(Awkward transition) Carseats on planes

atlantic

First - bring it on the plane?  I'm thinking she'll sleep easier.  But I'm trying to figure out how to install and am feeling nervous about it -- we're flying Delta and a lot of message boards I'm reading say that Delta is not car seat friendly and/or will require you to do it forward (and i know V would be kicking the seat the whole time).

We have a Britax Boulevard, which I think is the better choice for the plane that our Evenflow Triumph...but now I'm rethinking if I should even bring it on the plane.  I'm thinking there's no chance that V will sleep without it, which means crying!

Anyone have experience either with Delta and carseats or the Boulevard on a plane? 

mlf625

Yes, we fly Delta exclusively now (thanks, midwestern monopoly) and yes, we fly with our Britax seat(s).  They fit just fine, even on the tiny puddle jumper plane we sometimes have to take to get to Minneapolis.  They install just like they do on Jet Blue and American and Southwest and all the others, and I've never once been instructed on which way I had to install the seat.  We usually do forward face, though, because rear facing means the person in front of you can't recline at all.  How tall is she?  Vivi's very tall for her age (15 months, 32 inches) and can't reach to kick the seat in front of her.

 I've taken a Boulevard, a Marathon, and an Evenflo on planes and I don't think any one is better or worse than the others.  So take whichever seat she's comfiest with. 

The only thing I definitely recommend is the GoGoKidz to get it onboard and through the airport.  The first couple times I flew with a seat I asked for a seatbelt extender (I'd read about that online) but I didn't find that it made it all that much easier to buckle/unbuckle the seat and it took forever for an attendant to get it to me, anyway.  So I'd skip that, personally.

It will all be great.   

atlantic

mlf625:

Yes, we fly Delta exclusively now (thanks, midwestern monopoly) and yes, we fly with our Britax seat(s).  They fit just fine, even on the tiny puddle jumper plane we sometimes have to take to get to Minneapolis.  They install just like they do on Jet Blue and American and Southwest and all the others, and I've never once been instructed on which way I had to install the seat.  We usually do forward face, though, because rear facing means the person in front of you can't recline at all.  How tall is she?  Vivi's very tall for her age (15 months, 32 inches) and can't reach to kick the seat in front of her.

 I've taken a Boulevard, a Marathon, and an Evenflo on planes and I don't think any one is better or worse than the others.  So take whichever seat she's comfiest with. 

The only thing I definitely recommend is the GoGoKidz to get it onboard and through the airport.  The first couple times I flew with a seat I asked for a seatbelt extender (I'd read about that online) but I didn't find that it made it all that much easier to buckle/unbuckle the seat and it took forever for an attendant to get it to me, anyway.  So I'd skip that, personally.

It will all be great.   

Thank you, that helps!  V is tall too...sadly I can't remember.  Thankfully, we were able to borrow a GoGoKidz.

 Any tips on how to install it? 

jml5q

how old is she? i'm assuming you've bought her a seat. if so i'd bring the car seat on.

i dont' think it's necessarily delta that is not car seat friendly, as it is flight attendants are aware that RF is allowed if the seat permits its based on size. I was told on a flight (can't remember which airline, but it wasn't delta - probably SW or Jet Blue) that DD's seat had to be FF. I didn't know any differently so i didn't argue with the FA. But a quick google search came up with this regulation from the FAA (you may want to verify it's the most recent. someone posted that they carry this with them so if the FA tells them the seat must be FF they can show them it can be either way. although i'm not sure if it's really worth the arguement.

 we only have an Evenflo and have flown with it many times with no issues. are you flying without your DH? that would be the only thing that would make me hesitant of bringing it, just because it's one more thing to carry.

atlantic

DH will be with me, thankfully.  I'm probably stressing for nothing - if we have to do FF and she kicks the seat in front, we can always take her out of her seat and hold her.  I just started reading all these threads where people were complaining about kids kicking their seats and how horrible the parents were and started getting paranoid.

txbabs111

I would bring it on the plane. Campbell does so well in her carseat on the plane and I can't even imagine what it would be like if we flew without it.

Everything I've read says that you should install the carseat the same way on the plane that you would in the car. I've always installed C rear-facing in the plane. On Continental, I didn't need an extender, but on Southwest I did. I would just ask for one when you get on and then if you don't need it, don't use it.

I have only had one flight attendant give me grief about having her rear facing. If you want, you can take a copy of the FAA's Advisory on the use of car seats (found here). Paragraph 18 says the seat should be installed according to it's label.

txbabs111

Ha- I kept getting distracted while I was writing that and it looks like everything I said was pretty much covered. Good luck!

atlantic

txbabs111:

Ha- I kept getting distracted while I was writing that and it looks like everything I said was pretty much covered. Good luck!

No, giving me that paragraph was a HUGE help...I didn't see what I would reference and gave up after a search for "rear" yielded nothing.