Need Advice on Whether to Take Carseat on Plane

Hi CW,
When my daughter was 15 months old we went to Israel and the airlines let us sit in the front row of coach--I forget what it's called--but they had a fold-down bassinet and she fit perfectly. We didn't take a car seat and it all worked out well., I'd suggest calling the airline.
J.

Take it from a former flight attendant/pilots wife and a mother of a 20 month old boy who has flown about 10 times, TAKE THE SEAT!! Your son will be much more comfortable and if you would like him to sleep at all, bring the seat!! He will be restless in the airplane seat, and he will want to be in your lap, which will get old after 5.5 hours. If you strap him in his carseat right when you get on the plane, he will think it is just like the car. Not to mention in the event of an emergency, his carseat is the SAFEST place for him to be. To put it best, would you put your son in the front seat of your car with just a lap belt and drive to the store?? Good Luck with your trip, your son will be great!!! Just bring lots of snacks and books!!!

Yes I would bring one on the plane we have always taken light ones though not sure how big and bulky the Britax's are

I have the same carseat, but I opted to buy a more lightweight less expensive car seat made by Cosco for our trip. I was so glad we spent the money and bought a seat for our daughter because taking the carseat made a world of difference on our 6 hour trip. The car seat has to be in a window seat, else you cannot put it on the plane.
Plus now I have a second carseat which has proven to be wonderful. I don't have to take the britax in and out of the car when grandma and grandpa come and take her places. It is so nice. I think I spent 45.00 on the extra one and I got it at target.

Take the seat. It will fit in the plane seat. 5.5 hours is a long flight. If there is turbulence, he would get hurt sitting in only the plane seat, just as if he was sitting in the regular car without the car seat. My daughter is 2.5 and I still take the car seat with us on flights. It helps TREMENDOUSLY to have a seat she can't unbuckle(the airplane seat buckles are really easy to undo), plus it's safer. Good luck!

Yes - it will save your sanity!

I do think even if it bulky it will fit in at Southwest Airlines at the least - also I noted some people said take it only if he'll stay in it - well he should stay in it treat it as a car. I'd also advice against walking up and down the aisle with him because once you start you can't stop!

If you are really concerned about lugging it I highly recommend the GoGo Kidz traveler - it makes the carseat a stroller in the airport and is so worth it - we bought and only traveled once but man it was worth every penny - I was traveling without Dad - so check to see if your friends have it - and I think there is a website that will rent it to you.

http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html

I traveled with my 18 month old on a 22 hour international flight and am so glad I didn't take the car seat. I asked the airline for "bulk head" seating meaning you have no one in front of you, giving you more space and I took a regular sized pillow for him which doubled as help to better fit in the seat - and then as a head rest when he slept. He was very comfortable in his seat and honestly the car seat would have been too bulky to handle along with a toddler. Enjoy your trip!

I have 2 children ages 3 and 5 and have taken many airplane rides with them. We have always taken their carseats on the plane with us. Yes, it is a pain to lug them around but once we are settled in our seats, I am ALWAYS glad I decided to lug them around. As one lady mentioned, the tray on the seatback in front of your child's carseat will not come down flat but we've always managed by sharing the adjacent one. Here is why I love having their seats. Not only are they safe but because we are in the car most days for some reason or another, these are the seats they are used to sitting in and are most comfortable in. Both of my children sleep well in their carseats which is definitely a plus. Also, because they use them all the time, they also understand that they are to be buckled in just as they would be in the car!! We just returned from a trip to Hawaii. A little boy and his mother were sitting in front of us. She kept yelling at him to sit down because he would squeeze out of the airplane seat's seatbelt (even though she had a movie playing for him and toys and books to use).

The bottom line is think about your son and decide if he would benefit from sitting in his own carseat versus an airplane seat. 5.5 hours on a plane for a 13month old is a long time. For my children, lugging their seats around was a small price to pay for their comfort during our trips. If you think you want to take it, don't let the thought of lugging it around be what keeps you from taking it on the plane - you can pay a small fee to rent a push cart to put it on.

