My son is 2.5+ , close to 3 years. The last few times I travelled with him I always took his convertible carseat. I used to see lot of kids in umbrella strollers, stroller checked in at gate and the kids on the regular seat on the plane. At what age can kids fly without carseat?
I am travelling alone to Europe with him to visit family this christmas. We also have a connecting flight in Europe with a layover of 5 hours. My son is super active , running around all the time. I have decided to not even have a carry on luggage with M.(just a backpack , handbag and stroller) , so also want to get rid of carseat if possible. Thanks!
there is no reason for a child to sit in a car seat on a plane. In a car crash the seat will protect him. in a plane crash the seat will not protect him.
it would be more comfortable for him and let him sleep on the plane and maybe hold him in the seat.. he might be able to excape from the regular seat on the plane.
I don't think there are any rules about a carseat but check with the airline. If you want an extra restraint there is also the CARES harness that should fit it mist bags. I have not tried one, but looked into them when we flew. My son sat in my lap or his own seat at almost two. He is not a huge faraway fan and it would have just been harder on the plane.
Children are not required to sit in car seats on airplanes. As a parent you have the option of doing it, but it's totally up to you. You can check the car seat, at no cost to you, if you will need it once you get to your destination. I would recommend that over renting a car seat anywhere.
If you're on your own do whatever is easier and if that means ditching the car seat, then do it. But, I will say that you'll have to decide if it might be easier to have him in a carseat to keep him bucked and possibly so it's easier for him to fall asleep, if he does that in his car seat. There can be an argument made that if he's in the carseat and bucked in he knows that you can't just unbuckle the car seat and run around because that's not how it works normally.
Either way I would make sure that you have tons of activities for him to do while on board. A 5 hour layover is a lot but hopefully you can use it to run around and get some wiggles out! Maybe if the airport has a train or something you can ride to every terminal! ;)
I have never brought a carseat on the plane. Instead, I use a CARES harness. It converts the lap belt into a 5-pt harness and more importantly is FAA approved. Once a kid figures out how to open the seatbelt, they are of little use, so this device fixes the problem. The harness is tiny and fits easily in a carry-on or purse. The price is a little hefty, but if you fly a lot, like I do, then it is well worth it!
Happy and safe travels!
My almost-five year old has been on 19 flights in his life, including travel to Italy, none of them in a car seat. It's not an airline rule to use one (although they do have rules about what you can bring if you choose), just your own parental preference. He was on our lap as an infant and in his own seat with the lap belt afterwards.
We usually gate-check his car seat and when we used a stroller, that checked at the gate, too. Now we strap the car seat on a GoGoBabyz to give it wheels and it makes it much easier to get around the airport. It can even be used as a stroller that way for a younger kid.
We did not take the car seat to Italy at all. We took public transportation (train, shuttle bus, etc) that did not have latch attachments for the seat. Since you are visiting family, there will probably be car travel involved. You can either gate-check your own seat or see if there is one there to borrow or rent.
My DD was not yet 3 when we flew overseas. We were not allowed to use our own seat and they didn't have enough of their own available. DD was buckled in and did OK. I would try to get a seat where the child is by the window and you're on the aisle to kind of be a block so he can't get out easily. All of our flights had multiple children on them and except for an occasional baby crying, they did really well. We gate-checked our stroller and we baggage checked our carseat (we did a lot of car travel). The carseat went to a special "fragile items" bin, at least at Virgin Atlantic. For the layover, let him run as much as you can. Wear him out. If the airline permits, order a kiddie meal, which often comes out first. Give him a small backpack of his own (at 2, he'll have his own luggage allotment and carry on) and put some fun, soft,quiet toys in there to play with. Fill his sippy cup after you get through security, though.
didn't take it one time. had horrible, horrible turbulence. 1/2 the plane threw up. when we landed, a very nice woman behind M. literally pried my arms apart - they had been locked with one over his shoulder and one around his waist for so long and so hard, I could not move them without help. I was truly terrified for his safety. never again - they always had their own seat after that and they were buckled into carseats until they were big enough to be in boosters.
for safety he needs it. you'll need it when you get there and you don't want to check it - they'll beat it up but good. get a car seat backpack carrier. ours was big enough to hold the regular backpack and a 5-point so I could manage it on my own. spend the money on a regular 5 point - they weigh about one fifth of the covertibles and he's old enough. ditch the stroller - plan for letting him walk to get rid of some of his energy - if you can stand to carry him for short periods. and you'll need the car seat on the plane - no way will he stay contained otherwise. as for the harness that connects to the lap belt - I've heard only horrid things about them in turbulence and crashes. it will keep him contained but not safe.
good luck.
We have a sit n stroll. It is basically a car seat that turns into a stroller. They run around $200 but if you travel a lot thy are worth it. It is ver easy to use, you just pull on a lever to fold the wheels and make it into a car seat or push the lever to engage the wheels for a stroller. I could do this without taking my lo out of it. Just google sit n stroll and it will come up.
