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Original poster

RE: 16m old travelling on airplane - car seat?

14 replies

deblav · 01/11/2011 20:39

Hello. We are planning a trip involving a 3 hour flight with our 16 month old DD. We have read on other websites/forums that it can be advisable to book a seat for your child and to take a car seat in which she can sit when not taking off or landing (when she will be on one of our laps with a lapbelt as recommended by airlines).
Has anyone any experience of travelling with child this age? what would you recommend? do we need an extra seat with car seat fitted? if so, which car seat would you recommend? any advice gratefully recieved. Thanks.

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 01/11/2011 20:42

Why do you want to take a car seat? Can't she sit in your lap?

mousyfledermaus · 01/11/2011 20:47

are you going within europe?
which airline?
within europe children under 2 have to sit on parent's lap for take off/landing. with cheaper airlines you cannot book a separate seat for under 2s. check the t&c of the airline.

Original poster

deblav · 01/11/2011 20:51

Yes, we are travelling to Europe. Not sure which airline as yet, still looking at prices etc. We just wondered if it would be safer for DD to be in her own seat, strapped into a car seat, fixed to the airplane seat than on one of our laps.
have never seen the safety harness airlines provide for children. Has anyone any experience of using one of these? How did you find it?

OP posts:

Albrecht · 01/11/2011 20:55

Just flew 1.5 hours return with 15 month old ds on my own, on my lap. It was way easier than when he was 7 months as he was interested to look out the window, read his new books (even the inflight mag and safety card) and eat the free biscuit!

If there are two of you I really think you will manage on your laps. I am a short arse so ds could stand between my legs easily, while still attached in the lapbelt while I faffed about getting things sorted.

I think the car seat thing is a money making scheme by airlines to sell an extra seat tbh. Mind you ds hates being in the car seat so I wouldn't consider it anyway. Do you have to carry your car seat on with you - what a hassle!

C4ro · 01/11/2011 20:57

There is no option for take-off and landing she will be on your lap with a lap belt (it's basically like a full belt, same material and buckle as the normal plane ones and it has a little loop on it that you put your own lapbelt through).

My DD is 15 months and the only time we took her carseat was the first stages 0 maxi cosi when she was 8 weeks old. I can't imagine the larger seat she has now fitting and it's not worth the extra seat price for sure unless you're flying a lot of hours. You can of course take a car seat in luggage but if you're hiring a car it's normally not much for the baby seat.

Albrecht · 01/11/2011 20:59

What do you mean safer? Sorry but in the event of a crash erm, everyone has had it usually haven't they? I guess if you had a bumpy landing but she would have to be on your lap when approaching normal landing.

You put your belt on as normal and you get an extra loop of belt to attach to yours that clips round them. Its pretty loose as it slides up and down your belt so they can move around a fair bit.

Original poster

deblav · 01/11/2011 21:01

Albrecht we don't have to take a car seat, we're just wondering if that's the best option, particularly as we are likely to need to use taxi's when we reach our destination and feel that having a 'travel' car-seat may prove useful.

OP posts:

C4ro · 01/11/2011 21:01

I think I wasn't clear- the lapbelt for the child isn't optional for the times when the seatbelts sign is lit (you can't put them in the carseat at that point, even if you have one). You don't have to have the belt on when the sign isn't lit but for your safety it's advised to leave it on (yada yada). Depends on your child that bit- my DD HATES to be restrained so we get 10 minutes screaming for take-off and landing and then we take the belt off for the rest of the time.

blowninonabreeze · 01/11/2011 21:03

I've booked a seat for an under 2, but only bother for long haul (plus I was 22 weeks pregnant at the time and didn't fancy a 20 month old jumping on the bump for 13 hours)

TBH for a 3 hour flight with 2 adults I'd just have your DD on your lap. Its fine.

IF you go down the carseat route be very careful. It very much depends on the airlines which carseat will be accepted, we flew with AA and the rules then were that it had to be a car seat of certain dimensions and it also had to be tested for use with a lap belt. We ended up buying a Britax seat purely for use on aeroplanes as it was the only one that they would accept on board (this was 4 years ago)

In terms of take off/ landing if you book a seat but don't have a car seat, they have to be on your knee for all the period of time that the seat belt sign is on. (so if there's alot of turbulance it could be for a large proportion of the flight.) If you've taken a car seat on board they are allowed to be strapped into that.

C4ro · 01/11/2011 21:06

Ah, from your last update, I think I would just put the carseat in the hold luggage rather than hump it to the gate. Even then I think if you're not planning any more taxi/ bus travel than from the airport to hotel (and if that's not far), I'd really not take it at all.

Original poster

deblav · 01/11/2011 21:07

Oh. I see. I didn't realise that children have to be on your lap for take-off and landing. so really the seat would be redundant. Plus, judging from your comments and others found whilst trawling Mumsnet for advice, toddlers like to explore once they are comfortable rather than sit in the chair. I'm fairly sure DD would be the same as she too hates being put in the car seat in the first instance.
Quick question, can you have child facing you when strapped in, or do you have to have their back to you? (if you see what I mean).

OP posts:

Wallace · 01/11/2011 21:11

Re your last question. I don't think it matters. I have breastfed babies when they have their seatbelt on.

Albrecht · 01/11/2011 21:53

ds rotated all the way round! He likes to sit facing me to read books but also sat playing with the tray table facing out.

Imagine you are wearing a normal belt and so is the child but they are connected at the buckle.

Lizcat · 02/11/2011 13:49

We took DD to South Africa at 15 months with no seat. It was a night flights and she slept the whole way there and back on me. It was 24 hours of my life it didn't spoil my holiday the extra £150 spending money made my holiday.
I have a friends who are both cabin crew and on their daughter's first flight she was seated in 1A (1st class - flat bed) still sat on Mummy's lap all the way to Bangkok.

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