To thnk that airlines should not allow lap babies on flights?

[Frannyhy]

I’ve not flown for a few years, so I don’t know if lap kids are allowed by all airlines. I’m in South America at the moment, on a big trip.

My flight between cities was delayed yesterday due to bad weather. There were a lot of hot, tired people by the time we got on.

I was in the aisle seat and a woman with a baby arrived and indicated she was in the same row. I got up for her and she said something I didn’t understand and waited. Finally, she reluctantly sat in the middle seat with the baby on her lap. Her partner appeared from the other end of the plane and gave her some baby stuff.

She started complaining to the cabin crew, pointing at my seat. By now I understood she wanted to be in the aisle. I said no, and one of the cabin crew said to me in English, “Don’t worry we haven’t got time for this, we’re already an hour late. It’s only a 90 minutes flight so she can manage.”

I’m left wondering why lap babies are allowed on flights. He wasn’t restrained so if anything had happened, it would have meant he probably would have been seriously injured or worse.

I was on a cheap flight so I don’t care that I had to sit next to a wriggling baby. I just ignored him and read my book.

But I do think allowing babies on laps should be stopped. It’s fucking dangerous.

You put your baby in the hold? 🤣

Yep the rules differ worldwide.

The US authorities I think still don't like infants on adults laps in lap belts (because reasons, including in some accidents infants have been injured by the adult jacknifing onto them).

UK/Europe take the opposite view.

Car seats are.probably seen almost universally as the safest option.

There's an extra belt that attaches to the adult belt and goes round the baby. I'd be surprised if that wasn't standard on every commercial airline. Are you certain that wasn't there? You can't really see it once everyone is sitting down.

You can only take certain car seats on flights - they need to be approved for use on a flight. Most people don't have these seats and even If you do it's not a given that all airlines will let you use them. If you are travelling with a small baby then I am not sure what the alternative is for most people - they can't sit in their own seat so they need to be on a lap.

There arent many (are there any?) UK seats that you can use in a plane that can be secured by only a lap belt and are narrow enough to fit the seat dimensions. A lot of airlines specify forward facing seats too which rules out a rear facing infant carrier

I was once on a flight where a lady claimed she had booked a seat for her child, but the air hostess said that it wasn’t possible for the child to not be on her lap for safety reasons. I think she had somehow put a seat reservation in the booking system. It was a short flight. As others have said, you get a special seat belt for the child. Or at least we did when I had a 1 year old on my lap. I guess the rules will vary by country.

We put ours in a cat carrier, and then in the hold. Much easier, and they stay where you put them. Otherwise they crawl all over other people luggage, get in their suitcases and you can't find them at the other end.

As they get older will use larger dog crates.

In UK/Europe/USA (not sure where else these are the only places I’ve flown with my baby) you are given an additional belt to attach through yours onto baby. You are also normally automatically given a window seat for some reason, maybe safety. I agree you shouldn’t have to swap with anyone if you want an aisle seat and you booked it.

But you are being completely unreasonable to suggest babies shouldn’t be on flights! Parents with young children are allowed to go about their lives and babies are part of society believe it or not. You can always choose not to fly if the risk of being next to a baby is too much for you.

Not for long haul surely ?

I definitely wouldn't say 'most' infant car seats are certified for air travel.

Carseats aren't always airline approved and with younger babies, it may not be safe for them to sit lying back in one for hours and hours.

Yabv intolerant. Children are part of life.

Or just not have babies.

DD always had a seatbelt extension when she was a baby but it was always Europe.

In my experience babies cause less disruption than toddlers but I've also seen some pretty shocking behavior from grown adults who at least should know how to behave...you get selfish idiots of all ages

Genuine question, we've booked a flight for March, baby will be 14 months. When booking we had to choose the adult who would be her guardian on the flight (and, presumably, whose lap she would be on). We also, obviously, had to give her accurate date of birth. There is simply no way to book a separate seat for her, or am I missing something? To book a seat for her we'd have to book a fictitious person (older than 2 years) onto the flight?

We have flown regularly with our baby (from 4 months - 18 months) and we have always had to have her strapped in with an infant belt that goes around our own belt.

Also, you can't have an aisle seat with a baby on your lap. The only time it's allowed is if it is two seats in the centre aisle, as in a business class set up, and the other passenger can exit on their side of the row.

Flown all over Asia and Europe. Maybe the rules are regional?

I’ve never heard of car seats being used for airline travel before.

guess you learn a new thing every day.

It's definitely unsafe, increases DVT risk for the holders too. People are tight and won't buy an extra seat tho.

You have to call them to book an extra seat for an infant.

She was pissed at sitting next to a baby

The only way to do it is to call the airline directly. I think this is because not all short haul planes have big enough seats to fit a child seat in.

It's because babies, although small, are human beings. Therefore they are allowed on all forms of public transport because, you know, their families might want or need to go somewhere.

Meh. She could have given the baby to the baby's father?

You put your baby in in the hold!

Urgh how irritating for you - let's just BAN all babies/children from flights/holidays.

Yes, this all (usually) depends on the rules set by the local regulator (e.g.UK= CAA, Europe is EASA and the States is the FAA), and then the airlines can set their own policy which might be more restrictive.

There are not really any worldwide rules and there are significant differences across the globe.