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Attachment Parenting
rainlily
member
Airplane travel with carseat (NAPR)
rainlily
member
We are taking a short trip with DD in the next month. We haven't flown with her since she was small enough to fit in her infant carseat and I had a couple of questions. I bought the Cosco Scenera to use as our travel carseat. Can it be installed rear-facing in a plane? Is there a rule as to what seat it has to go in (window, middle, aisle)? Sorry to ask such silly questions, but we would like to keep her RFing, since that is what she is used to in the car. Does anyone have experience travelling with the Cosco Scenera? Thanks, ladies! I'll be doing a bit of a post and run...DD has a Little Gym class to go to!
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Re: Airplane travel with carseat (NAPR)
Yup, you can totally RF on an airplane. It also prevents LO from kicking the seat in front of her and gives you easier access to feed and entertain her.
You'll have to have her in the window seat since you can't easily get past the carseat in an emergency. Last time we flew they actually made us trade seats with someone because we were assigned the middle and aisle seats.
I believe the FAA says yes you can RF (window/non-emergency exit) but It totally depends on the flight attendant, their training and their airlines perceived "policies" (which may differ depending on whether you purchased the seat or they're giving you an extra). I've been told so many different things it's not funny. I've also had to use the window seat even when we were FF and had the whole row.
I'd just be prepared to ask before hand and be flexible. FWIW, safety wise in an aircrash I'm not certain there's a whole lot of research about the benefits of one or the other (RF vs. FF) so it's pretty much been the least of my worries.
However, getting M situated quickly so he doesn't meltdown is my bigger problem/concern when we travel. Once he was sound asleep (RF in the window seat) after a very long and cranky day of solo travel and I was forced to turn him FF after a lengthy discussion on the "policy" with the flight attendant who threatened to kick us off the flight instead of double checking with someone else. That one really peeved me.
LOL! That was my first thought as soon as she said it "no, I don't want to be that woman on the news!" However, it was our 4th flight of the day and RFing had been approved by all the FAs prior. I feel like the "or I'll have to remove you from this flight" threat is a poor power trip. I really was just curious why the "official" policies all day were so different and where I could get a copy so I'd know what to expect in the future. Luckily we haven't had to fly for a while.
Good luck with your trip! New books and snacks work really well for us when we travel, though the iPad and Sesame Street are our last resort calming tool.
Ha! We are in Romania right now, I flew alone with DS and carseat. I am dreading the return flight because the flight attendants were so anti carseat on the plane.
Going Chicago to Germany, I was told carseats are not able to fit on planes. I insisted on the seat! I should say demanded! I made them let me put the seat on the plane and then let me try to see if it fit. Of course it did! I was then told that he could not rear face, I let that one go but man did I feel bad for the poor man in front of Ovi. He leaned the seat all the way back leaving Ovi no leg room and he kicked, pushed and poked the seat the entire 10 hour flight! Opps!
Germany to Chicago was the worst experience of my flying experience. They boarded me LAST! I had so much crap with me and O that it felt so bad for everyone are I dragged my baby(on my back), car seat, bags and myself on that plane. I literally cried when I got to my seat. I fought with them at the gate, at the door of the plane and on the plane for Ovi to sit in his carseat. They told me seats do not fit on planes again! I asked for the captain to come to speak with me and he told them that it is policy for children to be able to ride in carseats. He then personally helped me strap me seat in and calmed Ovi and I down. He came when the flight was over and apologized for the ignorance of the flight staff.
I suggest making sure the gate staff understands you have a child, you are going to use a carseat and that you would like to be one of the first to board the aircraft. It is hard to stay clam when it feels like everyone is watching you, or your LO cries but you have to travel. Try to stay calm and good luck and safe travels!
I know that a lot of the problems with flight attendants insisting on forward facing seats, is that the regulations state that the seat must be installed on a forward-facing airplane seat (just like in a car). A forward-facing airplane seat is the seat affixed to the airplane that faces towards the cockpit.
