But infant a seat or not

[slby]

Hi - I need some advice. I am due to go on an 8 hour flight and have booked to have my infant on my lap. I am not starting to panic thinking I should have booked him a seat - I still can. He is 10 months old and big for his age so why fit on the bassinet.
People say it is fine but I keep reading horror stories about how unsafe he will be in turbulence. Any advice?
I'd happily pay out of my savings but I think Dh won't approve and people will think I'm being neurotic.

I would have him on your knee, chances are he'll cry in his seat and you'll end up with him on your knee anyway - if money is no object book it - you'll have a spare seat to stretch out on but I'm guessing a seat on an 8 hour flight is expensive! He'll be fine on your knee. Also I'm unsure of how a car seat/carrycot would fasten in safely with a plane seat belt? I imagine it would be loose? Someone that has done this though would probably be able to advise on that better. Mine have always just sat on mine or hubby's knee ( or layed across both of us when we only had one).

Book a bassinet anyway if you can. That will give you a bulkhead row seat. When we flew with my DDs as lap children that was a godsend as they could sit on the floor and play when the seatbelt signs were off. I seem to remember that one of my DDs even spent several hours asleep down there...

car seats that suit air travel do fasten securely, and will hold the baby in severe turbulence. A parent's arms won't.

the odds on turbulence that severe are low but it can happen. Doesn't matter how long or short the flight is.

your call. But adults and all loose objects get fixed down in turbulence, take off and landing. I always say that kids are not more important than adults - but they are not less important either.

So are the seats that you use for planes not normal car seats? I'm confused!? Whats a bassinet? Is that a carry cot? Sorry for being thick!!

Which airline are you using?. Their website should tell you what they use for babies and small children.

He will probably not fit in the bassinet; they are mainly designed for newborns or for babies under a certain weight limit or length.

In the event of turbulence he would in any case be seated on your lap (the crew would provide you with an extender belt). He will need to be seated in your lap for take off and landing.