Toddler, Carseats, and Flying...

[ShanaMouse]

we've always bought a seat for our little one who will be 18 months on our next trip this weekend and this is our 4th time traveling with him. I find it more comfortable to be able to put him in his own seat and we bring his car seat onboard. makes for a way smoother flight for us and a better start to vacation we use the cosco scenera next car seat. the ME doesn't allow car seats so they'll be stowed with the luggage underneath on the ride to Disney.

 

[DizneyMommy]

We have always used a car seat for our kids when they were 3 and under, but this is the first trip we are taking with an allllmost 3 year old that we are trying a CARES harness instead. Friends have used it and felt good about it securing the child very well, plus less to lug around once we get there. We have been practicing at home, and since it is a 5 point harness it feels just like her car seat seat belt, so I don't expect to have any problems. She is a great traveler too though, we road trip almost monthly and she happily chills out in her seat with toys and a movie.

For a car seat, we love the Cosco Scenera. Walmart and Amazon have them. They are about $40, and weigh literally nothing, plus are very compact! Past about 3 years old they do get a little tight though. They can go infant and up, and are FAA approved with a sticker indicating that. Best airplane seat ever!

 

[MouseOfCards]

We used car seats on their first trip to Disney. It was a pain getting those seats through the airplane aisles (not to mention through the airport) and they were very bulky when installed, and the kiddies kept kicking the seats in front of them. After that experience, we now just check the car seats (we need them for car rentals) along with our luggage. The kids seem fine without them. If we didn't rent a car and could only depend on Disney transportation, we wouldn't evening take the car seats with us. (We still rent strollers, though.)

 

[abinormal]

I wouldn’t fly without a car seat for a child who was under 4, less than 40 lbs, or would need one at the destination. Both for safety and convenience.

I find the CARES harness to be a very niche product. It wouldn’t have worked for my kids - it doesn’t shorten the lap belt and by the time they were big enough to use it properly they would have been old enough not to need it.

I used a Cosco Scenera last time I flew and it worked great. I’ve heard good things about the Scenera Next, and Evenflo has several models that look like they’d be good for planes without breaking the bank.

 

[HerbivoreMom]

I always recommend taking your car seat with you when you travel. Here's why:
- Safety is increased because presumably you know this is the right car seat for your child's age and weight, and you know how to use it correctly
- Hygiene is increase because you know where your car seat has been
- Your child is familiar with this car seat and that can bring some comfort for kiddo on what is otherwise likely a stressful time
- Car seats from rental cars companies may have been in accidents that were not reported (car seats are supposed to be replaced if they were involved in any accidents, even in minor accidents)
- You don't know how old a rental car seat is (most seats expire after 5 years but many people don't know that and keep using them because they 'look fine')
- Using the car seat on the plane can reduce risks of turbulence (kids have gotten concussions and worse just from turbulence)
- It's recommended by the FAA that you use a car seat on airplanes

learn more: http://thecarseatlady.com/airplanes/

Edit to add: The FAA's reasoning for why they allow people to bring infants and toddlers without buying an extra seat is that they don't want to make flying so expensive that people would choose to drive instead because statistically flying is safer. The FAA says

"the safest place for your child on an airplane is in a government-approved child safety restraint system (CRS) or device, not on your lap? Your arms aren't capable of holding your child securely, especially during unexpected turbulence.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly urges you to secure your child in a CRS or device for the duration of your flight. It's the smart and right thing to do so that everyone in your family arrives safely at your destination. "
https://www.faa.gov/travelers/fly_children/

 

[HerbivoreMom]

I’ve never brought a car seat. For me it’s one of the joys of a Disney vacation-not having to strap anyone in and out a seat for a week! My almost 4 year old thinks that it’s pretty amazing to not have to sit in one either!!

I don't understand this post unless you are actually bragging about breaking the law and jeopardizing your child's safety?
Florida law says children age 5 and younger MUST be in a car seat.
https://www.dmv.org/fl-florida/safety-laws.php

Are you saying that you don't ride in a car at any time during your trip?