From the FAA Advisory Circular:
18. PLACEMENT OF CRS ON THE AIRCRAFT. CRSs must be installed in forward-facing aircraft seats, in accordance with instructions on the label. This includes placing the CRS in the appropriate forward or aft-facing direction as indicated on the label for the size of the child. A window seat is the preferred location; however, other locations may be acceptable, provided the CRS does not block the egress of any passenger, including the child?s parent or guardian, to the aisle used to evacuate the aircraft.
Thank you for your post Mind_the_Gap, and for starting the thread OP!
We are traveling by plane with my DS in June, and he is still below 20 pounds (recommended to RF.) I will definitely be printing this out to take with me! It is such a joke that the regulations are so loosely followed by airline and TSA staff, it's unfortunate that I have to carry literature with me when I fly with my child to ensure his safety. Ridiculous.
I flew at 9 months with DD in her carseat. I had one FA tell me to turn her around. I told him that I was NOT turning my child forward facing. I was so p!ssed he even suggested it and fought me on it when I said no. His reasoning, it was an airplane, not a car. I held my ground and he backed down. Of course, on another leg I did take DD out of the carseat to nurse and play some, so it is different from a car, but still. So what if the person in front of me can't put his chair back the 1 inch that those seats recline?
Although, I will say that hauling that thing through the airport was a PIA! I got some serious bruises on my legs from where it was hitting me while I was carrying it. But if you aren't traveling alone, that probably won't be a big deal.
Good luck on your return trip! I can't believe that airline staff tried to tell you that carseats aren't allowed on airplanes. There has been a push by the airlines lately to make all passengers (even 1 day old babies) have their own seat. Obviously, carseats would be needed. I have seen some of those harnesses for the seatbelt, but I don't think DD is big enough for one yet and neither is your LO. All of the FAA info reads that in the case of moderate to severe turbulence, you can't hold onto your lap child and that is why they need their own seat. Airports and airlines are so ridiculous. In no other industry, is it okay to get such conflicting information delivered in a threatening manner. Glad the pilot stepped in and had the right information.
I don't normally post here, but I thought I'd chime in to offer some quick advice. I fly often with my twin girls who just turned 2. I just recently flew by myself with both of them and their two Britax Boulevards, which was no easy task!
My first piece of advice is to talk to the people at the desk prior to boarding so that you can iron out all of the details before getting on the plane. Figure out if you need to change seats to get a window seat, get all of the carseat policy figured out so you don't have to argue with anyone once you board the plane and make sure that you can be first to board.
The BIGGEST piece of advice to make sure that when buckling the carseat in, make sure that you turn the "female end" of the buckle around 90 degrees so that it is facing backwards. Otherwise, when the seatbelt buckle slide into the back of your carseat as you tighten it, you won't be able to lift the lever to release the belt if it isn't facing out the back of the seat. My husband and I learned this the hard way, when on the first flight we took with our convertible carseats, one of the seatbelts had to be cut to get our carseat out...oops!
Good luck!
Our seat even has a big sticker saying airline approved! Thanks what made me even more aggitated, I just tried to remain calm and kept insisting that the car seat was coming on the plane. Heck I paid $1500 for O's seat, and he was/is going to use it.
My DH works at the airport in Chicago, he put in a complaint about how I was mistreated but he wasn't there so I'm fairly sure they said I need to make the complaint.
I did print out the liquids rule, because I travel with food and drink for O. He never eats airplane food and food is allowed for children, liquids over 3oz for children under 2 I believe. I just bring an organic box rice/soy/cows milk and organic jar food.
Thank you so much for the information on turning the female end of the buckle around 90 degrees!
You may have to ask for a belt extender to RF on a plane. I don't RF on planes (even if they're still RF in the car) because I can't bear to think about the person in front not being able to recline. Planes are cramped enough without that option.
Must be installed where it doesn't obstruct others, so if you have just one carseat, it has to be on the window.
Thanks. If it is a tight fit, we will just FF. I don't want to inconvenience other passengers.