I don't get it

[Blueone]

Why do you have to remove the baby from the carrier during take off or landing when on a plane? It really makes no sense to me and actually seems like it would be safer to leave the baby in it. What's really annoying is that it's an inconsistently applied rule.

[Carrruth]

Yep! It's a dumb rule! I hate when they make me do it. I once had someone tell my I had to take my 4 month old sleeping daughter out of the Moby so we could take off. I was not going to risk having her wake up after the screaming she had done before falling asleep on the previous flight, so I just took it off one shoulder and put a blanket over her so they couldn't see that she was still in it.

I guess it's because the powers to be have not approved that for a safe position to be in during take off and landing. Although seems safer to me than being in your arms!

[possum]

I think it's partly because carriers are an unknown. You can't test every carrier in every situation like safety seats are tested. There are just too many variables with carriers, and it's easy for someone who doesn't have a sleeping baby to say to take it off. I don't think a baby in a carrier is any less safe than a baby in arms in an accident and would likely be much safer. I think it's totally a CYA for the airlines.
Melinda

[lifeguard]

It seems to depend on the flight staff. I've never been asked to remove ds from a carrier on the plane.

[Prisca]

Wow, I guess I've been lucky. I didn't even know about this rule. I agree, the baby seems safer in the carrier.

[Blueone]

Well it's nice to hear I'm not the only one confused by it. I'll definitely take the tip of making it look like I take him out and then covering him. On one flight (I flew across country, it was a very long day) I just pretended to be asleep when it came time to prepare for landing so no one asked me to take him out.

[thtr4me]

It is actually a safety issue. If the plane has a hard landing and your body lurches forward hard enough, you could actually crush (and kill) your baby between your torso and legs, or between your torso and the seat in front of you. And since there is always the chance of an emergency return to the airport following takeoff, the same rule applies.

The safest place for a baby during takeoff and landing is in an FAA approved carseat. As the wife of an airline pilot, I would never fly with a baby without a carseat and a seat to buckle it into.

[Adasmommy]

Originally Posted by thtr4me

It is actually a safety issue. If the plane has a hard landing and your body lurches forward hard enough, you could actually crush (and kill) your baby between your torso and legs, or between your torso and the seat in front of you.

But the rule is not that you have to put your baby in a carseat, just out of the carrier. In arms is acceptable. And that does not seem safer!

I was so pissed when I took my 2 year old on the skyride at the zoo and when we were getting in I was told she had to come out of the wrap. This thing did not have four walls, just a bar in front of you, with plenty of room for a two year old to wiggle out. I argued that I was afraid for her life if I took her out, but rules are rules, and they felt she was safer sitting next to me than wrapped up!

So I think it's what someone above said, that carriers are an unkown so they just have a blanket rule you can't use them so they don't get blamed in case a carrier kills your child.