Looks like you got LOTS of responses, which I enjoyed reading as well. We also have a Britax, and bulky as it is, if I pay for a seat, I would probably bring it for safety reasons. We JUST got back from a trip to the midwest (4 hour flights) with a 16 month old, and opted NOT to pay for a seat due to cost, although I do fret about safety and kind of look forward to when I have no choice but to buy a seat for her and then I will use the carseat.

However, I would say even if you decide not to bring it on the plane, I NEVER check my carseat, as I HAVE had airlines lose luggage (and never find it), and then you're literally stuck at the airport unable to leave. I've heard they have ones they can loan you, but do you really want to trust the safety of those? So we always lug the carseat in it's travel bag to the gate and gate check it. Then I KNOW it's at least on the plane. Just my $0.02.

We have the same carseat for 3 of our four kids and we have flown many times with it and so far it has fit in all the planes that we have flown on. I would highly recommend taking it and letting your son sit in it. My kids were much more comfortable (and used to) being in their carseats. We also found this really neat rolling system that we used for some of the carseats so that we didn't have to carry them all. It attaches to the Britax Marathon and while your child is strapped into it he can be rolled through the airport. The only down side to it is that it has to be removed before installing it into the seat (at least we had to remove it because we couldn't fit it into the seat with it on). Here is a link to it http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html

Good Luck!

I've always taken our Britax Marathon on the plane, and my daughter is now three. We have traveled alone (without my husband) several times. Yes, it's been awkward getting on the plane, juggling everything, but I've found that attendants usually are glad to help. I'm reassured by the safety that the seat provides, since turbulence can happen so unexpectedly. Plus, my daughter sleeps well in her carseat, so she usually falls asleep on the plane rides. The tray table won't go down, but when she's not sleeping we read books or tell quiet stories or snack. Obviously you need to do what works for you; the carseat is something that I'll continue to take as long as she's too small for the airline seat (which will be awhile since she's on the petite side). I hope your travels are wonderful, whatever you decide.

I'm going to side with bringing the car seat. We traveled with and without. While the car seat was a bear to deal with getting through the airport, it was wonderful to have it on the long plane ride. If you're not going to be traveling often, may I recommend the solution we used?

http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Toddler-Seat-Travel-Acces...

All you need is a rolling carry-on bag and you have your seat on wheels. Plus, it's much easier to take on and off when going through security. If you don't have a rolling carry-on, maybe borrow one from a friend?

Oh, and we traveled with a Britax Marathon, and it was just fine on the plane. We had to put her in the window seat to make sure everyone could get to the aisle, but it worked out very well.

A.

I, too, agree like everyone else. I have flown with my three children (2,4,and 6) several times and a couple of those times was on my own. The four of us were going to meet my husband who is working long term out of town. My younger two were much more comfortable, they liked sitting in them while waiting to board (less running around), and on one occasion when our flight was delayed 3 hours my 2yr old fell asleep sitting in it in the waiting area. I tilted it back and he got a welcomed nap. I have even sat in the bulk-head seats. It was a snug fit, but the seats did go in just fine. I also liked the extra room for getting situated that the bulk-head area provides.
(If you fly often)For when they are older, but still need more than a lap belt I suggest a children's flight harness. I purchased one from American Airlines for my oldest, but my 4yr old wound up using. It is quick and easy. I just "gate check" her car seat then carry my son's car seat and the harness for the 4yr old on board.

I have the Britax Marathon and have flown with it several times. It fit the airplane seat fine, but I second the advice about getting a seatbelt extender if you don't want to scuff your knuckles. It doesn't require one, but if you don't use one, then the buckle winds up at a super awkward place for unbuckling. I felt way better flying with a seat for my baby. One thing I learned the one time I didn't buy a seat is that, if the plane is not full, the airlines will often let you take on your carseat and use a seat without having to buy a ticket. The ticketing agent said they commonly allow it--they just can't guaranty you a seat for your baby if you haven't purchased one. Good luck.

