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Original poster

car seat on plane for 18 month old - would you?

26 replies

smother · 13/09/2010 11:31

We're flying to Australia with my 18 month old DS with Air China.

I've had conflicting advice about whether to take a car seat for him for the flight.

Please could you let me know what your experiences of taking car seats on long haul flights are.

Is it ok not to use a car seat for a toddler? If not, what sort of car seat did you take?

OP posts:
champagnesupernova · 13/09/2010 11:44

If he's 18m, he won't have a seat of his own, will he? So no room for car-seat?

Or if you're paying for one, just use the normal straps surely? Flight to Aus is a long one- tis a long time to be in a carseat imo.

Good luck with the journey btw - have a look at the MN tips section for how to get through it - IIRC it's lots of snacks, lots of small toys, "revealed" at different intervals, lots of walking about the plane as needed and a very thick skin. I also remember someone saying take things on ribbons which you can tie to seatbelt to stop child from dropping them and you spending whole flight scrabbling round on floor for Fireman Sam/Lightning McQueen/insert toy of choice here

drcrab · 13/09/2010 11:54

hi there
I was assuming that you were wondering about taking the car seat for when you land in Australia (and are travelling around in cars!?)...

we went to Singapore last summer when George was 18 months and we didn't take the car seat. The stage 1 maxi-cosi was too small for him by then, and we thought the stage 2 was too bulky. having said that we've had friends who have brought their car seats along and checked them in, but that was so that they can use it when they land, and have rented a car.

So for the long trip, George was either sat on me, or sat on his father, or when he was sleeping, he got put in the bassinet (which he just about fit).

muddleduck · 13/09/2010 11:56

definitely don't use a car seat in the plane.
waste of precious space.

BelfastBloke · 13/09/2010 11:56

We took a carseat for an 18month old. She was easily able to kick the seat in front - and did.

In retrospect I would have just sat her in the seat provided, and checked the carseat as baggage.

Original poster
smother · 13/09/2010 12:37

thanks so much for responses.

We have booked a seat for him because he's v big - too big to fit in a bassinet or to sit on our laps for hours on end.

I was thinking of using a car seat to increase his comfort and safety but from your responses, it seems that this is not necessary.... I can't really picture it being that easy to fit a carseat on a plane seat anyway.

champagne: thanks for tips about how to endure the flight, that's probably going to be my bigger problem! esp as I'll also have a 4 year old with me. joy!

OP posts:
Earlybird · 13/09/2010 12:41

I often took a car seat on International flights for dd. One of the big advantages was that she could sleep supported in the seat (against the molded back/sides), rather than sprawling all over me.

Original poster
smother · 13/09/2010 12:46

Earlybird - what type of carseat did you use? Any trouble fixing it in the plane seat?

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 13/09/2010 12:51

No because the car seat is in itselff heavy, it may not actually fit in the seat and more importantly you cannot use this in Australia.
You're better off using a small bean bag pillow instead.

ArthurPewty · 13/09/2010 13:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
smother · 13/09/2010 14:09

Atilla: just wondering why you can't use a UK carseat in Australia? I'm assuming they have different rules and regs to us but wouldn't some carseats comply to both UK and australia standards?

OP posts:
megonthemoon · 13/09/2010 14:13

If you have a seat for him I wouldn't bother. You need to have an under 2 sat on your lap for take-off/landing/turbulence anyway regardless of whether they have a seat so would need to get him out of the carseat. I found with my toddler (at 11mo and 18mo) that he likes the space of the seat as he can have lots of books and toys on the seat with him, and then when it comes to sleep he has quite a bit of space on the seat to spread out - so we had no need for carseat and it is one less thing to cart on and off the plane.

Original poster
smother · 13/09/2010 14:20

megonthemoon - thanks for this, I didn't realise that you have to have them on your lap for take off etc.

I think I'll abandon idea of taking the car seat on balance and look into hiring one when I get there, esp as it seems UK car seats aren't allowed in Australia anyway.

OP posts:
megonthemoon · 13/09/2010 14:24

I'm pretty certain you do - that is what BA told me which is why we didn't bother taking the carseat in the end. You'll be fine without it - the car seat probably will take up a lot of the extra space you are gaining from having the plane seat IYSWIM - we found it was nice to have the extra footroom from DS's seat, and also if we lifted the arms of the seat up so he could sprawl on us or cuddle us, we could actually spread out a bit more and use some of his seat too. Car seat would have got in the way of that.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 13/09/2010 15:12

Hi smother,

Australian child restraints must be fitted with a top tether which is attached to a suitable mounting point on the vehicle. The use of European child restraints without a top tether is, therefore, illegal.

tefal · 13/09/2010 15:34

As above. Using a UK car seat in Australia is illegal and would invalidate any insurance you have.

