Rear facing car seat on virgin flight.

[Jenks1980]

Any advice, greatly appreciated. We will be flying to Orlando in a few weeks with my 12 month old who still uses his Maxi Cosi Pebble car seat. We have purchased his own seat on the flight but he is too busy to sit unsecured on the seat or in a skycot. I have read really conflicting information from Virgin and have spoken to their staff at the call centre and am still none the wiser. The Maxi Cosi Pebble would usually be fear facing which according to some sources is not allowed on Virgin flights. Has anyone ever used one on a virgin flight in a forward facing direction instead? I’m so confused and won’t want to take it and be forced to store it in the hold. TIA

Think you can only use a forward facing seat that is designed to be fitted using just a lap belt.

If it is rearward facing such seats are not permitted for use during the flight. How wide is the seat too?. I ask as it may well not fit into the aircraft seat. If that happened it would need to go into the hold. Economy seats on VA are 17 inches wide.

From their website:-

"An infant is a child less than two years old. (Children aged 2 and over are not permitted to use an Infant car seat onboard)
If you would like to use your own car seat, it must:

Be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap

Have a separate 5-point restraining harness

Not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat, and should fit into an area of 43cm x 43cm (17.ins x 17ins)

Must be secured to its host seat at all times of the flight

Must not require the use of a three-point harness to secure it to the aircraft seat.

AFT facing car seats are not allowed

If for any reason your car seat cannot be fully secured, it may have to be placed in the hold. In these circumstances, your infant will have to be secured to your lap whenever the seat belt sign comes on"

It must also have EU approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles according to the UN standard ECE R 44, -03” or later
OR
‘Qualification Procedure for Child Restraint Systems for Use in Aircraft’ (TÜV Doc.: TÜV/958-01/2001)

flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/on-the-flight/cabin-and-seats/seats-for-children.html