I traveled with my daughter when she was 20 months old. I did not bring the carseat on the plain. The flight attendants were very nice and allowed my daughter and I to sit in a different seat up front, as the plane wasn't full. I didn't have to pay for her back then, because she was under the age of 2. Since the plane wasn't full, she still got to sit in her own seat and she did fine.

I think it really comes down to you knowing your own child. If he won't sit still, best to bring the carseat. It wouldn't be fun having to chase a little one around on a plane. :)

S.
http://www.DeliveringWellnessToYou.com

The carseat just puts your child in a position to kick the seat in front AND the tray doesn't have room to fold down. My vote is DON'T TAKE IT.

We have tried it and would suggest you do NOT use this on the plane. The seat is very heavy and obnoxious. Ous son ended up playing on our laps most of the flight. Waste of time and energy.

This one is tough. We did a flight last year and brought the carseats on the plane because the airlines refused to take any responsibility for damage that could happen to the carseat if checked. We have the Britax Boulevards and at $300 a carseat that was not acceptable. We hand carried them, assuming we would check them as carry ons, only to find that there was enough open seats to use them for the boys. We didn't purchase seats for the kids, so we assumed we wouldn't use the carseats. The one thing is that you will have to lift the arm rest to fit it. Otherwise the Britax is to wide. The kids did great in them, and our 18 month old even slept during part of the trip. We also had some extra hands (the grandparents) so it wasn't to hard to carry the carseat and have someone watch after the little one. It can be pretty difficult to deal with both.

If I didn't have the help of extra hands, I don't know how I would've done it.

Did you purchase a seat for him? If you did, then you must take an FAA approved seat for him. You can get a Cosco Scenera at Walmart or Kmart for $43 and take that. It's a cheap seat, but works well.

We have flown twice with our Marathon. It fits just fine in the tiny airplance seats because of the base it's on. Once DD was rearfacing and once she was forward facing. Rearfacing is much easier - there are instructions in the manual for installing with lapbelt over the cover. It goes in super easy.

DD slept in her seat and understood that she needed to sit relatively quietly. I would never fly without her in a seat.

Hey CW, my response is completely different than all the other woman. I flew with my son to Mexico when he was 11 months old. It was a 5 hour flight to Dallas, and then a 2 hour flight to Mexico City. He did fine on the plane with no car seat. I figure, if there's turbulance, I was going to be holding him, and if the plane crashed....it wouldn't matter if he was in a seat or not, we were all going to die. ( I hate to fly!)
It worked for him to be a bit more mobile, and for me to give him extra loves and cuddles. He slept on my lap, so I slept too, and he did GREAT! Getting off the plane, holding him, going to the bathroom, changing diapers, eating....all would have been next to impossible if I was carrying around his seat as well.
I would NEVER put my child in the front seat of a car!! That's kinda ridiculous. Planes are not cars. The safety issues are completely different.
Good Luck with whatever you decide!
L.

I would take it, especially if your child is used to napping in his carseat. If so, it makes napping on the plane easier because they are in a familiar place/seat. I recommend not getting a child used to playing w/ the tray anyway -- because it's hard to explain to a young child when the tray has to be upright for take-off & landing. We have flown at least 15 times with our 3 yr. old & always take his carseat. It's also safer.

Good luck!

we did the same thing as anne marie.. we have a light weight car seat.. that we travel with or use in other cars.. then latched the britax down in our car.. depending on your child's weight ect.. he might be ready for a convertable car seat that would last up to 80lbs.
graco makes a great one.
Lenc

Hi! I travelled with my baby a couple months ago, and didn't bother with the carseat, but I did bring her Jeep All Terrain stroller, which has a one touch fold up button, and stored easily on the plane. The personnel take it to the cargo and it was there waiting when we got off the plane! I didn't have to wait at all. I just made sure my family had a car seat for us for our stay. They borrowed one from a friend so we wouldn't have to bring ours. Now, my baby wasn't a year old yet, but she was perfectly happy to cuddle in my lap the entire trip! I nursed her through part of it, and just let her fall asleep. Even now that she is 9 months old, I would do the same thing. It's too bulky to bring the carseat, plus, don't you have to pay for an additional seat if you do that? Good luck!

