BA and Carseats

[lauriebear]

Hi all, really hope someone has a clue on this... I have contacted BA and will feedback what they say but in the meantime hoping someone will have anecdotal advice/experience to share.
I have a 2YO all set for a 9hr flight heathrow to seattle next month and intend on popping him in his regular carseat which I bought because it is approved for flights and is pretty comfy, however it is not a 5 point harness system, it's actually a lot safer than harness seats, but on BA website they say they will accept only 5 point harness seats...
Its a Kiddy Guardian Pro - has anyone had any experience of this with BA or any carseat info they might be able to share? Thank you all in advance

Here's a pic of what I have:

Is it necessary to have a carseat for a two year old? Is it because you need it when you are there?

In response to it fitting, that carseat needs a car seat across the impact sheild, and I really dont think it would work with a lap belt

Happy to be proved wrong on all of the above though.

I know that it does work with a plane lap belt, you actually have to bring a "seat belt shortener" with you just in case weirdly enough because the lap belts are often too long. We are going for a month to visit in laws and will be driving a lot to various relatives. Also my son can get pretty energetic and we take off around 4pm so this seat should help him sleep as he always rests in it in the car and it is super comfy and reclines, lucky him...

found this pic to give you an idea of how it fits in relation..

Ahh ok. Makes sense then to use it on the flight if you are going to be taking it anyways!

as long as they don't insist on chucking it in the hold

No, they won't let you use that on the aircraft primarily because it is not 5 point harness; their rules are strict. Have you measured how wide it is and is it in two parts (they do not allow those either). Will it actually fit the BA seat (45x45 cms)?.

It may well be problematic to carry that down that narrow aisle with both your child and hand luggage.

The picture you show is certainly not a BA plane.

At Heathrow as well, they still use buses on some longhaul flights to take people to the aircraft upon which they walk up the steps. If you are fortunate enough to avoid that you will have to use the transit train to get to either B or C gates. It can be hard enough with just hand luggage and children, the thought of carrying a car seat as well makes me cringe.

They will more likely than not make you put this in the hold at check in so it will need to be packaged up with care.

This is also from their website:-

"Car seats

If you decide to purchase a separate seat for your infant for a child fare, or you're travelling with a child who is less than three years old, you may prefer to use your own forward facing car seat.

The car seat:
•can only be used for infants over six months old and children up to three years old
•must be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap and face the same direction as the passenger seat on which it is positioned
•must have a 5-point restraining harness
•must not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat, and should fit into an area of 45cm x 45cm (17.5ins x 17.5ins)

Please note: Two part car seats, (a seat and separate base) are not suitable for use on aircraft seats"

Some other suggestions:-

Do not also rely on them to fully provide re foodstuffs for your child. Take what he likes and enough of it for the flight duration.

If you do have something like a tablet device, I would put lots of childrens programmes on it. I suggest that also because their own childrens tv channel can be quite limited. A list of the films being shown on your flight next month should already be on their website.

wow thank - you Attilathemeerkat! I have been googling like mad to find alternative carseats in the last 24hrs as I suspected BA would be a pain... Thank you for the food advice I was about to blindly trust their catering facility but shan't now, especially as I'm not sure he'll sleep through without his own carseat. Do you know if BA are funny about anything re food that you supply? (don't want to get anything confiscated just in case)

Do you happen to know if they'll accept Britax Prince or Eclipse? I checked dimensions and Prince seems fine (45x45) but since the top part of eclipse can recline further if you choose the it's stated as (45x57 eek). Prefer the eclipse says it looks easier to recline if he sleeps and a bit safer to use in cars once we get there... but at this point we're getting a bit desperate. We have to get a cab about 100miles to the airport too so this seat needs to be decent or the whole trip will be hell

Can you tell this is my first time flying with a toddler

You're very welcome.

I would be very careful re carseats and if the seat does not precisely match their requirements I would not use it on board. Also you will still have to carry the seat down the plane aisle to get to your seat and that can be a hard task in itself. If you are in World Traveller (economy) I think the armrests lift up between the seats so he could potentially partly lie across you as well if he did want to sleep (he may equally not sleep during the flight or sleep perhaps for a short time only several hours into the flight).

Are you taking a pushchair, you can use that right up to the gate. I suggest using something like that because at Heathrow you can walk a fair old distance.

Re food on the plane I would take what he likes (no yogurt, drinks or anything else runny over 100ml however as this will not get through security) and plenty of it. Buy water etc on the other side; that is all okay to take on board. They won't look at you all funny; infact I do this on every longhaul flight and they tell me that I've come prepared!. I usually take some cakes and biscuits with me. (Have also given a couple of other children some of my own foodstuffs before now because they had run out of childrens meals!).

You can take fruit on board with you but leave any uneaten fruit behind on the aircraft.

They probably will not like the other seats either; can you instead use a travel cushion or travel pillow for him to rest his head against.

Taxi company should provide a suitable car seat for your son for his journey to the airport. If they cannot or will not use another company.

Plan accordingly and it should all be ok. I hope you have a safe trip to Seattle; its somewhere I have previously visited (via BA) and liked very much.

For the airport we've got a trunki, a boba 3g (worse comes to worst), and plan on taking minimal hand luggage, just devices and entertainment for him really. Can you recommend any good neck pillows? I was just going to go for the trunki snoozi one...

I'm really tempted to dump the carseat and buy a costco one when we arrive but I'm terrified if he has the lapbelt and doesn't sleep he will stand up and cause chaos ie protest loudly and verbally (he can no longer go in a pram for this reason, he's big for his age and very apable of walking long distances). I have the idea a carseat will psychologically calm him because he knows the drill, and will be locked down, and call me paranoid but I don't trust a carseat I don't know the history of (re: taxis).

Thanks again - I have been able to find so little BA/Heathrow specific info on messageboards

There's plenty out there and you could easily find something that you also feel is suitable for him. I have used a small travel sized pillow for my son before now and that has worked well.

BTW if he does have a favourite toy or comforter take that as well and make sure it does not get lost!!!.

Taxi company should hopefully allow you to use your own car seat if you are really worried (but there again it will need to be able to be properly fitted into the taxi); I would think that in law all their car seats have to be fit for purpose. You may be able to find a firm that specifically does airport journeys (we use a taxi firm on such a basis).

You may well find yourself walking up and down the plane aisles with him for some portion of the flight; I doubt very much he will want to sit at all still for very long.

100 ml liquids rule does not apply to baby food and milk etc. In theory they can ask you to open and taste it but I took loads and they weren't bothered.