Do I Use the Car Seat on the Plane?

Don't worry about the car seat. We took my daughter on a long flight this summer when she was 2.5 and she did just great without a seat. It was soooo much nicer for us to not have to lug it thru the airport! If you need one when you arrive you can rent one or if you are meeting family they can pick up a used one for you.
A few more travel tips - bring lolipops for the take off and landing - it helps their ears. Also I liked the color wondors, they make travel sizes and kept my daughter occupied. I also used the flight attendants as allies - if she wanted to get out of her seat we "asked" the flight attendent becasue they were the BOSS on the plane.

Good luck!
K.

i took my dd 2.5 year old to disney world last year so we had about a 6 hr flight. I am soooo glad to have had her seat with us. Most of the flight was very rough going both directions. i would not have felt safe at all with her in just the reg. belt. Way too many big dips! The car seat goes in the window seat so she could look out the window. the tray could not come all the way down, but almost-so she still used it for everything she needed. Yes she could kick the seat in front of her, but after she "tried" the first couple of times she knew it was a big no no that would get her in trouble. Bring a good stroller with you. we could put the carseat in the stroller and push the two w/her sitting in it. that way when she fell asleep on the plane we could just unbuckle the seatbelt and carry her in the seat off of the plane!

C.,

I have twin 3 year old girls and have flown with them without car seats. If you are not in economy plus or business class the seats are just too close and my girls end up kicking the person in front of them. Have a great flight!

Maybe just get a belt-positioning booster. The kind that she sits on but has no back. It will help position the lap belt across her hips. Hopefully, nothing will happen that will require the belt to hold her in her seat, but if it does, you don't want her to slip out or to have the belt in the wrong place and cause internal injury and bleeding.

Then, you can hang onto the seat to use in the car once she's grown out of the regualar car seat (many states now have laws requiring kids to be in a booster until age 8 or 80 lbs; it's just safer even if its not the law)

i would stow the carseat under the plane and let your child sit in the reg seat. I've flown with 4 children at once, believe me she'll be just fine in the seat, bring lots of activities!!

my older son was almost 3 the first time he flew. We just put him right into the airline seat- he did just fine. Make sure you have enough things to keep her entertained as she might get antsy. We always bring our portable DVD for our kids when we fly and lots of crayons and coloring books! We fly once to twice a year with the kids to either California or Washington state, and so far it has worked out fine. Good luck!

We've never taken carseats on the plane (always checked the carseats) and the kids have been flying with us since they were 2 months old.

She'll be perfectly safe in the plane seat and she'll have more room to move around and play without bothering the passenger in front of her. It's a cool adventure - her own seat, headphones, snack tray....

Enjoy!!
C. E.

I never put my kids in their car seats when we fly. I stow them. She would probably feel much more comfortable if you let her sit in the seat. And as long as she stays seated, especially if there's turbulence, she should be just fine.

C.,

It's your choice. Yes, the odds of something bad happening are slim. However, if something did happen, your daughter would not be nearly as safe in the airline seat without a carseat/booster. The airline seats and belts are designed to fit an adult, not a toddler. The danger is that she would slip out of the seatbelt and become a flying object in the plane cab. You have to decide whether you are willing to take the risk or not. One poster mentioned that the front row offers more legroom. This is true; however, there is usually no under-the-seat storage in the front row, which is something to be aware of if you pack a purse, diaper bag, or toy bag.

Personally, we have always used the carseats. It is simply a given in our family that when we travel, the kids sit in their seat. No discussion, and it never occurs to them that there is another option! My daughter likes that she is boosted up high enough to see out the window, and I like that I have her carseat once we get where we are going, and I don't have to have it banging around in the belly of the plane. We do have a cheap, lightweight model that we use when we travel - the Costco Scenera. We got it for $40 at WalMart.

Best of luck,
S.

Hi C.-

I've flown many, many times with my daughter who is now 2 year, 2 months and we've always checked the carseat. If she is sitting on the plane seat, she can stretch out and cuddle on us which makes her much more comfortable. If you hit turbulence, you can just hold her on your lap.

My son has been flying since he was 4 months old. We took him to Australia when he was 22 months old. I regret making him be in the car seat on the plane. He could reach the seat in front of him and I spent most of my time apologizing to the person in front of him and telling him to stop kicking. Meals, coloring and playing were hard because the tray table did not fit right and everytime he bumped it he either spilled or bothered the passenger in front of him. This is something I did not consider and 16 hours was way too long not to enjoy the tray table. By the time you realize you have made a mistake, it is too late and there is nowhere to put this bulky item. It was actually easier to keep him in the airplane seat with a seatbelt. Hope this helps and have a great trip.

C.,
When we flew last november my son had just turned 2 we had to get a seat for him though he sat on our laps most of the time. When we took off and landed my son wanted me to "hold" him though he couldn't be on my lap for that. we pretended that my arm was a seat belt and I "held" him in his seat. This is our routine now when we fly. Good luck.

N.

