If you must get baby somewhere and don't have a car seat? - Page 6

[katelove]

Just curious about something. In the US do you have the little seatbelts for lap babies that attach to the parent's seatbelt? In Australia I've never seen a carseat on a plane. Not sure if it's not permitted or whether it's just never done. But everyone who has a child on their lap has to use the baby seatbelt whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated.

There's a picture of what I'm talking about here

ETA - just had a look at the website of one of our major airlines. They do recommend carseats are used. Clearly no-one heeds that advice here.

[Silverbird]

Originally Posted by NicaG 

The website seems to favor buckling a toddler/young toddler into a regular seatbelt over wearing the child in a wrap and buckling yourself in.  After watching the video, it looks like the real problem with the wrap is that it just shreds on impact, sending the baby flying into the interior of the car, into the seatback, into the windshield.  So it's really no better than holding the baby on your lap.  I guess if the baby is buckled into a seatbelt, at least it helps somewhat to prevent the baby from being ejected from the car or hitting the interior of the car. 

Thanks yes I saw that.  but there seemed to be no info on least worst in a no seat situation for a baby.  The wrap did shred on impact but that was obviously no worse than holding in arms and it seems to me that you might be in a slower accident the wrap might not shred but a baby in arms might still be thrown out of arms.  only a guess but no-on seems to have least bad opotion data for an unrestrained baby, hopefully becuase it happens so rarley.

[MamieCole]

Originally Posted by Maedze 

I can understand why you would feel this way, but there's actually a significant difference in transport and treatment in the wholesale and retail world versus and airline.   

Firstly, almost all car seats come packaged in boxes, which, believe it or not, do an excellent job of protecting the restraints.  The design of a cardboard box is such that it absorbs forces quite well (ever seen a cardboard box with the corner dinged up, and the material almost accordioned in on itself?  Energy absorption!)     The Sceneras do come in plastic travel bags, but are boxed together for transport to the store.

And yes, shippers have a vested interest in getting an undamaged product to a store.  Shipments are handled relatively carefully.  If goods show up to a store regularly damaged, the shipping company stands to lose a LOT of money.  Meanwhile, baggage handlers, and airlines, do not care.   Ever had to deal with lost or damaged goods?  You're lucky if you can get someone to listen respectfully to you, and if you do, the chances of you getting financial recompensation are slim, and usually not at all the value of what was destroyed. 

End of story is that car seats should not be checked, they should be used on the plane, and lap babies are extremely dangerous to both themselves and everyone around them, and every major safety organization (the FAA included!) recommends that all children under 40 lbs be secured in a restraint on the plane.  

When parents come to our station with seats they've checked, we advise them that the seats need to be disposed of and replaced with new ones. 

ALL non-secured items on a plane are dangerous in the event of severe turbulence. I don't see any tethers on the hot coffee pots on the service cart...or mandatory velcro restraints on laptops, etc.

And you must live in the land of Trees 'O Money...first the "If you can't afford a baby ticket you can't afford to fly," then the "OHMYGOSH, your baby's seat was checked??? It's now a death trap! If you love your baby you have to buy a new one!!!" Ya know, like $200 bucks is no biggie. If you are going to dish out that sort of advice in today's economy, I suggest you also offer to buy the seat for them. 

Originally Posted by Maedze 

Anyone who can get in a car is 'privileged'.  Anyone who can buy an airline ticket is privileged.   

I find the whole, "Oh, I can't afford to fly if I have to buy my baby a ticket" is completely disingenous.  If it was the law (as it will be within a few years, a lot of us are working very hard to get rid of the lap-baby loophole and the FAA is completely onboard), you'd find a way to pay for it if you're flying in the first place, as you will the moment your baby turns two.  

The number of people who stop flying when their child turns two, but flew anywhere and everywhere up to 23 months is pretty much non-existent.     My guess is, if you were legally required to, you would.  

