Flying with toddlers - do you use a child seat?

disneyholic family · Nov 22, 2016

Like most everyone in this forum, we've flown with infants, toddlers, little and big children on very long flights.

When my kids were growing up, while there were child seats in cars, no one thought of using one on an airplane. And our kids were just fine without them.

But now everything i see on the internet pushes for child seats on airplanes.

Next year, our grandkids will travel with us (and the whole family) to WDW.

They'll be 3.5 years old and 22 months old at the time of the flights

Though the younger one isn't required to have a ticket, i bought her one, as i thought it would be easier on everyone for her to have her own seat.

My question is - what do people on this board do? Car seats on planes? No car seats on planes?

All information, advice, comments are welcome!!!

thanks in advance!!!!

poppyberry · Nov 22, 2016

I've never done car seats for mine. He's flown a lot. To be honest I think they'd complain if I tried to get them in the car seat and would distract from the thrill of flying on the plane!

disneyholic family · Nov 23, 2016

thanks for the response..
yes i can't imagine trying to get them to sit in a car seat for 13 hours non-stop...that just seems insane, no matter what people claim on the internet!!

mackay_j · Nov 23, 2016

Only thing I would add is you are not flying direct it may be better to take the car seats on the flights as ours decided to do a alternate holiday - A tour of the east coast and it took us 5 days to get it back. We landed late on Xmas eve and the car hire company didn't others left. The airline gave us cash to buy one at Walmart on way to villa - but I wasn't happy with that idea so I sat about airport while DH went off to buy 2 seats. It was way past midnight xmas eve when we finally reached our villa. Not so much of an issue if flying direct and not at such a peak time.

Other than that for safety on the plane - well don't think a car seat would offer that much help in a bad situation.

disneyholic family · Nov 23, 2016

mackay_j said:
Only thing I would add is you are not flying direct it may be better to take the car seats on the flights as ours decided to do a alternate holiday - A tour of the east coast and it took us 5 days to get it back. We landed late on Xmas eve and the car hire company didn't others left. The airline gave us cash to buy one at Walmart on way to villa - but I wasn't happy with that idea so I sat about airport while DH went off to buy 2 seats. It was way past midnight xmas eve when we finally reached our villa. Not so much of an issue if flying direct and not at such a peak time.

Other than that for safety on the plane - well don't think a car seat would offer that much help in a bad situation.

i've reserved two car seats from alamo - i hope they actually have them there for us when we get there.
Otherwise, we'll probably end up doing the same thing you did. Someone hanging around the airport, while i run to walmart or wherever to buy 2 seats.

pickers1982 · Dec 9, 2016

With virgin we booked a toddler seat. It was a bit like a car seat.

It was useful to have as straps went over the shoulder so easier to control them if trying to squirm out. Didn't recline as much as normal for the seat though so harder to sleep

WonderlandisReality · Jan 9, 2017

I found it helpful to have this age in car seats, especially on the transatlantic flights. But be aware: British Airways has always been pretty strict in my experience when we flew. They could be in the car seat if they were 2 years 11 months, but the moment they hit 3...no. Other airlines weren't so strict.

Vic1disneyworld · Feb 12, 2017

Ok, so we took our eldest when he was 2y.4months. Legally he had to have a seat with a lap belt only. I used a CARES SYSTEM with the lap belt. I wanted something that would keep him in his seat incase of turbulence. I loved it as it seemed very secure and my son had a very happy flight.
Since then my family flew (separate from me) and had terrible turbulence and some passengers were injured. It was mid dinner service.
With this in mind 3 years later with an additional child who will be 1y.23months I'm giving the car seat a go (please note he's nothing like my eldest; very strong, heavy and strong minded

)
I've bought a britax eclipse car seat as it has a TUV STICKER.....which means it's legally allowed on an aircraft. I informed THOMAS COOK pre flight, as you should,and I've filled out a form and signed it. They've given me the green light to use it. I've also done the same with my CARES SYSTEM and this too has been given the green light for my eldest to use again.

My thoughts are as my youngest is under 2 he will need to sit on my lap, even though I've bought him a seat, should the seat belt sign come on. If he doesn't want to im likely going to have a hard time with him while he's strapped to me! This will be even worse if he's asleep as I will have to move him. The car seat reclines for sleep and he doesn't expect to come out of it when he's in it

If there's turbulence I know the seat and my child will be going nowhere. He can't get out if it either so as much as it's going to be stressful for both of us if he has to be strapped in there against his will, he can't get out, slip out of the straps or cause me injury on my lap.

I know it's personal choice but for me it's safety, and I know he can get comfortable to sleep in his car seat.
Check with your airline specifics but all will make sure at the very least it can be secured with a lap belt only, as if it's not secured it could cause injury in turbulence x

disneyholic family · Feb 12, 2017

Vic1disneyworld said:
Ok, so we took our eldest when he was 2y.4months. Legally he had to have a seat with a lap belt only. I used a CARES SYSTEM with the lap belt. I wanted something that would keep him in his seat incase of turbulence. I loved it as it seemed very secure and my son had a very happy flight.
Since then my family flew (separate from me) and had terrible turbulence and some passengers were injured. It was mid dinner service.
With this in mind 3 years later with an additional child who will be 1y.23months I'm giving the car seat a go (please note he's nothing like my eldest; very strong, heavy and strong minded )
I've bought a britax eclipse car seat as it has a TUV STICKER.....which means it's legally allowed on an aircraft. I informed THOMAS COOK pre flight, as you should,and I've filled out a form and signed it. They've given me the green light to use it. I've also done the same with my CARES SYSTEM and this too has been given the green light for my eldest to use again.