Original poster
smother · 13/09/2010 21:55

Thanks everyone, this has been very very helpful - infinitely more helpful than the travel agents or air china have been!

I've been told so many different things, it's good to have some reassurance that it would be ok not to take a car seat. The reason I went down the path of thinking I should take a car seat was when I booked the tickets, the travel agent said that a car seat was compulsory for under twos...... which doesn't seem to tally up with what the airline say.... but anyway, I think going without a car seat seems like the best option all round and I'll look into hiring a car seat once there.

thanks again - and any more advice would be appreciated!

OP posts:
ArthurPewty · 13/09/2010 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
smother · 14/09/2010 10:50

thanks Leonie.
I think what the travel agent meant is that a carseat is compulsory if you have booked a seat for them not if they are on your lap, but I don't think this is true either. Will double-check. I guess my nightmare is arriving at the airport to find we've got it wrong!

OP posts:
tefal · 17/09/2010 11:29

No, it is not. You can book a seat for an under 2 but just have them on your lap for take off and landing. Absolutely no need for a car seat for them. I'd never take a car seat on a flight with me and that is longhaul or shorthaul.

CakesAndMuffins · 17/09/2010 12:13

You can also get something called a CARES seatbelt which is supposed to be as safe as a car seat - they say that under 3 year olds need something more than just the airline seatbelt. They're not cheap, but we're getting one as I'd rather be safer...

tefal · 18/09/2010 08:50

I have got one that we've actually never used! DS just preferred to be on my knee. Must remember to shove it on ebay!

sunnydelight · 20/09/2010 05:54

If you can pre-book your seat and the configuration allows, I would go for the very back of the plane where you usually get 2-3 rows of 2 (ideally the back row). Don't bring a car seat (for all the reasons above) and you will have a bit of extra space for your little one to sprawl out.

Original poster
smother · 20/09/2010 12:52

ok, thanks very much for tips everyone - will definitely not take a car seat now.

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 20/09/2010 12:56

Do you think that the travel agent meant was that carseats are mandatory in Australia, because they even are in taxis, I think. I remember someone I used to work with telling me about her daughter getting a taxi with her son who was about 5 months old at the time, it was an emergency and she didn't have a car seat, the taxis don't usually carry them unless you book in advance, and she had to beg the driver to take them, eventually he agreed but she had to put her baby down in the footwell Shock in case the police drove past them and saw! This would have been about 3 years ago.

lostinafrica · 26/09/2010 20:47

Good luck with the flight... I've always thought that from crawling-2 is the worst age to take a child on a plane - but you've got a seat for him so you avoid most of the problems I've always faced with that age (fly frequently with four under-7s). Very good decision! The other thing that works to your advantage is that it's long haul, so most of the time (one hopes) the seatbelt sign will be off and he'll have a bit of freedom.

My girls were usually amused with books and a quiet singsong (and any toy that the airline might - or might not - provide), but my boy was not quite so placid. My best tip from my experiences travelling with him is this: when nothing else is working, and he's about to annoy all the people around you, suggest he takes his shoes off. They often like that at that age, anyway. Never mind if he doesn't play ball, whip his shoe off and turn his sock into a glove puppet, complete with munching noises as it tries to eat his toes, tummy, arm, nose... Never played this game anywhere else with DS, but it worked like a charm whenever I needed it too.

Just pray you don't get locked into a holding pattern at the end... but that's cruel of me to suggest the idea!

Other tips:

Check whether they'll provide food for him - they usually don't for infants (except useless little puree jars), but if he has his own seat it may be different. Hopefully it is.

I had another one but I've forgotten it.

Oh, and spare a thought for those of us who don't get the extra seat, and have wriggly toddlers at our knees, with their hands in our food and then on our clothes and then half the food on the floor and no room to play because the trolley comes past every time they get into the aisle... My youngest is 7 months and it's all about to begin again with her - not looking forward to it!

Anyway, to end on a positive note, there are lots of distractions on a plane and often lots of people willing to help out, play with DC etc - plus any time that they sleep feels like a bonus - bliss!

HTH and hope I haven't gone on too much...