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Original poster

lap infant safety on flight - baby b'air on uk - international flights

21 replies

jaykb · 08/12/2025 12:42

hi everyone ! just wondering if anyone flies from the uk often and uses the lap infant option ? have you ever used baby b'air during turbulence ?

my daughter is extremely clingy so we had to use the lap option (she'll be 23 months when we go and im already starting to believe that this may be a difficult idea lol).

i've recently found out about the baby b'air and am wondering if we can even use that ? i did contact the airline we're using (lufthansa) and have had 2 completely different answers, so now im unsure. i know lufthansa give out infant seatbelts but im afraid that wont be enough to stop projection if we have rough turbulence, however you can correct me if im wrong!

thanks !

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 08/12/2025 13:31

It’s a FAA approved product so can be used in the US. However it does not follow it can be used on European based airlines. I would assume it cannot be used.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 08/12/2025 13:33

Aircraft seatbelts are tested rigorously and are designed to withstand strong turbulence. The risk from injury comes to a passenger if the seatbelt is unbuckled during flight and strong turbulence occurs.

Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 15:26

AttilaTheMeerkat · 08/12/2025 13:33

Aircraft seatbelts are tested rigorously and are designed to withstand strong turbulence. The risk from injury comes to a passenger if the seatbelt is unbuckled during flight and strong turbulence occurs.

thank you that eases a lot of my worries !! i asked on a facebook group and a lot of americans were yelling at me for not getting her a seat😭😭 which i suppose is understandable from their side as those belts aren't approved there

OP posts:
Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 15:26

AttilaTheMeerkat · 08/12/2025 13:31

It’s a FAA approved product so can be used in the US. However it does not follow it can be used on European based airlines. I would assume it cannot be used.

thank you i won't bother then :) honestly ive never flown with a baby before and ive only flown twice myself so i have no idea what's approved

OP posts:
FluentRuby · 09/12/2025 15:31

We flew from Aus to Europe and the baby in front of us was given a baby belt. The air stewardess gave special instructions on how to hold the baby in the brace position if needed and showed the parents how to use the seat belt.

good luck and enjoy the flight.

Bitzee · 09/12/2025 15:37

AttilaTheMeerkat · 08/12/2025 13:31

It’s a FAA approved product so can be used in the US. However it does not follow it can be used on European based airlines. I would assume it cannot be used.

It’s presumably designed for a different purpose because the US carriers don’t use the infant lap belts. IDK for sure but in Europe I’d assume that they want you to use the belt and therefore this wouldn’t be ok. If you’re not happy with that then your only guaranteed solution is to book your toddler a seat and use a CARES harness or a car seat but there are currently no airline approved toddler seats on sale in the UK so you’d need to source one from the US or somewhere where it’s more commonly done. Air travel is very safe. Turbulence that bad is rare and would be newsworthy. I wouldn’t overthink it beyond will you actually be comfortable with an almost 2YO on your lap and would the extra space be handy.

notimagain · 09/12/2025 15:39

jaykb · 09/12/2025 15:26

thank you that eases a lot of my worries !! i asked on a facebook group and a lot of americans were yelling at me for not getting her a seat😭😭 which i suppose is understandable from their side as those belts aren't approved there

Show quote history

The whole issue of infants on laps is (or certainly has been) very controversial States side, long story behind that but it's generally not due to worries over turbulence.

A lot of the rest of the world takes a different view.

As far as turbulence goes I can't think of an incident were an infant, or an adult for that matter, has been projected because their seat belt failed..as a p p said the usual problem is people simply not wearing them.

Justploddingonandon · 09/12/2025 15:40

Have no idea what the baby b'air is, but the infant seatbelts the airline provide always seem plenty secure enough (though I've only used with younger but still fairly wriggly babies). However, at 23 months I would reconsider getting them their own seat if the flight is more than a couple of hours. Even if you have to hold her while the sealbelt sign is on, you'll both appreciate the extra space the rest of the time. Plus if your group is you, partner and child you'll get a row of three to yourselves (you may have to pay to be seated together) and won't have to worry about the toddler wriggling into a strangers space.

stackhead · 09/12/2025 15:41

You will only be allowed to use an infant belt (or for some airlines an approved car seat - but these are few and far between). Children under 2 must be on laps for take off (with the lap belt) and landing regardless of whether or not you book them a seat.

Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 15:54

i did look at getting her a seat yesterday but it was like £500 and i can't afford that so close to christmas :( luckily there's still a spare seat next to us but i doubt it'll stay free💀

OP posts:
Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 15:57

FluentRuby · 09/12/2025 15:31

We flew from Aus to Europe and the baby in front of us was given a baby belt. The air stewardess gave special instructions on how to hold the baby in the brace position if needed and showed the parents how to use the seat belt.

good luck and enjoy the flight.

that helps ease my stress thank you :)

OP posts:
Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 15:59

Bitzee · 09/12/2025 15:37

It’s presumably designed for a different purpose because the US carriers don’t use the infant lap belts. IDK for sure but in Europe I’d assume that they want you to use the belt and therefore this wouldn’t be ok. If you’re not happy with that then your only guaranteed solution is to book your toddler a seat and use a CARES harness or a car seat but there are currently no airline approved toddler seats on sale in the UK so you’d need to source one from the US or somewhere where it’s more commonly done. Air travel is very safe. Turbulence that bad is rare and would be newsworthy. I wouldn’t overthink it beyond will you actually be comfortable with an almost 2YO on your lap and would the extra space be handy.

Show quote history

she's not very wriggly and we're both rather small so im hoping we'll be fine, can't say for sure until it happens😭

OP posts:
Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 16:00

jaykb · 09/12/2025 15:54

i did look at getting her a seat yesterday but it was like £500 and i can't afford that so close to christmas :( luckily there's still a spare seat next to us but i doubt it'll stay free💀

this was in reply to @Justploddingonandon not sure why it didn't quote sorry !!

OP posts:
Ygfrhj · 09/12/2025 16:03

They make you take the child out of any carrier for take off and landing and use the infant seatbelt extension. In the US they don't give out infant seatbelts, I know people from the US who flew long haul and they all used carseats.

Apart from that I don't think my DD sat still long enough to be in a carrier on any plane journeys. By 23 months we basically had to get her her own seat because she wriggled about so much.

Ponderingwindow · 09/12/2025 16:03

If you get her a seat, there is nothing stopping you from holding her for the majority of the flight. You will simply have a place to secure her during the most dangerous portions of travel. There is no downside to getting a seat aside from cost.

Morecoffeethanks · 09/12/2025 16:04

You would be able to use it along side the lap belt I imagine. When my babies were tiny in carriers I still had to use the lap belt despite the carrier seeming far more secure than the belt- but I was allowed to wear the baby also.
I will say when mine were 23 months old they could easily wriggle out of the lap belt and would be trying to stand on my for take off and landing. It’s no easier now she two and has her own seat to be honest.

Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 16:18

Morecoffeethanks · 09/12/2025 16:04

You would be able to use it along side the lap belt I imagine. When my babies were tiny in carriers I still had to use the lap belt despite the carrier seeming far more secure than the belt- but I was allowed to wear the baby also.
I will say when mine were 23 months old they could easily wriggle out of the lap belt and would be trying to stand on my for take off and landing. It’s no easier now she two and has her own seat to be honest.

this'll be her first time on a plane so im going to assume she'll be too scared to stand up as she doesn't even like standing on trains😭 we'll have to see !

OP posts:
Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 16:21

Ponderingwindow · 09/12/2025 16:03

If you get her a seat, there is nothing stopping you from holding her for the majority of the flight. You will simply have a place to secure her during the most dangerous portions of travel. There is no downside to getting a seat aside from cost.

i did look into changing her ticket but it was £500 and i can't afford it this close to christmas unfortunately:(

OP posts:
Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 16:23

stackhead · 09/12/2025 15:41

You will only be allowed to use an infant belt (or for some airlines an approved car seat - but these are few and far between). Children under 2 must be on laps for take off (with the lap belt) and landing regardless of whether or not you book them a seat.

wow i had no idea !!! thank you for letting me know !!!

OP posts:
Original poster
jaykb · 09/12/2025 16:24

Morecoffeethanks · 09/12/2025 16:04

You would be able to use it along side the lap belt I imagine. When my babies were tiny in carriers I still had to use the lap belt despite the carrier seeming far more secure than the belt- but I was allowed to wear the baby also.
I will say when mine were 23 months old they could easily wriggle out of the lap belt and would be trying to stand on my for take off and landing. It’s no easier now she two and has her own seat to be honest.

that's what i thought originally but then i contacted the airline and got two completely different answers so i have no idea💀💀 i don't think it's approved in the uk so i doubt i'll get one anyway, i was looking for some sort of carrier for her though

OP posts:
TeamGeriatric · 09/12/2025 16:49

The infant seatbelt attaches to your seat belt like in the picture, so you'll be able to hold her and she'll also be as secured in the same way you are with no risk of being squashed. My kids are older now, but I've flown a lot both long and short haul using this kind of seatbelt, and it's been fine.

lap infant safety on flight - baby b'air on uk - international flights
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