I also have a Britax and have just checked it instead of carrying it on! They are SO huge and bulky! I have traveled with my son at 8 months and 2 1/2 and he was small enough to curl up in the seat with the seatbelt on and lay his head on my lap! There were people around us with kids in carseats and they were having a heck of a time getting them buckled in and through the cabin! I think it is just a hassle and not worth it! Good Luck!

I flu 17 hours to Europe this summer with my 23 months daughter.I changed 3 planes. In some of them the seat next to mine was empty. I took the car seat in the 6hrs flight plane. It was good because she slept 4hrs in it. She's very good with staying in it in the car. In the 9hrs flight I didn't have the seat next to mine available, but she set in my lap or played on the floor. When I came back, the 9hrs plane had a seat available but I didn't take the car seat because I thought she would sleep more comfortable in 2 seats then in her car seat, plus she had more room to play on the chair, to get up and down, burn some energy....If he likes to take naps in the car seat take it, otherwise is very big and it doesn't fit through the aisle so you would have to pick it up. the good part of taking the car seat in the plane (putting it on the chair next to mine or leave it with the attendant) was that I bought a portable car seat traveler so i didn't have to get the stroller with me, i would just put her in the car seat. it's much safer, and for short trips (up to 3-4 hrs) i think i would take it, big part of this decision is the traveler too.
Good luck!

Teo

I would say bring it. I have traveled a lot with both of my kids as babies and the seat is great to have. It sort of makes them realize they can sleep. Without the seat, they have a hard time falling asleep. There should be room. If not, you can always check it at the gate when you are boarding, no extra fee usually. You are right, they are usually more comfy in their carseat.

We took our kids' carseats when they were little, sometimes we had to bring 2. They are a pain to carry but we found our children would be more comfortable and were more likely to sleep during the flight in their own familiar seat.

if you bought him a seat, I would say try it. if it doesn't fit they will just "alacarte" it and it will be in the jetway at your destination. I've done it both ways...maybe if you bring a little dvd player with his fave. sesame street or cartoon or maybe some colors it would help distract him. It is safer to have him in it if you can.

I have not read all of the responses, but one thing to beware is that with many carseats, you cannot fold down the tray table. The one time we brought our carseat on with us it was miserable because our daughter could not use the tray table for activities or to snack. Now we check our carseats when we go anywhere. Just something to think about.
D.

We travel at least one time per month (and have done so for the last 2 years). My son is now three...before two, we almost always just saved money by holding him, but our flights were genereally less than 3 hours. Anything more, I think it is hard to hold a baby for that long. I think that the advantage to having the carseat is that the baby is comfortable (and used to it) and you are not obligated to hold him, and he is strapped in for a safe flight. We use the Britax Marathon, so it is bulky but we love the carseat, and it definitely fits on the plane - we sometimes have to have the armrest up, but that isn't a big deal...We also have a contraption called "GOGO Babyz", which is a wheel attachment. I wouldn't necessarily suggest it for once a year travel, but it is quite handy...

Take it. Huge pain to carry it around, but so worth it on the plane. We took a big carseat for our almost two year old and it was so worth it for her to have her own fitted seat to stay in.

I wouldnt rcommend taking the carseat on the plane as it will be bulky and useless,,
18 months old stay well on the plane ,,maybe he can be fussy a bit but still i guess u can handle it.