My thoughts are as my youngest is under 2 he will need to sit on my lap, even though I've bought him a seat, should the seat belt sign come on. If he doesn't want to im likely going to have a hard time with him while he's strapped to me! This will be even worse if he's asleep as I will have to move him. The car seat reclines for sleep and he doesn't expect to come out of it when he's in it If there's turbulence I know the seat and my child will be going nowhere. He can't get out if it either so as much as it's going to be stressful for both of us if he has to be strapped in there against his will, he can't get out, slip out of the straps or cause me injury on my lap.

I know it's personal choice but for me it's safety, and I know he can get comfortable to sleep in his car seat.
Check with your airline specifics but all will make sure at the very least it can be secured with a lap belt only, as if it's not secured it could cause injury in turbulence x

if the regular seatbelt is on a child sitting in his own seat, wouldn't that hold him down in turbulence?

Vic1disneyworld · Feb 12, 2017

I don't claim to be an expert on kids on aircraft, but I can tell you that my cousin rose out of his seat age 3, and his mum had to hold him in his seat. No he wasn't injured but it was enough for me.
My thought is that if it's bad enough for the seat belt sign to come on then I want him to stay in it. A determined young child can easily get out of a lap belt, but not a 5 point seat belt. I want to know he's stuck in there till I get him out.
It's worth knowing that my 3 year old was still wearing 9-12 month shorts when he flew, he was so skinny best him. I suppose it's personal choice, but my thoughts were that he wasn't the size of a 2 year old (age required to sit on own with a belt) He's now 5. My 1 year old is the same weight as him and they wear the same size shorts!

disneyholic family · Feb 13, 2017

Vic1disneyworld said:
I don't claim to be an expert on kids on aircraft, but I can tell you that my cousin rose out of his seat age 3, and his mum had to hold him in his seat. No he wasn't injured but it was enough for me.
My thought is that if it's bad enough for the seat belt sign to come on then I want him to stay in it. A determined young child can easily get out of a lap belt, but not a 5 point seat belt. I want to know he's stuck in there till I get him out.
It's worth knowing that my 3 year old was still wearing 9-12 month shorts when he flew, he was so skinny best him. I suppose it's personal choice, but my thoughts were that he wasn't the size of a 2 year old (age required to sit on own with a belt) He's now 5. My 1 year old is the same weight as him and they wear the same size shorts!

ours is a 12 hour flight just to new york (and then another 2.5 hours on the continuation down to orlando)..
having a kid sleep for that many hours in a car seat seems like it wouldn't be that healthy either..
we board the plane at about midnight....so theoretically they'll sleep once we take off...
when my kids were that age, i had them sleep lying in the seat with the belt loosely on them..
as for size in the seat, the older one will be almost 3.5 when we fly....he's a skinny kid, but still normal size (he's about to turn 3 and wears a size 2T)

the younger one is a girl and i think she already wears almost the same size as her older brother, though she's a year and a half younger...
in other words, she's not petite...she's tall and full figured

she'll be 2 months short of 2 years when we fly, but in size, she's already taller than some 2 year olds (and not related to anything, can already beat up all the much older boys in her nursery school - you go girl)..

even though she'll not yet be 2, i bought her seat on the plane, as she's already way too big to be held on anyone's lap (except perhaps her 6'7" grandfather, DH)

Vic1disneyworld · Feb 13, 2017

Yes our youngest is huge so we bought him his own seat, but any children under 2 must either be in a car seat or on a lap (even if you paid for a seat) for take off, landing and any time the seat belt sign is on. He won't be stuck in his seat the whole time, but when he's required to I want to make sure does! (He's as monster!)
We are travelling with lots of family throughout the place so I'm guessing we will be moving about alot, but I just want to be assured when it matters most he will be stuck in his seat x

Vic1disneyworld · Feb 13, 2017

Hopefully that seat belt sign won't come on except for take off and landing, but I have been on flights where it's been on for long periods of time, and I know Jr is not going to want to sit on my lap for all that time. I've seen it first hand with a mum sat next to me over the aisle, and she looked so stressed bless her as her little one just wanted to get off! Personally I would of waiting about 6 months to fly, but im not the bride so couldn't choose the time we go x

disneyholic family · Feb 13, 2017

Vic1disneyworld said:
Yes our youngest is huge so we bought him his own seat, but any children under 2 must either be in a car seat or on a lap (even if you paid for a seat) for take off, landing and any time the seat belt sign is on. He won't be stuck in his seat the whole time, but when he's required to I want to make sure does! (He's as monster!)
We are travelling with lots of family throughout the place so I'm guessing we will be moving about alot, but I just want to be assured when it matters most he will be stuck in his seat x

how would they know how old she is?
and if the child is the size of a 2 (or even 3) year old, why wouldn't she be able to sit there like any other kid?

Vic1disneyworld · Feb 13, 2017

My child will be 1 when flying, it will say infant on his ticket.
My 5 year old will be fine,he's very well behaved. It's just the 1 year old who's a bit too young to understand why he needs to sit down for a long period of time shoukd the seat belt sign come on and stay on.

disneyholic family · Feb 13, 2017

Vic1disneyworld said:
My child will be 1 when flying, it will say infant on his ticket.
My 5 year old will be fine,he's very well behaved. It's just the 1 year old who's a bit too young to understand why he needs to sit down for a long period of time shoukd the seat belt sign come on and stay on.

i originally booked our one year old granddaughter as an infant - and so she was listed on her mother's ticket as an infant..
but now she has her own ticket and it doesn't say anywhere that she's an infant...
the infant designation was to indicate that she didn't have a seat...

Flying with toddlers - do you use a child seat?

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poppyberry

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