2) I was asked their ages on two separate flights. They both had carseats, and the flight attendants seemed most interested in the age of the younger child. It seemed as though had she been under 2 years their reaction to the carseat would have been different, but I honestly didn't ask because she was over two. It *shouldn't* matter - a child with a paid seat is entitled to use it, whether said child is 1 ,2 or 4, but you never know.

I'd suggest checking your airlines website and printing their rules regarding childrens' seats. For example, Air Canada says the following:

Bookings for an infant can be made online only for flights within Canada provided the infant will be seated on the parent's lap (i.e. no extra seat is required). If you prefer to reserve a seat for your infant on one of these flights, or you wish to book a transborder or international flight, please contact Air Canada Reservations.
Infants for whom no seat has been purchased may travel on their parent's lap and must be held securely whenever the seatbelt sign is on.
Infants for whom a seat has been purchased must be properly secured in an approved child restraint device whenever the seat belt sign is on (see 'Restrictions for infants and children occupying a seat' below).

They go on to discuss which kinds of restraints can be used, etc. My understanding from this is that on this airline a child under 2 (their definition of infant) must use a carseat if a seat has been purchased.

I realize that this information isn't specific to your airline, but maybe it gives you an idea of where to start!

Erica

[kimya]

Under 2 they have to be in your arms for take-off and landing but can sit in their seat, with no carseat, for the rest of the flight. After 2 they can sit in the regular seat with just the seatbelt for the whole flight.

[kimya]

We started getting DD her own seat at about 18 months and have never taken a carseat onboard. Last year we flew at least once a month on multiple airlines.

[Herausgeber]

We've always used the carseat. Even before we had to buy her tickets, they let us use it as long as there was an open seat on the plane.

Why don't you want to bring it? I find that it makes our flight much more comfortable. It's familiar to DD and it keeps her safe during takeoff, landing and turbulence.

[ChetMC]

Originally Posted by kimya

Under 2 they have to be in your arms for take-off and landing but can sit in their seat, with no carseat, for the rest of the flight. After 2 they can sit in the regular seat with just the seatbelt for the whole flight.

To clarify, they are normally allowed to sit in an approved carseat for take off and landing under two. I say usually because we get different stories depending on the airline, the country where the airline is based, the particular flight crew and the phases of the moon. We've flown with kids under two a lot though, and we've rarely been asked to take the child out of their carseat for take off, landing or turbulence.

[Herausgeber]

Yeah, I have never been told to take DD OUT of her carseat for any reason on a plane. I can't imagine any safety advantage that would impart.

[kimya]

Originally Posted by ChetMC

To clarify, they are normally allowed to sit in an approved carseat for take off and landing under two. I say usually because we get different stories depending on the airline, the country where the airline is based, the particular flight crew and the phases of the moon. We've flown with kids under two a lot though, and we've rarely been asked to take the child out of their carseat for take off, landing or turbulence.

Oh, I only meant they have to be in your arms if they are not in a carseat. If they are just going to sit in the plane seat for the rest of the flight you have to hold them, preferably with the baby seat belt, that hooks onto the adult seatbelt. Before 2, anytime the fasten seatbelt sign was on I would strap her in to the baby belt on my lap. When the fasten seatbelt sign was off having her own seat to play in and move around in was very helpful. She NEVER would have stayed in a carseat that long. Last year we flew from Seattle to Geneva and back 3 times and to Australia from Seattle. For those long flights especially, we all need some space.

[ChetMC]

Originally Posted by kimya

Oh, I only meant they have to be in your arms if they are not in a carseat. If they are just going to sit in the plane seat for the rest of the flight you have to hold them, preferably with the baby seat belt, that hooks onto the adult seatbelt. Before 2, anytime the fasten seatbelt sign was on I would strap her in to the baby belt on my lap. When the fasten seatbelt sign was off having her own seat to play in and move around in was very helpful. She NEVER would have stayed in a carseat that long. Last year we flew from Seattle to Geneva and back 3 times and to Australia from Seattle. For those long flights especially, we all need some space.

I figured that was what you meant. I just wanted to clarify for anybody else. It's probably worth mentioning too that not all airlines have those baby belts that loop through the adult belt. We've only seen them on international flights, and even then, not all carrier.

[prothyraia]

They will probably make you hold her for take off and landing, but let her sit in her own seat otherwise.

However, I have to say...
We recently traveled with my just-turned two year old. On one leg of the trip we ended up not having the carseat (*barely* made the flight and had to gate-check everything we had with us), and it was a million times harder to travel without it. He did not want to stay in the seat, and the lap belt won't hold someone that small in place if they want to get out of it, no matter how much you tighten it. It was miserable. (it also makes me highly doubtful of how much use that belt would be in any kind of turbulence or crash, since he could slip out so very easily)

[kimya]

Yeah, 2 is the guideline age, but I still used the baby belt on my lap until about 27 months because she was able to wiggle out until she got a little bigger.

[MacKinnon]

Just want to add that the recomendation is that you use the car seat. I'm not sure why you would buy a seat and NOT use it? You need a seat at the other end anyway and for most children, the familiarity and the routine (not to mention SAFETY) make it work it to bring the seat along.

[mamazee]

I would check the airline and find out what their particular rules are.

BUT if you do need a car seat, I might suggest putting it backward if at all possible. My dd was on a plane ride at that age and the car seat put her at just the right level to kick the seat in front of her really well. We had to do a bit of rearranging so she didn't torture the person in front of her the whole flight.

[ilovemygirl]

Thanks for the replies. I don't need the seat per the airlines.
Just to clarify ..
It will be just me and my dd traveling. I'd rather not drag anything with me that isn't absolutely necessary. DD is spunky, a runner and since she is barely two doesn't listen very well. I'm not expecting it to be easy to get through the airport and onto the flight on my own with her.
I am going to visit family who has a seat I will be using for my dd in the car once I get there.

[gypsypoet]

I just recently flew with my two and a half year old and i used our carseat...it was just us and it was a pain in the... you know what but i would still reccomend it.. get a kiddie suitcase with wheels on it.. and use it as your carryon dd rode on the kiddie suitcase and i slung the carseat over my shoulder with the restaint belts tied together to make one huge strap..it was a pain but so worth it when my daughter fell asleep on the second flight in the safety of our carseat

[kdescalzi]

We just came back from a trip with our 24 mos old. We bought him a C.A.R.E.S safety belt....I hope that is the right name!! Check out the website. It is made to be as safe as a car seat without the bulk and weight of dragging a carseat around. It worked out great and it is considered very safe....apparently the safest way for a young child to fly! We have travelled with ds a lot and I am under the assumption that if they are under 2 you must hold them on your lap for take off and landing as said by a pp. Over 2 they have be in their seats with seatbelts on just like the adults. In my experience all of the stewards/es have allowed me to hold ds if I thought he was going to fall alseep during take off or landing as long as he was facing me. Again, look at the website....it is a great idea