Wow when you said bulky your right, they seem to make them bigger these days more in weight, I for one have never had to use one on an airplane, but I have seen others use the booster car seats on the airplanes, it sits them up a little higher, an its their own seat easy to buckle with airplane seat belts,less bulky to carry too. Do check with the airline you are taking ahead of time to be sure of their policy on what is approved. Also a little extra at this age they tend to have ear problems more from the travel, so keep something for them to suck on, being it's a sucker, pacifier something to keep the ear muscle active when up high in the air and at take off and landing if they get fussy, hope you do not mind I put this in, have a safe fun trip. S. L, Vancouver, Washington

Are you driving when you get there? Ask for a bulk head seat. Yes.

Hi,

Wife of a pilot here, have travelled many times without my husband with my 1.5yo and 3.5yo since the 1st was a baby.

The Britax fits fine but you do want to ask for a seatbelt extender (as you board, ask the attendants in the front of the plane for th extender as that is where they keep them and it's easier for you to grab it on the way back than have someone fight their way back to the front to get you one) You can install it without one but unbuckling the thing can then be a nightmare.

The carseat has to be installed in the window seat (FAA regs)

Turbulence cna be dangerous and even if your baby isn't in hs seat the whole time, if you have a carseat then you can at least restrain him safely for takeoff and landing and for any expected turbulence.

Mine sleep SO much better in their carseats and also don't expect to get out whenever they like (just like in the car)

Check out the roller attchement that you can buy that easily attches to the back of the carseat - it's made by "gogobabyz" and you can find it at onestepahead.com - it changes the carseat into a rolling stroller or luggage carrier, and makes schlepping through the airport a breeze (they will ask you to take the rollers of to put it throuh the xray machines at some airports - they have always hand-checked it for me in Portland).

If you decide to not take the carseat on, chck out the CARES harness system - it would be safer than nothing.

Ask to pre-board - sometimes you can, and they are pretty motivated to give you exra time if they see you will be installing a carseat.

Good luck!

D.

It sounds like you bought him a ticket (if not, to save money you can hold him on your lap) so I would say put him in the carseat. We only flew for the first time with our daughter this summer (she was 2 1/2) and took our Britax Boulevard (which is the same size as the Marathon). It was a nightmare dragging it through the airport, so use one of the SmartCarts you rent for a buck (makes all the difference in the world).

When you're on the plane, ask for a seat belt extender. No one told us to do that and there's no way to unlatch the belt when you go to leave (well, for forward facing... I'm not sure for rear facing). There's nothing like having the pilot, all flight attendants, and finally a maintenance guy there - taking the bolt out of the seat belt off - to get your kid who's puking off the plane when you land. ;-)

The seat was great! It put our daughter up nice and high so she could look out. She was comfortable because it's her seat. And, she didn't know she had the option of getting up because she knows that she's buckled up when riding in the seat. She's a little older, so we took a DVD player for her (along with a magna doodle, sticker book, crayons, etc.) and people told us they had no idea we were traveling with a toddler. Also, it is MUCH safer for turbulence and, God-forbid, smaller accidents.

The only cons (besides getting through the airport with it) is that you can't put the tray table down all the way and it might make it easier for him to kick the seat in front of him (once again, if facing forward). However, these cons weren't a big deal for us and I would definitely bring a carseat on board again. :-)

Unless you think that he will stay in it, I would check it. We have taken several long flights (with a younger baby though) and took the carseat on board for the first one. It was a real hassle and she did not want to sit in it anyways.

It is safer for them to sit in the seat though!

In a word, no. It will be a major pain. Mostly likely, he will want to move around from seat to seat. Don't know how long your flight is, but some airlines you can preorder a basinette...not sure if a 13 month old would fit in it. I took my child from OR to Spain when she was 6 months, and she just slept on us. But a 13 month old is a different story.

