Those who have flown with their toddler...

GreenEyedGal · December 2011

...did you buy your toddler a seat, have them sit on your lap or cross your fingers that no one bought the 3rd seat in your row?

I'm contemplating buying 2 seats (a window and an aisle) and take the risk of someone seeing that they are taken and not want to sit in the middle. Stupid idea? Should I just bite the bullet and spend the extra $300 on a seat for my son?

gringa78 · December 2011

I just held her on my lap. She was fine reading books and having snacks. I can't imagine coughing up $300 for an empty seat.

krissyh21 · December 2011

I bought a seat for my 5 and a half hour flight. I could not imagine holding him that long. I then ended up holding him for about 3 hours during the flight - both there and back because he did not want to be stuck in his carseat and was screaming bloody murder. So in hindsight, I would just take him as a lap baby. You may get lucky and have the third seat free - but I woulnd't bank on it.

browneyedgrl4282 · December 2011

We did not buy seats until we had to for the twins and they ended up sleeping the entire flight. Never had an issue with any of my kids being on my lap. Only thing I will warn you though some airlines want a you have proof your child is not over 2 so I would ask around to see if that airline you are using checks.

Mr.&MrsS · December 2011

I bought a seat for Nolan when we flew. I brought his car seat on the plane and strapped him in as a way to contain him. Worth every penny. I dont think he would have lasted on my lap. And our flight was full so there would have been no extra seats.

talentedmomma · December 2011

If your child is over 2, I would not take the chance of not purchasing them a seat. Most airlines will check, and you either end up buying a seat right then, if one is available or you would have to pay change fees on the tickets you already have to switch to a flight that has a seat available for them.

16 months with DS on my lap wasn't bad for short flights, the flights over that in time were hellish. There is no way I would do it with a 2+ year old.

AvaLikeLava · December 2011

I'm likely not the response you want to hear. We've always bought a seat for the kids. Even when they were infants. DH and I are (former) skydivers and know all too well, from accident reports on planes, how terrible things can be when you are NOT strapped into a seat. So we won't risk it with the kids. They've sat in a convertible seat on the plane, until they've outgrown it, and now the 3yr old uses a CARES harness when he flies.

Yep, it's a major cost when we travel, and it sucks, so we don't fly too often.

BTW, airlines these days have reduced their flight manifest that it's very unusual (at least all the places we've flown to) to have an extra seat. DH and I always book window/aisle, even when it was just the two of us, but it's been years that we've had someone NOT seated in the same row as us.

schmoodle · December 2011

I'm pretty sure if they're over 2 you have to buy them a seat (looking at your ticker). I wouldn't ever risk hoping for an empty seat on a plane, I haven't been on a plane with a single empty seat since 2003 (granted I fly high traffic routes, but still).

dusk42 · December 2011

Most airlines are asking for birth certificates routinely for lap children. I wouldn't risk paying for the seat at the last minute - it will be insanely expensive.

Dr.Loretta · December 2011

DD went in her own seat for a cross-country flight, and a lap child for a 2-hour flight

I love the middle, so I wouldn't risk it if I were you. I'd be that person between you and your LO

GreenEyedGal · December 2011

Oh crap, I wasn't aware that kids over 2 need a seat, I thought it was optional for kids who are ARE 2. Well that settles THAT debate. Thanks girls.

charmcitygirl · December 2011

Definitely get the seat! No only do you have to (if you child is over 2yo), but I would not want to risk (a) not being able to snag an extra seat or (b) having a squirmy toddler on a plane.

We brought his car seat and he sat in that for the whole flight(s). It was sooo much easier!

TxJen1972 · December 2011

We didn't buy a seat. We did luck out and have an empty seat to ourselves, but she slept in my lap most of the time. Our flight was a little over 2 hours.

LisaMarisa · December 2011

I would say it depends on the length of the flight. We flew to Disney when DS was 15 months and when we checked in we moved our seats to a row that had 3 seats open so we would have an extra seat. We werent able to do it on the way back.

I dont know that I would risk having someone sit between us though. I would get 2 seats together and hope that I can change it at the airport.

We flew to Copenhagen when DD was 18 months and he had his own seat with a carseat. That trip was a disaster but for other reasons. It would have been so much worse if I couldnt strap him into his seat.

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