Questions About Flying With A 20-Month Old

[kicker]

Tried Search, but couldn't find an answer to this: Flying on Delta from NY to Miami; return flight on Continental from Miami to NY.

 

Main question: we have a seat for our DGD, but does she need to be in a car seat on the plane? Will we have to hold her instead of letting her be in her own seat, with or without a car seat?

 

Confusing info on here about airlines counting a car seat as luggage also.

 

Anyone with experience in this area? I know I can try contacting the airlines and probably will (tough getting to talk to an actual person), but CC folks are so helpful I thought I'd try here.

[MamaParrotHead]

I used to routinely fly with my DD (now 11, lol) when she was a toddler and I didn't ever hold her, just strapped her into her own seat (no carseat) for the majority of the flight (and obviously the required portions when the sign was lit). Unless things have changed since then. We actually did bring the carseat along (for use at our destination) and it wasn't counted as luggage, but that was also before the lovely luggage charges. The other thing I do know is that not all carseats are even approved for use on airplanes, there's a special classification for those that are and it would be noted on the side/back of the carseat somewhere "approved by FAA" or something along those lines.

[6rugrats]

Did you purchase her a ticket, or is she traveling as a lap child?

 

If she's traveling as a lap child, you may check her car seat, either at the gate or counter for no charge on most airlines.

 

If you purchased a ticket for her, you may bring her car seat onboard and strap her in(look for the FAA approval sticker on it, most new car seats have this). No need to call the airline; all information is on their webpage:

 

DL:

http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/special_travel_needs/services_for_children/infant_child_seating/index.jsp

http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/baggage/special_baggage/infant_and_children/index.jsp

 

CO:

 

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/specialneeds/infants/default.aspx

 

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/infant.aspx

[constansl]

I have flown a lot with my 15 month old daughter. They do not charge you to check in the car seat or a stroller. I usually check them in at the gate. Since she is under 2 years, you have the choice to strap her into the car seat or to hold her. The car seat is safer. However, I have been told by some flight attendants, that if you have a car seat you have to strap her into the car seat. Others didn't care. Make sure your car seat is FAA approved. If it is not and you are not bringing a car seat on the plane, I recommend checking with Delta. My dental hygienist told me that they required him to rent a car seat from the airline, because he had purchased a seat. I haven't ever been in this position, so I don't know if that is true. I have seen plenty of small children on the plane without car seats, so it seems odd.

[WeatherGeek]

I'm a huge advocate of car seat safety so naturally my stance on this is to strap her into the seat, which you'll thread the seat belt of the seat through to hold it down in the event of turbulence. One issue is that even if your seat is approved by the FAA, you may still have trouble with it fitting in the narrow seats - though MOST seats these days will fit - a quick google search with the name of the seat and "will ______ seat fit into airline seat" should help you find your answer. We take our daughter's Graco Nautilus with us when we fly and the only way it fits is if the armrest is up between her seat at the window and the middle seat. However you choose to travel, whether she's in the car seat or regular seat, is your choice, but I would strongly recommend you put her in her car seat.

[boulders]

She must either be held by an adult or strapped into her car seat for takeoff and landing. She can't be just strapped using the airplane's seat belt. Between takeoff and landing, she can be strapped in using the airplane's seat belt.

[kicker]

Thanks to everyone for their responses so far. I checked out the Delta & Cont. sites - confusing abit, but I think a car seat is usable. We do have a seat for our DGD, so that helps. I want to look into an AmSafe Cares Infant Restraint (mentioned on Continental's site). We won't be using a rental car in Miami, so whatever we use will have to carried on the ship when we cruise.

 

PS - If I come across anything that might be helpful to others I'll post it here later. Thanks again.:)

[rin1]

Keep in mind that you may want to bring that carseat for shore excursions (island drivers freak me out) so it's a pain to lug, but you may be glad you have it.

[RoadTripFanatic]

In ALL HONESTY take the carseat. It will make your life so much easier. We started flying w/ DD at 5 months old. The carseat is a lifesaver. Trying to hold a screaming 20 month old during take-off is not a fun thing. If they are strapped into their car seat there is no escape. They might scream but they can not escape. :) Plus I honestly think there is comfort factor with the car seat. We used to put DD in her carseat and she would be asleep by the time we took off. If we held her she was awake most of the flight.

[6rugrats]

My dental hygienist told me that they required him to rent a car seat from the airline, because he had purchased a seat.

Not sure what he's talking about; airlines do not rent car seats.

 

Thanks to everyone for their responses so far. I checked out the Delta & Cont. sites - confusing abit, but I think a car seat is usable. We do have a seat for our DGD, so that helps. I want to look into an AmSafe Cares Infant Restraint (mentioned on Continental's site).

 

Yes, as long as your car seat is FAA approved (there will be a sticker on it somewhere) and you purchase a seat for the child, you may use your car seat. However, not all car seats fit in all plane seats. Go to seatguru.com and look up the plane on which you will be flying, and it will give you the seat dimension. Keep in mind that if you are sitting in a row where the arms are fixed, such as bulkhead seats, you have no "wiggle room", as you can't raise the arms to make the seat fit.