Does my 2.5yo have to have a car seat on a plane?

[KittyandTeal]

We're flying to Crete in May. Last year my dd was under 2 so travelled on my lap.

This time she will be 2.8yo. We need to take a car seat with us anyway but I can't work out if she has to sit in it on the plane or if we can just check it in with the big bags?

The easyjet stuff online says under 2's with their own seat must be in a car seat which suggests older than 2 and they can just use the airplane seat.

Can anyone give me some advice, I don't fancy lugging bags, pushchair, toddler and a car seat around the airport while waiting to board. I know dd will be perfectly happy just sitting on the normal airplane seat.

No she doesn't need a car seat.

And yes you can check it in. Sometimes you get one free under a certain age and sometimes it costs something like £10.

We rent a car seat when we get to the car rental place-you don't need to bring one unless you really feel the need, it's not mandatory in taxis.

Awesome, I knew I'd get quick responses from mn.

We're going with family and dad has his own car out there, last year we borrowed a neighbours car seat (we own a flat out there) but they're using it this year so I def need to get one over there somehow.

It seems that we can take one from free with easyjet (that's the biggest shock I've had for a while) but I just wanted to know if we had to use it on the plane.

Think we'll check it in then. I'm sure there must be some extra safety advantage but I figure if the plane is going down a car seat isn't going to help much!

You don't need your car seat on the plane. We always check ours in and this has always been free of charge - even on the budget airlines. We rent a car the other side and find it very expensive to add a car seat to the rental.

That's what I thought merle, it's pretty expensive to rent one especially when we don't need to rent a car.

Cool, I'll take ours and just check it with the bags so we don't have to lug it across gatwick:)

Have never ever used car seat on a plane or taken one with us. They need to be a certain size to use on board too and most seats are too big. I'd check it into the hold.

I do remember a thread on here ages back which was pretty convincing on why you should use a car seat on a plane but as you say - the chances of the plane crashing to a point that a car seat would make a difference has to be low!

and there is nothing more stressy than trying to fit a rented or borrowed car seat in to an unfamiliar car while baking in the sun with kids and cars and OMG its a nightmare.. just take your own and try and remember how it fits in the car! take a big bin bag and a roll of selotape in your handbag and wrap it up once you get in to the check in queue.

Some airlines do not allow 2-3 children on seats without a special seat. A lot of the long haul for example. But you reserve a 5 pt with the airline. It's not a car seat.

On longhaul flights I always found it a godsend as DC soon fall asleep in the comfort of their own familiar chair.

UK to Crete it may not be worth the bother for you, depending on how well your Dc goes on planes

My dd seems to love planes (she's a bit obsessed) so I don't think she'll sleep ion the flight anyway as it's not nap time.

Good plan about the bin bag and tape before its checked in.