If you have gone to the expense of purchasing a seat on the flight for your 13 mth old then by all means, take the car seat on! We have travelled by plane several times with the Marathon and it does fit and it is well worth it. Strap it in with the seat belt as you would in your car and be patient with removing it as it can take a little work. Having your child strapped in is safer for him and for you, more relaxing for all because you are not having to try and keep him in his seat, you can eat your meal without wearing it, they can eat properly as well, and he is used to the car seat by now. We kept our kids (all 4 of them) buckled in unless they were being changed or nursed and simply played with them while they were in their seat. Having done with and without, I highly recommend the WITH.

Up until this last trip at 2.5 we used a carseat that we purchased at target (the cheapest they had) that was lighter and we orderd a backpack thing on bbc that allowed us to carry it. But the seat has to go at the window so if you are traveling as 3 that is one reason to consider not bringing one. It is safer if they are in their own seat but the problem I had is that the tray didn't fold down and it made play time harder... but for nap time then she had to sleep basically in my lap. Pros and cons but if you want a seat consider a lighter "travel" one.

Take it if you can! I haven't traveled with a convertible car seat, but did 7 flights with the baby bucket and 1 without. (Does your son still fit in his?) The difference between the two is huge!! Your son won't be able to use the regular plane seat; he'll have to be in your arms. Especially for longer flights, it's really nice to be able to put them down and know they're still safe. Also, as for bulk, I've seen people carry their carseats on their backs when going through the airport. Lengthen the shoulder straps as far as you can and then slip your arms through the back side of the carseat. The hard plastic part would be against your back. I'm not sure how comfortable it is, but it looks like it works really well!

i have never used a car seat on the plane. at that age the stewardess ask to hold them close during take off and landing. with 2 kids i have enough stuff to lug around without having carseats too. and without them there is room during the flight for the baby to stand and crawl around in the seat. flying is safer than driving anyway! an idea for play... playdough and cars and cookie cutters... my son loved it and it was easy to keep contained. good luck and have a great trip.

Hi CW,

How fun that you are able to travel with your child. My youngest is 20 months and has flown 4 different times alread. I'm not sure if your car seat will fit, but I do suggest take it. Children are already used to traveling by car and being comfortable in their car seat. They are already used to falling asleep in it, snacking in it, playing with toys in it, so it will comfortable for them in this new and strange, loud, environment. If you are already purchasing a seat for your son, then a carseat for sure. One of our trips was a short flight and I opted not to take the car seat and it was difficult keeping my daughter strapped into the belt. She was more fidgety and hard to control. Thank heavens for nice passangers helping to keep her entertained. It was a struggle to keep her from continuing to unbuckle herself. She has traveled on the airlines from age 5 months to 17 months.

I did try a carseat with wheels that I borrowed from a friend. It was great getting through the airport, but it didn't actually strap in any better on the airline (which is what it was designed for) than my traditional Cosco alpha omega seat. Plus, it didn't sit well in the car either.

Have fun on your trip, and somehow strap your carseat to your back through the airline terminal. Hope this helps and have a great time!
Kimberly

The most difficult part is carrying the carseat to the airplane and through security. It is a pain, but it is worth it. You can find straps that help you to carry it online, or bring a bungy to strap it to your rolling carry on luggage.

We never took the carseat on for my son but he was able to sit still and loved to be read to. We would just lay him in his seat and on a lap and he would take a nap. My daughter is a different story. She needs to be strapped down! Just remember that sitting next to a carseat for hours is very uncomfortable. It definitely infringes on your space. Do what you think is best for your family. I know that safety is important. If the airlines don't require the seat it is for a reason. I never have felt that my son was in danger. In fact I nursed him on takeoffs and landings until he was weaned.

we have tried both ways. i think it's definitely easier at that age to have the carseat tho it's a big hassle to lug around. if you don't need it in a car at your destination, i'd borrow a smaller one because the marathon is a monster. we never bought one of the carseat carrier things because we rarely travel, just carrying it by the loosened straps. and of course get a luggage cart immediately at the airport. (your kid will probably get a kick out of riding in his seat on the cart.)

it fit in the brazilia airplane that we flew in. you can check out seat dimensions specific to the plane you're flying in at http://www.seatguru.com/.

good luck!

