airplane and carseat question

532 Views 9 Replies 9 Participants Last post by gribbit, Apr 12, 2006

lnitti

Discussion Starter · Apr 11, 2006

This is a bit of a spin off from the Marathon and tray question...

We have a Britax roundabout. I don't think dd will be able to use the airline tray for eating and playing in her car seat. I think the seat is too high.

dd is 2. Would it be really bad for her to sit in her plane seat without a car seat? I want her to be able to have use of the tray since she will most certainly need to eat on the plane since the flight time for that segment is over 9 1/2 hours. She'll also need to (hopefully) sleep a bit too.

Or maybe I'm wrong and the tray will have room to come down? Anyone know? It's a 767.

I just wanted to add that dd and I will be traveling alone. DH is not coming.

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Shelsi

· #2 · Apr 11, 2006

I'm the OP from the other thread and this is what I've decided to do. I'm going to have Jake rfing on the plane (he'll be 2 yrs old next month btw so I'm sure I'll get some weird looks lol). I'm buying this tray: http://www.onestepahead.com/product/86220/61/117.html I figure this way he can color, eat, etc, but also will be nice and comfy and can sleep as well. This tray should NOT be used in the car though just so you know since it's an aftermarket product. I won't put the tray on until we're at cruising altitude and, well, if we have a head on collision at 40,000 feet I don't think that tray is going to make much difference

I'm not sure if you still have your child rfing in the car or not but I found this article that may be helpful: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/airplaneRF.aspx

I think the concern with a 2 yr old using the lap belt would be that during turbulance she may slip right out of the belt and onto the ceiling.

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tigrinho

· #3 · Apr 12, 2006

Aaack! I just posted a really long reply to this post and it didn't work.
Anyway at the risk of offending the pro-carseat camp. I have taken dd (now 27 mos) on 5 ten hour flights (3 of them by myself) without a carseat. We don't drive, so she is much more comfortable being in a regular seat. She was able to lay down and sleep, use the tray for eating and playing when awake. The seat belts do adjust to fairly small so I always secured her in even when alseep, although she is a sturdy girl. (She wanted to nurse during takeoff and landing and they won't let you put the belt around the both of you...) And lastly when you're by yourself with a toddler and a carry-on (which with a toddler you will definately have one , though I recommend keeping it at one if possible), it would be a hellish task in my opinion to lug a carseat and a carry-on while riding the escalators up and down for entertainment, or going to the bathroom, or simply chasing a bored toddler around the airport when you're waiting or the flight is delayed.
Sock me out man! I'm anti-carseat on airplane! (Not true for cars to be sure, but those are far more dangerous IMO)

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thepeach80

· #4 · Apr 12, 2006

I think Rachels idea is great! I always have the kids in their seats when we travel and while AJ did use the seatbelt only for a while on our last leg of our last trip, he was back in his seat for landing.

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alegna

· #5 · Apr 12, 2006

I would take the carseat. Among other things if they decide that on the plane is the perfect place to be 2 and difficult, you have a better chance of keeping them restrained (and safe!) in a car seat than the lap belt.

-Angela

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jstar

· #6 · Apr 12, 2006

i can't see myself ever taking a carseat on a plane for my son once he passes age 2 (and before age 2 he has been on my lap on every flight). i would definitely want him to be able to use the tray and would not want to lug the dang heavy thing around the airport as tigrinho said.

the chances of turbulance so bad that a 2+ year old would come out of the lap belt are VERY SLIM. and if the plane is going down there isn't much of a chance of survival anyway...carseat or no carseat. morbid but true. they kind of seem to me like putting a bandaid to stop a hole in a levee.

plus, without a carseat you could put up the armrest and your dc could lay with head on your lap quite comfortably.

i suppose if your child loves the security of a carseat it might be a benefit. mine hates it and all the screaming would definitely be a disturbance to the other passengers.

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gmvh

· #7 · Apr 12, 2006

I'm sorry I don't know what kind of plane it was but I had my two forward facing in their Roundabouts this past February and the trays were low enough for them to almost rest their feet on them - the trays were just a smidge too far below their feet at 16 months old. I didn't look around for after market tray solutions mostly because I didn't think of it. Our flight was four hours and they snacked and generally made a grand mess of things. One silly product I saw before I left that I sort of wish I had was a water bottle leash. There's so little space between your seat and the row ahead and once you get that carseat in there, trying to pick up a tossed water bottle was almost impossible at times. Have a good flight!

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octobermom

· #8 · Apr 12, 2006

I made the big mistake of not bringing a carseat on a plane ride from my parents home. We'd flown at least five other times with the seat with great success but I hated lunging around the seat so I thought okay I'll just check it at the gate and she can just sit.. It was a disaster she felt safe in her seat and the airline wouldn't let me hold her for take off or landing she screamed the entire time. She also kept slipping under the lap belt no matter how tight and leaned how to undo it with in about four seconds. We decided its well worth lidging the seat around. Honestly the try was inconvient both with the carseat and wothout bu worked overall better with the seat.
Deanna

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Shelsi

· #9 · Apr 12, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by octobermom
I made the big mistake of not bringing a carseat on a plane ride from my parents home. We'd flown at least five other times with the seat with great success but I hated lunging around the seat so I thought okay I'll just check it at the gate and she can just sit.. It was a disaster she felt safe in her seat and the airline wouldn't let me hold her for take off or landing she screamed the entire time. She also kept slipping under the lap belt no matter how tight and leaned how to undo it with in about four seconds. We decided its well worth lidging the seat around. Honestly the try was inconvient both with the carseat and wothout bu worked overall better with the seat.
Deanna

I think they have a thing you can put on your carseat and kind of turn it into a make-shift stroller....

This is what I do when I travel alone with ds. I found that my old travel system stroller carries our marathon really well. So when I get to the airport I get the stroller out and put on my ergo. I put my diaper bag, purse, small stuff in the basket of the stroller. Then I get Jake out and put him on my back. I take the car seat and set it on top of the stroller. Duffel type bags can then be stacked on top of that. Then with one hand I push the stroller and with the other hand I can drag my suitcase that thankfully has wheels. I check everything but the diaper bag, stroller, and carseat. Yes, I look like a pack mule while doing this

It gets the job done though and I'm sure I burn a billion calories for that day which is cool lol.

Oh and the best tip someone ever gave me if you're traveling with your partner: Have your partner do the pre-boarding with the car seat while you wait in the terminal with your little one. Your partner can get the seat all set up and installed and your child can run around and burn off some energy. This works so great for us every time. If you preboard with your kid they end up being on the plane an extra 30 mins or so and sometimes that 30 mins is a deal-breaker kwim? I will say that American Airlines told us last time they don't allow preboarding which stunk. They said it took up too much time. Well dh couldn't figure out how to get the carseat installed and Jake and I were standing in the aisle and in the end we made the flight 10 mins late

Southwest has always been really cool though and super baby friendly in my experience.

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gribbit

· #10 · Apr 12, 2006

I have flown many times with dd and never used a car seat. There is no way she would sit in it for an entire flight. She is not two yet, but she gets her own seat and has no problem sitting in it or on my lap. I probably should not admit this

but we usually let her have the window seat and she can climb up and down on it if she wants to ( we make sure she doesnt hit the seat in front of her). We usually fly for 5-6 hours and I don't expect her to sit still for that long..

michelle

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