Car seat on Air New Zealand - HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[helly76]

Can anyone help us please - we are travelling to NZ with Air New Zealand in January and are wanting to take a car seat on the plane for our one year old - Tom. The airline tell us to contact the retailers and the retailers tell us to ring the airline - we are getting nowhere!!!!! We think we have narrowed it down to a Britax Eclipse or a Bebe Comfort Iseos safe side (which we prefer). Does ANYONE have any experience of travelling on Air New Zealand with a car seat. We are going mad trying to decide - HELP !!!!!!

Got this from the CAA website:

'The policy on the criteria and use of car type safety seats can differ between airlines. In the UK, a safety seat must be fitted in the same direction as the passenger seat on which it is positioned. For further airline specific criteria and restrictions on use of car type safety seats passengers are advised to contact the airline with which they are travelling. It is important to ascertain whether the car type safety seat a passenger is proposing to use would be acceptable to the airline'.

The last sentence seems to answer your question, so it sounds as though you need to hassle the airline.

Are you wanting to buy the carseat specifically to travel on the plane with? If you are, are you intending to pay for a seat for him?

Have you considered leaving him on an infant ticket and booking a bassinet/sky cot? We flew to Singapore with our 18mo dd in a bassinet and she wasn't too squished.

Travelling with Children.co.uk says: 'Check the width of your car seat, while airline seats vary in width, a car seat no wider than 16" should fit in most economy class seats. Even if the armrests are moved out of the way, a car seat wider than 16" is unlikely to fit properly into the frame of the aircraft seat.'

That might make your decision for you.

It also says: 'Make sure your child safety seat has the following statement on it, "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft." although that's advice from the FAA, rather than the CAA.

This thread has more info and people's experiences.

Meant to add, it sounds as though the Bebe Confort is your best bet from that thread.

Have found this on the Air New Zealand website.

Thanks Olihan - especially for getting back to us so quickly and with so much information. We wanted to book a bassinet but Air New Zealand and Singapore Air said this was only on request and priority went to under 8 month olds. We were worried about this so have booked Tom his own seat (he is rather active already!). We found some information on Austrian Airlines Group [www.aua.com/at/eng/About_Flight/preparation/kids/kids+on+tour.htm], which may be of use if we need to try and persuade them the Bebe Comfort ISEOS is safe to fly with.

Sorry that link again www.aua.com/at/eng/About_Flight/preparation/kids/kids+on+tour.htm

We had the same response to the Bassinets when we went but we've been over twice and not had a problem being given one. Last time we went to Singapore with Singapore Air we needed 2 and got them for both journeys. However, we were seated on the middle section which has 4 seats across and they didn't put anyone in the 4th seat - unsurprisingly as we were travelling with a 3yo, 18mo and 9 week old - so dd had her own seat but slept in the bassinet. I agree they're not such a good idea for active 1yos!

The only other thought I had was that the leg to Singapore is operated by Singapore Air, isn't it? Could you contact them and ask if the Bebe Confort is okay? Alternatively, my dad flies for singapore air so I could ask him if he knows, if you like.

Have actually booked flights with Air NZ as the times suited us better, we have emailed them so hopefully we'll get a response tomorrow. Many thanks for your help -wish us luck!

Hi there Helly

Just wondered which car seat you ended up buying in the end, if you don't mind me asking? I'm flying to New Zealand with Air New Zealand in just over a week with my 9 month old. Its so hard to get the right information!

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Hi Helly and Annie,
I'm in a similar dilemma now with trying to decide on how we'll travel back to New Zealand from New York this December with our toddler. We have a Britax Roundabout which has a 17" width. I 'think' this is one inch too wide based on what is stated on the Air NZ website. How did it work out in the end for your respective flights?
Thanks, Roanna

Hi, sorry for butting in but I'm intrigued about the comment that you used a bassinet for an 18month old. BA have just told us that they only provide Bassinets up to 6 months and then they can provide a car seat that slips into the bassinet position.

I'm wondering who you flew with?
Thanks
N