Our last plane trip was last summer and my son was 2 1/2. I chose not to use a car seat because I was flying alone with him and had 2 layovers/plane changes and a car seat would have been one more thing I had to carry from gate to gate. As it was I had a stroller, and backpacks for us both...potty breaks would have been a nightmare! I also had family at the other end who had a car seat for us to use while we were there. We brought along a small pillow and blanket and he slept fine in the airplane seat, Loved using the tray table and did fine keeping his seat belt buckled. He has also been flying 2/year since he was 6 months old. I guess it would depend a lot on your child's temperment and willingness/ability to follow directions either way.

We fly to VA to see family as well. I like the car seat because it gives a little extra support when they fall asleep. It can make the tray a little tricky depending on the plane and seat, but I like it. We have gone without because my MIL has a seat for our daughter already there to use. Good luck!

No real new advice to offer, just experience and agreement. When I flew last year with my two girls, 2 and 4 months, I used the car seat for the 2 year old. My kids are very tall, at 2 she was as big as a 3 year old and she did fine. It is more of an issue of what they are use to. Kids are use to being restrained in the car, imagine what a car ride would be like if they weren't strapped in. She slept well and I was able to take the little one to the bathroom to change her without having to worry about her running to the cockpit :o). We were on a red eye flight on the return home and she fell asleep almost before we took off, I don't think that would have been the case if she were not in her car seat.

As for being cramped, my 16 month old, who is as big as some 2 1/2 year olds, is still rear facing with no problems. I am convinced that kids are made of rubber and that positions that would put us in traction are completely comfortable for them LOL.

In the end it all depends on how well she behaves and takes instruction. My oldest is will be 3 in December and I think I would still take the car seat, just because she is going through a very defiant stage and would jump off a bridge if I told her not too, just because I said it.

Have a wonderful trip and a great Thanksgiving with your family :o)

-M.

We also have the CARES Kids Fly Safe belt recommended by another Mom http://www.kidsflysafe.com/ It is awesome! I just flew by myself with my almost 3 year old son and 3.5 month baby. It fits around the plane seat and gives you a harness for your child. I make my son be buckled in for take off and landing, but it doesn't take up any room on the seat, so he can be his usual monkey self when the seat belt lights go off. It packs down really small in your carry-on too. It is $75, but so worth it if you travel a lot or will have a second child who can use it later. The last time I brought our big carseat, my son was big enough (maybe 1.5 years?) to kick the seat in front of him, so that was a huge issue during the flight and I wished my had checked it. One last thing...my son was entertained by a roll of scotch tape for nearly an hour of the flight.

You might see if you could get seats in the first row. They often have more leg room. (Exit rows do to, but they won't put a child there.)

For me, it wasn't a matter of safety as much as sanity. My two year old climbed out of the seat belt when we took him without his seat. When we took another trip with his car seat, he fell asleep. Good luck with number two, also! I am a birth doula in Denver and would be happy to help when the time comes! Let me know if you have any questions!

I don't know what I would do with my 2.5 year old on a plane without restraints! He would climb out of his seat belt in no time flat, then be screaming because I wouldn't let him run up and down the aisles. But he sits quite nicely in his car seat for a whole flight! Well, he did this summer, anyway. He's off the charts for height, and he fit just fine. Maybe your daughter's legs have grown a bit longer, so they'd hang down instead of sticking straight out now?
Another benefit was that DS was used to falling asleep in his car seat, so he nodded off as soon as the excitement of take-off was over. He couldn't have done that without his car seat, especially because it has sides for him to lean on.

Use the car seat, for safety and so you can be hands free if need be. If she is too big what does she ride in in the car? Let's face it, no one is particularly comfortable on a plane! Good luck.

I haven't used a car seat on a plane (because ours was too big), however, I have traveled with my 2.5 year old recently and he did very well sitting in his own seat without the car seat. We just had the seat belt on him the whole time and had lots of toys for him to play with and he did very well. His favorite thing was pulling down the tray and having his own "in-flight snacks". Hope that helps!

The safety issue seems like it's your decision, but no one has mentioned that for convenience you can check the car seat at the gate. This means you would have it right away as you got off the plane and there's no risk of it becoming lost luggage.
A flight to Virginia is loooong. I just took my infant to Hawaii and was frustrated the entire trip there that I had so little room to even hold him. I was claustrophobic trying to hold him and pat him and I could not even put down my tray to eat--I'll never again fly on a packed plane without getting my child a seat, too! I ended up hanging out by the lavatory where I could move around a bit, and there were half a dozen other people back there, chatting and just trying not to freak out about how cramped they felt. On the way back, there were empty seats by me and I installed his infant seat next to me and he slept the whole way back. I may be a negligent mother for feeling this way, but if I were doing a long flight in coach class with a 2.5 year-old, I'd go for sanity and gate check the car seat and keep my child's seat belt snugly fastened, and then bring a bunch of snacks and other entertainment. (We joke in my house that there is nothing "safe" for a child in being near a stressed-out mom!)
Best of luck!

Hi C. - we just went through this last summer with my tall 2.5 year old son. We went to the trouble to take the car seat because we considered it a safety issue and we needed a car seat at our destination. I dont hold him in the backseat of my car, I reasoned it is the same for the plane.