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I don't understand this post unless you are actually bragging about breaking the law and jeopardizing your child's safety?
Florida law says children age 5 and younger MUST be in a car seat.
https://www.dmv.org/fl-florida/safety-laws.php

Are you saying that you don't ride in a car at any time during your trip?

I'm assuming they took the Magical Express and the Disney buses to and from the parks, in which case there's nothing illegal. It's not mandatory to have a car seat on the flight, and car seats cannot be used on ME or the buses. When we went to Disney with our almost 2 year old, we didn't bring a car seat either, and there was absolutely nothing illegal in anything we did. We won't be bringing a car seat on our next trip to Disney when he is 3 either. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion on safety, but there absolutely nothing illegal in not bringing a car seat on a trip when relying solely on airplane and Disney bus transportation.

 

[tvsdisney]

I don't understand this post unless you are actually bragging about breaking the law and jeopardizing your child's safety?
Florida law says children age 5 and younger MUST be in a car seat.
https://www.dmv.org/fl-florida/safety-laws.php

Are you saying that you don't ride in a car at any time during your trip?

We take magical express and don’t get into a car at anytime our whole trip. Before you lecture me on safety, which I’m well aware of, gather the facts and think it through.

 

[4Hawks]

We flew to South Florida in December and took both car seats. My son is 6, but on the small side. It wasn't as much of a pain to carry the seats through the airport as I thought it would be. We put the seats on a single luggage cart, put both both kids on a double stroller, and used the wheelchair/stroller dedicated lane through security. Left the seats and strollers on the side and walk through the metal detectors. The TSA agents swabbed the seats and the stroller and returned them to us on the other side. We were allowed to board earlier as well. The kids were comfortable and safe. I will keep taking our seats for as long as my kids are in a 5-point harness.

 

[HerbivoreMom]

I'm assuming they took the Magical Express and the Disney buses to and from the parks, in which case there's nothing illegal.

Well that explains it then. As I said, I was confused. Her original post did not explain how she got to and from the airport. (Neither did her reply for that matter, but it's implied by what you've said.)

 

[KrazeeK120]

Well that explains it then. As I said, I was confused. Her original post did not explain how she got to and from the airport. (Neither did her reply for that matter, but it's implied by what you've said.)

They probably didn’t count driving to and from the airport as part of the trip. I know I don’t count it when I fly...it’s only a 5 minute drive for me.

 

[tvsdisney]

Well that explains it then. As I said, I was confused. Her original post did not explain how she got to and from the airport. (Neither did her reply for that matter, but it's implied by what you've said.)

Would you like my full name, address and social security so you can background check me as well? You’ve clearly got way to much time on your hands. Actually maybe next time I’ll send you a full itinerary with my car seat plans added to it as well.
Oh and since you need a full explanation we do drive to the airport and wait for it...we have the car seat in the car!!!

 

[BLAZEY]

All of the above. If the coffee pot and your laptop have to be secured during take off and landing (when there’s the greatest chance of an incident- aborted takeoff, aborted landing, blown tire, etc.), shouldn’t your baby? Also, plane seat belts don’t fit until roughly 40 lbs, which is roughly a 4-5 year old. Before that, the belt doesn’t fit properly and the child could submarine underneath it in the event of an incident. There’s also the maturity factor- most younger kids are going to quickly figure out how to unbuckle a plane belt and are going to want to be up and down, walking around. If they do that during preparation for takeoff and you can’t get them to stay buckled in their seat when the seat belt sign is on, you can be kicked off the plane as it’s a matter of safety.

Kids are used to sitting in their car seats and it’s the safest way to keep them contained. It’s a pain lugging car seats through the airport (been there, done that with 2 seats at a time) but it’s not safe to check seats (gate or with luggage) and is the safest (and most comfortable) way for kids to travel on planes.

Here’s a good link that goes into more depth on safe plane travel with littles- https://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/ .

When DD was 3, she was required by Air Canada to be in a car seat during her flight as she was under age 4 in her own seat. We were renting a car at our destination anyways. Personally I think all babies and toddlers should be secured in car seats while on flights and get rid of lap babies. I remember reading a bout a plane crash where that sole survivor was a little girl who was secured in her car seat on the plane. most of her family were on the plane with her perished.