Good luck!
My son flew about 10 times now..we never took his carseat on the plane. We checked it with our luggage. He is approaching 5 now but flew several times under a year, at 18 months, 2 and recently.
We flew domestically back in May, about 1 month before my son turned 3. He wasn't required to use any kind of a carseat; just the lapbelt.
You might want to check with the European airlines to see if they have different policies. The Europeans tend to have stricter carseat rules in cars, so they might also have more stringent airline rules.
Car seat isn't required on a flight. In cases of severe turbulence, I can see the safety concern. You can't hold your kid when you're getting bounced all over the place. But, I think it's more comfortable for a small child to sit in the car seat because it just fits them better, especially when they fall asleep. Otherwise, he would be laying across your lap which isn't very fun for you either.
It is very inconvenient to carry through the airport. Have you considered a booster seat? It's easier to manage and may be a nice compromise.
They do not let u bring them on.
Another vote for the CARES aviation seatbelt harness for kids. We used it for our 3 yo on our Costa Rica trip. We had four regular flights and 4 hopper flights while in CR. Can't recommend enough. Afterward, I sold it on Ebay for $45. You can also rent them, now. Just google it.
It's been quite a while since I've flown with a toddler (5 years? I think my son was 3 the last time we flew...) but at that time, I took a car seat and we ended up having to check it. We were not allowed to use it because it didn't comply with FAA regulations. It made M. regret even trying. So if you DO choose to take one, bear that in mind. But if you're renting a car in Europe, you may be able to rent a car seat (I've done that in the US).
I would not put a 3-year-old on a plane without a carseat. The law doesn't care, but the laws of physics do. (An actual carseat. Boosters are not allowed on planes and I would not put a child under 6 in a booster).
Children can be easily killed by impact on the ground (that would be survivable in a carseat) or turbulence. I don't have the link but I watched a video of moms whose babies died in plane turbulence or accidents (where most adults survived), and these lap babies just flew. So sad. An active 2-year-old won't just sit in a lap belt the whole flight either, w/o you going crazy. :) Bring that carseat. And you'll need it for cars in Europe, too, and to get to the airport.
We bought the Cosco Scenera seat ($40) and rear-faced the kids on planes until age 3, then forward-faced them until 6 in the Evenflo Maestro (also a cheap, light seat, but only for FF). Both install easily on a plane or rental car.
An active toddler on a plane? Good luck! I've been there and can't imagine how awful it would have been with him taking his belt on and off and bouncing around. The carseat was a lifesaver for sanity, and the kids slept (and safety, of course). Have a fun trip. Europe sounds great!
Cares harness (a good choice too) goes to 44 lbs., I think? Not sure, but for some kids at age 2 or 3, the limit is too low.
I guess I'd ask whether you will need a carseat at the other end of the trip. How will you get him from airport to the family without something? Would they be providing something for you that they have borrowed or rented?
I find a carseat helpful in the sense that the child is used to it and it's part of regular travel, but I understand you don't want to be lugging it around the airport. Will they hold it for you at the gate in between flights? I know you can't leave unattended luggage, but a carseat? Maybe.
Do you have a travel agent? If not, are you a member of AAA? They have a travel department that can give you free advice and let you know what the regulations are in the various countries.
I'm wondering if there are any harnesses suitable for travel on airlines that provide more security than an adult seatbelt but which are collapsible? I know there is a British company that sells an inflatable booster seat called Bubble Bum - they are thinking of bringing them to the US but I'm not sure they are here yet. Maybe look into that? I think it might be for slightly bigger children but you could check.
this would be a question for the airline. from what i remember (and this was many moons ago - ok about 10 years - that i worked in the industry) you could hold the child until they required a seat, and then they had to have a ticket. i don't remember a carseat ever being a requirement. unless you just want to have them strapped into something. again, check with your airline.
What are the laws in Europe as far as kids travelling in cars? I would check the carseat, if you need it in Europe, and use the CARES harness on the planes.
A car seat will help him feel more normal, frankly; and it gives you peace of mind that he is both unable to get up freely and run around AND he is safer. Have you ever seen serious turbulence? I have seen unbuckled adults thrown up almost to the point their heads hit the overhead bins. A small child can be killed by turbulence like that.
He will sleep better in a car seat than in the airline seat, too--he will feel more "cradled" and the surrounding will be more snug and familiar.
Plus, regular airline seat belts are easy to unfasten (so you can get out quickly in an emergency). He will rapidly find out how to undo that belt and will be gone down the aisle. Spare yourself and others -- put him in a carseat on the plane. But check the dimensions of the airline seat and his car seat to ensure it actually fits.
I've taken my child to England every year since she was born (11 times) and she always was in a car seat, then a booster for better seatbelt fit, until she was about six or seven. Keep him safe and keep yourself sane -- use a car seat. And be absolutely certain to use one in Europe in cars too!