The Britax will not fit in an airplane seat. I have three different friends who have complained about that many times! It might be worth purchasing a somewhat inexpensive seat for this trip. We had luck with the Cosco brand - it fit fine. Good luck!

K.

Yes - if you bought a seat for him on the plane then I would definitely use the car seat! It's so much easier when they can be strapped down reliably... I've flown with both my much younger siblings and my two young daughters and definitely, bring the seat.

I recommend bringing the seat especially if another adult is coming with you to help carry! Though the airports usually do have little carts and things to help folks who have a lot of carry-on items due to special circumstances and you should be able to get a ride on one of those if you're traveling by yourself with your son.

Best wishes on the flight! You'll do just fine either way, I'm sure :)

~B.

If your child weighs at least 22 pounds then NO- don't bring it.

I have flown on almost 20 different flights with my son who is now 3 years old. When he was about 15 months we flew to Florida from Seattle with a stop in Cinncinati. We brought on his car seat- also big and bulky and it was a giant nightmare. Because even though my son is a great traveler, he does not sleep on the plane. So he wanted to get down and move around, but he couldn't. So he cried and screamed the entire way there on both legs.

I have never brought on his car seat since then and now check it with the baggage. Instead I bought the Kids Fly Safe Seatbelt. (http://www.kidsflysafe.com) This is an attachment that goes around the seat with straps that hang down over your child. You pull the regular seatbelt through the bottom of the straps and click the front clip together. It is almost like a 5 point harness seatbelt without the carseat. But at that age, I would still hold my child on my lap for take off and landing.

Another tip- DO NOT get the bulk head seat. The armrests do not lift up so if your child wants to take a nap he can't lay across your lap.

Another benefit to not bringing the carseat on is that your child can get down and stand in front of the seat and play with toys. I know they should always be strapped in, but it just doesn't always work that way.

Good luck and safe travels!

Hello!

I have traveled a lot with my now 3 1/2 year old son. He always sat in my lap until he was two and required to have his own seat. Well, I have to tell you that when he was tiny, it was fine, but as he got older, having his own seat was a blessing, so...

Yes, yes, yes, use the car seat!! This is the car seat that we have. If your little one is as active as our son is, you will find this a life saver! This keeps your child safe, keeps him from jumping up and down and keeps him put so that you aren't having to chase him all over the plane. Make sure that you have lots of books (skinny paper backs are the best) and lots of small toys and stuffies. We always made sure that we had a little something that was a surprise to keep him entertained. Works like a charm.

Also, we found that a harness was great for the airport, because it allowed him to walk without being able to get lost in the crowd. It allowed him some freedom and gave us peace of mind. If your son still nurses or if he has a pacifier make sure that this is available to him during take-off and landing. It will keep his ears from hurting.

As far as lugging the thing through the airport, I always loosened the straps and put it over the handle of the stroller. Be aware that it makes it back heavy if your little one is not in the stroller. Throw a piece of luggage in if you are holding your son.

If you have a sling that you still use, I also found this a good travel companion. When waiting in long lines with a tired baby, it allowed him to be snuggly while I still had my hands free to move luggage and hand people my passport, tickets, etc.

My son and I have traveled a lot by ourselves and have done really well together. Be prepared and all will go well! I hope this helps and that you have happy travels!

Good luck!

B. W.

Hi C W. To be honest, I have never understood why airlines allow small children to fly unrestrained. We travel quite often, and we always put our kids in their car seats when they were younger. Yes, the seats can be bulky and cumbersome. But one big pocket of turbulance can send a little one flying (no pun intended). Also, it's much nicer to have a little one be able to snooze in his or her own seat. Our kids were always comfortable and did really well. We did give them (with our pediatrician's guidance) Benadryl, and that seemed to prevent ear pain. Again, I wouldn't consider taking a child as young as yours on a plane without his own seat. Happy flying to you and to your little man!