We were quite thankful for the car seat as the flight was very turbulent coming back into Denver. Lots of rolls, bumps and those scary air pockets where you free fall for a second or two. If we didnt have a car seat - my little guy would have been tossed every which way and I would have been forced to hang on to an upset and squirming 2 1/2 yr old for almost 2 hours that we had turbulence. He was quite content buckled in his seat - even enjoying the turbulence a bit. The carseat was a hassle to carry on but it helped to make my flight enjoyable.

I hope you have a terrific trip!

btw, the airlines dont allow boosters.

Contact the airline and find out what the requirements are. When I was looking online with one airline I remember seeing something about at a certain age or weight the airline does not require a car for the child.

I would skip the car seat and let her ride on the plane seat. I flew with my 3 year old (he was about 2 1/2 at the time) and it worked better to have him in the plane seat. He had more room to stretch out and it kept him occupied for a few more minutes since it was new to him and there was so much stuff to mess with. And just think about the perks of not having to carry a huge carseat through the airport with you!

We fly quite often with our kids....4 or 5 times a year, and the only time we use the car seat is while they are small enough for an infant seat. It is nice to have a place to lay them if they fall asleep. For a 2 1/2 year old, I would just check it. That's so much easier than lugging it around the airport. For me it is absolutely NOT a safety issue....I mean, come on, if the plane crashes, what are the chances of survival whether in a car seat or not? Not to be harsh, but it is very realistic. The seat back are high enough that if it is a matter of a plane sliding across a run way or something like that, nobody is going to become a flying object to injure others, there's no where to go.

I have made a plane trip to Virginia when my daughter was that age..a few times I might add. It is such a long flight, if she is not comfortable she and you will be miserable. In my opinion she will be fine to fly without the seat. Half the time we were in the air my daughter was standing playing with the attendants and eating cookies :) I wont stress to hard about this, but mom..it's your call. You gotta feel comfortable with your decision. Good luck and have a safe trip. Wish I were going there.. :)

I bought a seat belt called Kids Fly Safe, it's a five point harness that attaches to the airplane seatbelt, and this was great for my 1-2 year old son, we ahve used it several times. It is pricey, about 80 dollars, but was worth every penny as it was easy to install and take down and fit right in my backpack, no carseat to worry about, and my son loved having some extra room in his seat, felt like a big boy. I think the webpage is kidsflysafe.com. This has a stamp of approval on it for use on an airplnae. I liked it because the airplane lapbelts are so easy to get ondone, but this helped provide a bit more security that made me feel better. Good luck!

The last time that I took our car seat on the plane it was such a pain in the butt that I swore I would never do it again. It is just cumbersome, and puts kids in a postion that they can't use the tray and the seat in front is begging to be kicked! I think that just sitting in the plane seat is totally fine. It would be nice if the airlines would come up with an in plane system for kids. I know that is a dream when you can barely get a soda anymore!!

We are flying to Michigan from Montana with our 2 year old for Thanksgiving and not using a car seat. We flew there when he was 1 1/2 & didn't then either. He sat on my lap then but now we have a seat for him since he's over 2. He loves to look out the window and draw and should have plenty to keep him busy. As far as the safety concern, the odds of something happening are so rare, that I feel comfortable.
I just plan on keeping him appeased with toys, books, snacks and the window to keep him in his seat belt as much as possible.
Have a good time!

I took my daughter on a plane the first time whe she was three and we did not use a car seat. She was just fine. Unless you need one for a car when you get there I would forgo bringing it, its more of a pain to haul not only through the airplane but also through security. You have enough chaos in an airport with a young child, dont add to your stress.

NO NO NO - check that thing!! This is one of the few things about which I feel so strongly sharing my opinion/experience. I have flown a considerable amount with my now 3.5 YO daughter and 10 MO son. Every time I see a parent lugging their carseat, and their child, and their carry-ons up the aisle, I think "WHAT MISERY!!" --especially when the child ends up sitting the entire flight in one of their parents' laps while the car seat sits empty in the middle seat. It is not worth the hassle! If you pay for the airline seat, then use it for your child, save your back, and enjoy a little extra elbow room. Make the opportunity to sit in a "big people's seat" a great, new learning experience and you will ALL be a lot more comfortable. My husband and I flew a three-leg journey (each way) to Belize and back with our daughter (who was 17 months at the time) and we NEVER regretted not having the carseat along.

take it on the plane. don't buy another one specific for the trip unless you need a second for your spouse's car or grandma's car, etc.
for us, taking a car seat on the plane was a behavior thing as much as a safety thing. Yes, they are incredibly safer in a car seat. But, it totally eliminated the issue of why can't I walk around, crawl all over you, etc. we told them it was just like a car, they were buckled, and that was that. And, because family lives long distances away, they were totally used to spending 3-4 hours buckled up w/out a break. I think it would've been much harder w/out because it would've been so different. Plus, maybe mine just had incredible dexterity, but by 2 1/2 or 3 years old they could undo an airline buckle - I didn't need that hassle on takeoff!