You are, of course, completely welcome (for the time being, until the law changes) welcome to disregard my advice, but making personal attacks simply makes you look foolish. 

And if you can scrape up for X months to buy 1 or 2 tickets, you can scrape up for X number of more tickets to buy the third. 

 

Well, now you can say there is at least ONE such person.  We flew with DS1 on six different trips between the ages of 6 weeks-2 years to visit family across country. We haven't been able to afford to fly since. So he hasn't seen his grandpa in over 2 years. 

And overall, you are just coming across as pretty mean and elitist to everyone on this thread. HTH!

[swede]

Originally Posted by Maedze 

A car seat that has been gate checked needs to be treated as a car seat that you found on the side of the road or bought at a yardsale. 

Absolutely, unequivocally, NOT true.  People, please don't think you can't use your gate checked car seat.
 

[OkiMom]

I probably would have done exactly what you did. Staying outside the airport was not an option because (trust me, Ive heard it happened) they would have called the police on you. I doubt it would have been good to have your baby at a police station either and then once again you would have been stuck in a situation of no carseat and a car ride.

I have been on airlines that don't allow car seats so even though I usually (all but once) buy my children their own tickets there are times I DON"T have a carseat when I get off the plane since I wasn't allowed to bring it on with me. I could see a similar situation happening if I didn't make one of my connections.

As for not traveling if you can't buy your baby a ticket. The decision to buy your child a ticket or not is a personal one. Not everyone can afford to buy their child their own ticket. Sometime early next year I'll most likely be traveling with my baby as a lap child because of the cost of a last minute ticket. I won't know until maybe a week out when Im going to be flying and Im not missing my husband getting back after 9 months overseas because I don't want to fly a very short flight with a lap child.

[amberskyfire]

In my opinion, the risk of flying with a lap baby is so low, that it's not something I consider if you really can't afford it. I do things that are much riskier every day, like get in my car or take DD swimming with me in the ocean with all the other mamas and their babies. Things happen, but if something has such a miniscule risk attached to it, I'm not going to put it above my child ever seeing their family again. If it was really that much of a risk, I wouldn't get on the plane in the first place. I'm a stickler for safety, but that's just so unlikely. We flew and I kept my daughter in the wrap the entire time where she slept tightly against me except when she needed a diaper change.

Getting into a car without a car seat, on the other hand, worries me. Next time, I'll call the police department and ask them to help me. I love that idea!

[Blayzes Mommy]

DH and I are expecting DD in Nov... I never really thought about flying w/ her.  I grew up flying on commercial airlines ( my father worked for one.. so it was dirt cheap.  It was an amazing experiance as a child)  my father also has a private liscense.  So to say I haven't spent my fair share up in the air... well I really don't see where either side is wrong.. I've been on many a flight next to a very content baby in mom's arms, and tbh more flights where the child is screaming because it's well intentioned mother has it strapped into a seat.  imo the screaming child is the more at risk one in general ( I've heard of all sorts of horrible things to "quiet them" includeing OTC drugs.  when simply saying "Hold them if the seat-belt sign is on").  But.. haveing said that I also will not fly w/out a restraint devise for my child, I've been threw some bad turbulance.  It is best imo more often the not to "Have it, because if you don't you'll need it".  having said that... I honestly can't begrudge someone who feels differently. 

OP I think given the circumstances you deffinately did the right thing... Lesson learned... Always ALWAYS have a carry-on w/ needed things.  I always pack a small bag w/ the bare essentials in-case of a lay-over or something bad happens.  which I'm sure will become a larger "small bag"  And I can't think of many circumstances where I would willingly fly 'nore drive w/out a restraint devise in tow.  But I woulnd't freak out if I had reason not to.. I'de proballly be freaking out over whatever caused the instance to begin with.

I can not think of any circumstance where sitting outside all night w/ a small child is better then a short car-ride w/out a seat.  I'm actually very surprized the airline would leave you in such a state.  I've been put up more 'n once by them for a missed flight ( that was their fault not mine)