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If you book and infant into their own seat

13 replies

inscotland · 25/05/2009 11:57

Can he just sit on your knee for take off and landing or MUST we cart his car seat with us that won't be legal in the country we are visiting anyway?

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inscotland · 25/05/2009 12:04

oooh, we are flying emirates so does anyone have an idea of what bassinets etc they provide?

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MrsHappy · 25/05/2009 12:08

If he's under 2 he should sit on your knee for takeoff and landing.

inscotland · 25/05/2009 12:11

Brill. Ta.

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pavlovthesmugcat · 25/05/2009 12:12

If they are in their own seat, they need a seat to sit in while in it. If you mean you want him to sit in the seat through the journey but on your lap for take-off and landing? I am sure he will need the car seat at any time he is in his 'own' seat, in the same way that we are supposed to be buckled in when we are seated even if seatbelt signs are not on. So even if you wanted/were allowed him on your lap for take-off he would need his car seat for the rest of the journey, at least legally.

Would it be better to not buy a seat and have him on your lap/bassinet? Have no idea on emirates bassinets though sorry.

geordieminx · 25/05/2009 12:15

under 2 must sit on your lap for take off/landing

over 2 must sit in own seat for take off landing.

Ds was 2 years and 1 day - trying to get him to sit in his own seat was fun

MrsHappy · 25/05/2009 12:19

Even if you buy him a seat when the seatbelt sign goes on you can put him back on your lap. DD has always had her own seat (because it helps us to have extra space for her clobber) and I have never travelled with her car seat.

If you and your DP are both travelling, you might want to each ask for a lap belt for the baby when you get on the plane. That way you can swap which one of you is holding him without faff if need be.

TheDevilWearsPenneys · 25/05/2009 12:21

Do you mean the country you are visiting doesn't have legislation over car seats?

I personally use a car seat to keep my children as safe as possible, not because it's law to use one.

BakewellTarts · 25/05/2009 12:26

We flew Emirates to NZ and they were fab.

Check in staff rearranged our seats so we were all sat together and had the bulkhead seats which fit the Bassinet seats and have lots of space around. Weight limit on these is 11 kg (I think). Can only be used when the seatbelt signs are turned off so not on take off / landing or whilst in turbulance.

We didn't book a seperate seat and I had DD2 on my lap during takeoff. Very useful as I could feed her which kept her happy. I think you'd need a car seat if you as otherwise there's no way a baby could cope in a big airline seat. FWIW I'm very glad that we didn't buy DD2 a seat as it would have been a complete waste of money. She was only 5 months old though as I can see why if you have an older child who won't fit into the bassinet you would want to buy one.

On car seats most car cos will rent them to you which is what we did. OK some risk they've been in an accident but they should at least fit the car you've hired and comply with local regs.

inscotland · 25/05/2009 12:27

Thanks everyone.

No, we're moving to Australia where our Britax doesn't meet their standards and is therefore illegal. It's a heavy britax so I don't want to have to carry that all the way to Oz for it to go in the bin because it is illegal.

I just didn't know if his carseat HAD to go in his seat or if he could go on our knee for take off and landing.

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inscotland · 25/05/2009 12:33

He'll be 1 when we fly and I am pretty sure is over 11 kilos so it looks like purchasing a seat is a must.

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mumoverseas · 25/05/2009 13:04

geordieminx is right about the seat thing. Under 2 they MUST sit on your lap with the infant lap belt for take off and landing. If you buy him his own seat he can sit in that after take off, with or without a car seat. I've found that even taking a car seat they will not always allow you to use it, it must comply with the airline requirements.

Ref Emirates, don't assume you'll get the bassinet/sky cot even if you book it. When DD was a baby she flew 16 times in her first year, 12 times with Emirates and go the sky cot every time we'd booked which was great.

Last month we flew Emirates 4 times with DS who was 2 months old and despite requesting/booking/double/treble checking the skycot and having it confirmed several hundred times, we did not get it. Our first (and fourth) flight was only an hour and 15 mins so didn't complain too much about that but the other flights were long haul night flights. when we got to Dubai for them we went to double check/re-confirm as we'd been promised the seats. Basically they lied to us as said that all the seats in the bulkhead were booked by other families with infants and there just were not enough bulkhead seats. Funny old thing, on 3 of the 4 flights there NO other infants and on the one that had infants, there were only 2 where the skycots attached, and one was too big to use it. With Emirates, the baby needs to be under around 6 months (depending on weight) whereas with BA they can be much older as they have a car seat type baby seat, as well as the normal bassinet. I will never fly Emirates again.

Hope your move goes ok. Bearing in mind your long journey, I think you are making the right decision to buy him his own seat. Good luck

inscotland · 25/05/2009 13:10

Yep, decision made for his own seat. We're going emirates because Dubai is the only place we've not been en-route to Oz and we like to try different places.

Thank you everyone for your tips.

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mumoverseas · 25/05/2009 13:19

enjoy the new terminal in Dubai. It is fabulous and the pub (the Hubb) is really nice (you can tell I live in a 'dry' country and always rush into the airport for a swift drink before changing planes)

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